On decorticated wood of Picea abies, I found several small globose pseudothecia of about 100µ with non-septate brown setae of 50x3µ. Tha clavate asci appeared bitunicate, and had 8 biseriate spores which were almost hyaline( 13x6µ)The dimensions of the asci were 70x17µ.Spores were muriform with 4 transversal septae and 3-4 longitudinal septae.No paraphyses were seen.

With the key of Friebes(2012) I came to Capronia chlorospora.The spores also matched with the pictures in The Handbook of Ascomycota of Wergen.

Unfortunately the asci didn't react red after using KOH nor blue with IKI after pretreatment with KOH. Does this mean that I have to look in another genus?

Lothar Krieglsteiner, 07-05-2018 02:47

Re : Non hemiamyloid Capronia?

Hello Marc,

perhaps you should use the IKI without pretreatment with KOH.

As far as I know all hemiamyloid reactions do not work with KOH.

Best regards, Lothar

Hans-Otto Baral, 07-05-2018 07:11

Re : Non hemiamyloid Capronia?

Hi Marc and Lothar

Not all Capronia species react heimamyloid, some are negative. 

Your second photo shows a blue colour in the middle part, is it in KOH+IKI?

The red hemiamyloid reaction is ONLY obtained without using KOH, as Lothar correctly says. After KOH-treatment and washing with water IKI gives a blue reaction, and in taxa with indistinct hemiamyloid reaction like Capronia it is recommended to test both, IKI without KOH, and pretreatment with KOH, because the blue reaction is always easier to see than the red reaction.
Zotto

Marc Detollenaere, 07-05-2018 20:29

Re : Non hemiamyloid Capronia?

Hello Lothar and Zotto,

 

I put several fruitbodies in IKI and then in KOH followed by IKI.

Only one coloured red with Lugol, none coloured after pretreatment with KOH.

The second photo was with Congo red.

 

Marc

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Hans-Otto Baral, 07-05-2018 23:08

Re : Non hemiamyloid Capronia?

if you saw the colour of the iodine after KOH, and there was not blue reaction, then I think the red colour was not a hemiamyloid reaction but something else.

Marc Detollenaere, 07-05-2018 23:41

Re : Non hemiamyloid Capronia?

Thanks Zotto.

Do you still think it's a Capronia?

Hans-Otto Baral, 07-05-2018 23:49

Re : Non hemiamyloid Capronia?

I think it is Capronia. Capronia has no evident paraphyses, I think they disintegrate. Seemingly all elements on your photos are asci.