Dear collegues,

due to the long lasting rainfalls in the last weeks we have quite a good season for inoperculates in the calcareous Mesorometum and Xerobrometum at the moment.
In such a biotop with many orchids and some scattered Pinus we found yesterday a strange discomycete, which reminded me at first glance at Hyphodiscus, probably due to the dark brown hymenium and the somehow pubescent or rugulose excipulum.
Unfortunately the collection got detoriated very soon, so that I think it might be a xerotolerant species fallen to the ground. This might be also supported by the fact that the asci are IKI-negative.

The macrofotos shows rehydrated apothecia, but they look quite similar to the fresh collection, except that the white-pulverulent excipulum was not as distinct as on the foto.
The haris bear some resinous exudat or may be flat cristals, I couldn't see that too good. They are slightly thickwalled an slightly brownish at least some of them.
Excipulum a textura angularis with encrustations, reminding me a bit at Catinella olivacea
Asci remarquable by their strange shape, quite small but broad, 8spored, IKI-negative.
Spores elliptical, approx. 5-6(7) x 2-2,2 µm, oil content 1-2
Paraphyses simple as far as I could see

Can someone give me an ida where to search?

thank you and best regards,
Andreas

Hans-Otto Baral, 19-06-2016 09:33

Re : unknown asco with hyaloscypha-like hairs

Hi Andreas
I think the thick-walled hairs exclude this "Hyphodiscus" viridula ("sericea").
You forgot to tell us the substrate?
Did you measure the asci?
Zotto

Andreas Gminder, 19-06-2016 09:47

Re : unknown asco with hyaloscypha-like hairs

Good morning Zotto,

the substrat was a small twig (diam. 3 mm) of Pinus lying in the ground

I forgot to note the ascus measures, but from rememberance they were a bit longer than 20 µm, so  approx. 23-25 x 7-8 µm

 

best regards,
Andreas

Hans-Otto Baral, 19-06-2016 10:21

Re : unknown asco with hyaloscypha-like hairs

Go in the folder "Hyphodiscus-like" and subfolder "Ayel trichodea-like".

that matches perfectly! two are also on Pinus and those by Enrique seem to be hardwood, Quercus or Castanea.

Zotto

Andreas Gminder, 19-06-2016 10:31

Re : unknown asco with hyaloscypha-like hairs

Hello Zotto,

yes, indeed a perfect match.

I also observed that the incrustations on the hairs are dissolving in KOH.

It has no name yet, so we can't list it in our Fungus Flora of Jena - or do you think as "Hyphodiscus aff. trichodea" would be o.k.?

best regards and many thanks,

Andreas

Hans-Otto Baral, 19-06-2016 11:01

Re : unknown asco with hyaloscypha-like hairs

When I go to trichodea, I think it has not much in common. Besides, trichodea is clearly not hyphodiscus-like but looks more like a Hyalopeziza or Urceolella.

Sorry, no name....

Andreas Gminder, 19-06-2016 11:07

Re : unknown asco with hyaloscypha-like hairs

Hello Zotto,

o.k., no problem, we are used to having no names, aren't we ;-)

But what concerns the hairs of this "aff. trichodea", I think they are more Hyalopeziza-like as that they have similarities to Hyphodiscus theioideus or "hemiamyloideus".
Macroscopically I was reminded at Hyphodiscus, but when seeing the hairs and the plump asci, I was sure that it is NOT a Hyphodiscus ....

best regards,
Andreas

Hans-Otto Baral, 19-06-2016 11:33

Re : unknown asco with hyaloscypha-like hairs

Yes, Hyphodiscus is quite certainly out of place. I could imagine that the fungus belongs in the Cordieritidaceae, a familiy that has consistently inamyloid asci, as seemingly does this cf. viridulus, which is also genetically not related to Hyphodiscus. And we have the genus Macroskyttea in the Cordieritidaceae, which has glassy hairs just as a Hyalopeziza, so the hair shape seems to be a polyphyletic feature in this case.