Pleosporales » Ligninsphaeriaceae

Ligninsphaeria

Ligninsphaeria J.F. Zhang, J.K. Liu, K.D. Hyde & Z.Y. Liu, in Zhang et al., Phytotaxa 247(2): 113 (2016).

Index Fungorum number: IF 551757; Facesoffungi number: FoF 01662, 1 morphological species (Species Fungorum 2022), 1 species with molecular data.

Saprobic on decaying bamboo culms. Sexual morph: Ascomata scattered, solitary, immersed under the host tissue, black, subglobose or obpyriform, clypeate, ostiole at the centre, with a slit-like opening. Peridium coriaceous to carbonaceous, composed of two strata, an outer stratum of thick-walled and brown cells arranged in a textura angularis and fusing with host cells, and inner layer of hyaline cells of textura angularis. Hamathecium comprising numerous, cellular pseudoparaphyses, embedded in a gelatinous matrix. Asci 8-spored, broad-clavate, bitunicate, fissitunicate, with tapering pedicel, apically rounded with a distinct ocular chamber. Ascospores 3–4-seriate, hyaline, broad-fusiform, with tapering apices, indistinctlyuniseptate when mature, pointed at both ends with a gelatinous cap. Asexual morph: Unknown (adapted from Zhang et al. 2016).

 Type species: Ligninsphaeria jonesii J.F. Zhang, J.K. Liu, K.D. Hyde & Z.Y. Liu

Notes: Ligninsphaeria is characterised by scattered, solitary ascomata, coriaceous to carbonaceous peridium, broad-clavate asci, and hyaline, broad-fusiform ascospores. Ligninsphaeria resembles Pseudotricha in having immersed, obpyriform ascomata and clavate asci. Ligninsphaeria differs from Pseudotricha in having cellular pseudoparaphyses, gelatinous cap at both ends of the ascospores anduniseptate ascospores while the latter has trabeculate pseudoparaphyses, 5–6 µm wide gelatinous sheath and 3–5-septate ascospores (Zhang et al. 2016). Ligninsphaeria also resembles Lophiotrema but can be differentiated based on the broad-clavate ascus and ascospores surrounded by a gelatinous cap at both ends while Lophiotrema has cylindrical ascus and lacks gelatinous appendages around the ascospores (Hirayama & Tanaka 2011, Zhang et al. 2016). Ligninsphaeria is morphologically and phylogenetically a distinct genus in Ligninsphaeriaceae but more collections are needed. Only LSU sequence data is available for L. jonesii.

 

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