Muriform Ascospores Research Articles

Two new species in the lichen family Graphidaceae from India

AbstractGraphis parvicarpa and Pallidogramme bengalense are described as new to science from India. Graphis parvicarpa is characterized by a striate excipulum, inspersed hymenium, muriform ascospores, and norstictic acid in the thallus. Pallidogramme bengalense is characterized by a striate exciple, muriform, hyaline to pale brown ascospores, inspersed hymenium and no lichen substances in the thallus.

A new isidiate species ofHemitheciumTrevis. (Ascomycota,Graphidaceae) from India

AbstractHemithecium isidiatumfrom the Eastern Himalayas is described as new to science. It is the first isidiate species in the genusHemitheciumand is otherwise characterized by hyaline muriform ascospores and the presence of salazinic acid.

Additional species of Graphis from Maharashtra, India

Our recent investigations of the lichen flora of Maharashtra have brought to light several new taxa in the family Graphidaceae. Nine species of Graphis with muriform ascospores are recognized of which two, G. maharashtrana and G. elevativerrucosa, are described as new to science. One new combination, G. panhalensis is proposed. Two species, G. galactoderma and G. parilis, are recorded from India for the first time, and G. platycarpa and G. subducta are reported for the first time from Maharashtra. Graphis sp. 1 is clearly distinguished from the other species, but is not formally described as new to science as the material is scanty. A revised key to all species of Graphis from Maharashtra is provided.

Leptosphaerulina trifolii에 의한 Kentucky Bluegrass의 Leptosphaerulina 잎마름병 발생

In May of 2004 through 2007, Leptosphaerulina leaf blight caused by Leptosphaerulina trifolii occurred on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) at golf courses in Gangwon Province, Korea. Symptoms on the turfgrass caused by L. trifolii were leaf blights, dying from the leaf tip downwards to the crown, which appeared patches in the field because of local pockets of severely infected (blighted) grass. Perithecia were produced on old or weak leaves, including club-shaped asci, each of which contained 8 pale brown muriform ascospores with cross and longitudinal septa. Ascospores of the fungus isolated from the diseased leaf tissue and cultured on potato-dextrose agar (PDA) were muriform multicellular (composed of 3-6 cells) and <TEX>$23.4-40.5{\times}7.8-15.6{\mu}m$</TEX> in size with 3-4 transverse and 0-3 longitudinal septa, which were morphologically identical to L. trifolii reported previously. DNA sequences of ribosomal RNA gene (internal transcribed spacer) of the fungus were homologous with similarity of 99% to those of L. trifolii isolates in GenBank database, confirming the identity of the causal agent of the disease. Pathogenicity of the fungus was also confirmed on the creeping bentgrass by Koch's postulates. This is first report of Leptosphaerulina leaf blight on turfgrass caused by L. trifolii in Korea.

A new species of Anomomorpha (Graphidaceae) from India

AbstractAnomomorpha elegans, a new species characterized by lirelline ascocarps, dark reddish brown, pruinose disc, bowl shaped exciple composed of elongate hyphae, hymenium inspersed with crystals, muriform ascospores and salazinic acid in the thallus, is described from India.

Aspidothelium lueckingii: a new lichenized fungus from Bolivia

Abstract: The corticolous lichenized fungus Aspidothelium lueckingii Flakus is described and illustrated as new to science from the montane cloud forest in Bolivia. It is characterized by pale perithecia with seta-like appendages and large, regularly muriform ascospores. The species is the sixth known member of the genus producing muriform ascospores. A key to all known species of Aspidothelium with muriform ascospores is provided.

Revision of the Opegrapha species with muriform ascospores (previously Dictyographa) (lichenized Roccellaceae)

Abstract:Opegrapha species with muriform ascospores are revised and two species, differing only in the shape of their excipulum, are accepted: O. arabica, a widespread coastal species, and O. varians, known from mainland Yemen and Socotra. The genus Dictyographa, previously distinguished from Opegrapha by its muriform ascospores, is reduced into synonymy with Opegrapha. Dictyographa angolensis and D. sandwicensis are new synonyms of O. arabica; the type of D. cinerea was found to be a mixture of different species of the Hysteriaceae; and D. contortuplicata and D. psyllocarpa are excluded from the Arthoniales. Lectotypes are designated for D. angolensis, D. contortuplicata and D. sandwicensis.

Gomphillus caribaeus Belongs in the New Genus Bryogomphus (Lecanorales: Pilocarpaceae)

A revision of the lichen genus Gomphillus Nyl. in the Americas reveals that G. caribaeus W. R. Buck does not belong in that genus, but is a member of the Pilocarpaceae in the Lecanorales. Because of its distinctive features, the species cannot be accommodated in any of the known genera of that family, and the new genus Bryogomphus Lücking, W. R. Buck, Sérus. & L. I. Ferraro is established for it. Bryogomphus is characterized by turbinate, vertically elongate, obconical apothecia with a disc-shaped top, anastomosing paraphyses forming a reticulum around individual asci, amyloid asci of the Sporopodium-type, and filiform, multiseptate ascospores. Most similar within the Pilocarpaceae is Bapalmuia marginalis, but that species differs in having unbranched, strongly coherent paraphyses and Byssoloma-type asci with a darker tubular structure in the tholus. Calopadia turbinata (Tuck.) Sérus. & Lücking comb. nov. is also related but has a paraplectenchymatous excipulum, largely unbranched paraphyses, and oblong-ellipsoid, muriform ascospores. Bryogomphus shows a remarkable convergence with Gomphillus in the Gomphillaceae (Ostropales), being extremely similar even in many details, except for the amyloid asci, slightly thicker and irregularly bent paraphyses, externally thinly byssoid excipulum with labyrinthical structure, and disc-shaped top of the apothecia.

New data on the distribution of Leptogium azureum (Swartz) Mont.

Jørgensen &amp; James (1983) in their detailed study of the Leptogium azureum group in western Europe, pointed out that L. azureum (Swartz) Mont. was absent from Europe and that most of the European material so named belongs to L. cochleatum (Dicks.) P. M. Jørg. &amp; P. James. Although both species show some morphological similarity, they also show a great number of differences. Leptogium cochleatum develops a darker and thicker thallus than L. azureum, with a finely striate upper surface, a different arrangement of the photobiont in the thallus, apothecia with persistent±wrinkled margins, proper euparaplectenchymatous exciples, the presence of paraplectenchymatous tissue at the base of apothecia and muriform ascospores which are larger than in L. azureum. For a summary of the most important characters distinguishing these two species see Jørgensen &amp; James (1983). Leptogium valdivianum M. Lindström, a species from cool temperate South America, has also been confused with L. azureum, however, it can be distinguished by its distinctly thicker and dark leaden grey­blue thallus, apothecia with persistent thalline margins and its larger and broader distinctly muriform ascospores (Galloway &amp; Jørgensen 1995; Lindström 1996).

Rhizocarpon anaperum new to Svalbard

While studying the taxonomy of the non-yellow species of Rhizocarpon DC., with hyaline and muriform ascospores, in the Nordic countries (Ihlen 2004), some specimens of Rhizocarpon from the Svalbard archipelago were also examined. Among this material, we discovered six specimens of Rhizocarpon anaperum (Vain.) Vain. that had been labelled “R. obscuratum”. As R. anaperum is not listed in the recent checklist from Svalbard (Elvebakk &amp; Hertel 1996) or, to our knowledge, in any other paper dealing with the lichen flora of Svalbard, it is here reported new to this archipelago.

Taxonomy of the non-yellow species of Rhizocarpon (Rhizocarpaceae, lichenized Ascomycota) in the Nordic countries, with hyaline and muriform ascospores

The taxonomy of the non-yellow species of the genus Rhizocarpon (Rhizocarpaceae, lichenized Ascomycota) occurring in the Nordic countries, with hyaline and muriform ascospores, has been revised. Rhizocarpon amphibium, R. anaperum, R. distinctum, R. furfurosum, R. lavatum, R. petraeum, R. postumum, R. reductum, R. roridulum, R. rubescens, R. subgeminatum, R. sublavatum (reported from the study area for the first time), R. subpostumum, R. suomiense, R. timdalii, and R. umbilicatum are recognized. Their morphology, anatomy, secondary chemistry, ecology, and distribution in the Nordic countries are investigated and discussed. Distribution maps and a key to the species are provided. The most important characters for separating the treated species are pruinose/epruinose thallus, number of ascospores in asci, ascospore size and number of cells per ascospore in optical view, insoluble lichen pigments of the epihymenium and the proper excipulum, and lichen substances. Seven names are lectotypified and two are neotypified.

Dyrithiopsis lakefuxianensis gen. et sp. nov. from Fuxian Lake, Yunnan, China, and notes on the taxonomic confusion surrounding Dyrithium

A new taxon with Dyrithium-like characteristics was collected from Lake Fuxian in China. The taxon is typical of the Amphisphaeriaceae in that it has relatively large, ostiolate, immersed ascomata, unitunicate asci with a J+ subapical ring, and brown ascospores. It is similar to Dyrithium in that it has muriform ascospores, but considerable confusion surrounds this genus. In Dyrithium asci are bitunicate and lack a J+ subapical ring, while this was not true of our species. A new genus, Dyrithiopsis, therefore is established to accommodate this new taxon. Details of its anamorph also are provided, based on cultural studies. Parsimony analyses of part of the large-subunit rDNA provide further evidence to support the familial placement of this new genus in the Amphisphaeriaceae. The taxonomic position of Dyrithium also is discussed.

Dyrithiopsis lakefuxianensis gen. et sp. nov. from Fuxian Lake, Yunnan, China, and Notes on the Taxonomic Confusion Surrounding Dyrithium

A new taxon with Dyrithium-like characteristics was collected from Lake Fuxian in China. The taxon is typical of the Amphisphaeriaceae in that it has relatively large, ostiolate, immersed ascomata, unitunicate asci with a J+ subapical ring, and brown ascospores. It is similar to Dyrithium in that it has muriform ascospores, but considerable confusion surrounds this genus. In Dyrithium asci are bitunicate and lack a J+ subapical ring, while this was not true of our species. A new genus, Dyrithiopsis, therefore is established to accommodate this new taxon. Details of its anamorph also are provided, based on cultural studies. Parsimony analyses of part of the large-subunit rDNA provide further evidence to support the familial placement of this new genus in the Amphisphaeriaceae. The taxonomic position of Dyrithium also is discussed.

Decaisnella formosa sp. nov. (Ascomycota, Massariaceae) from an Australian sandy beach

Decaisnella formosa sp. nov., an undescribed ascomycete, was discovered on intertidal wood from a beach on the Mornington Peninsula, National Park, Victoria, Australia. Of the eleven species described under the genus Decaisnella, none match D. formosa, which is described here as a new species.Key words: Loculoascomycetes, Melanommatales, marine fungi, muriform ascospores.

The Lichen Genus Henrica (Verrucariaceae) New to America

The pyrenocarpous lichen Henrica americana is described as new. It is the second known species of the genus that is related to Polyblastia. The new species is characterized by small, brown, umbilicate squamules on a black hypothallus; black, double-walled perithecia perched on the squamules or on the stipes; and brown muriform ascospores. It is known only from a single locality in Montana.

Echinoplaca vezdana (Ostropales: Gomphillaceae): a new lichenised fungus

SummaryLücking, R. &amp; Kalb, K.: Echinoplaca vezdana: a new lichenised fungus. ‐ Taxon 50: 837–840. 2001. ‐ ISSN 0040‐0262.The lichenised fungus Echinoplaca vezdana from the Philippines is described and illustrated. It has a comparatively large thallus, large apothecia, and 2–4 muriform ascospores per ascus. The new taxon is closely related to E. diffluens, which differs in having transversely septate ascospores. The two species form another pair of morphologically similar taxa differing in ascospore types of which five were previously known. Echinoplaca vezdana is dedicated to Antonín Vňzda, one of the outstanding lichen taxonomists of the 20th century, on the occasion of his recent 80th birthday.

First Report of Thyronectria austroamericana Canker on Thornless Honey Locust in North Carolina.

Specimens from a thornless honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis 'Shade Master') with cankers were submitted in May 1999 to the North Carolina State University Plant Disease and Insect Clinic by staff from the North Carolina Zoological Park (Asheboro). Abundant stromata of Gyrostroma austroamericana, the anamorph of Thyronectria austroamericana, were associated with the cankers. A visit to the Zoological Park during August 1999 revealed seven additional honey locust trees with multiple branch and stem cankers and dieback. All infected trees had perithecia of T. austroamericana and/or its anamorph. The fungus is distinguished by the large clusters of yellow-brown perithecia with dark brown tips produced on stromata emerging from lenticels, elliptical muriform ascospores, and sparse ascoconidia (1,2). Ascoconidia form as the result of ascospores budding within the ascus. Other trees of the cultivar are an integral part of the landscaping theme of the African Pavilion of the park, and park staff were concerned about disease spread. Infected trees were 8 years old, and several had evidence of sunscald cankers, a common infection court of T. austroamericana (2). Thornless cultivars of honey locust are popular landscape plants in the central and eastern United States and may be seriously affected by T. austroamericana (2). Apparently 'Shade Master' is very susceptible to the fungus and should not be used as a landscape tree, especially where the disease has been reported. This is the first report of T. austroamericana in North Carolina on any host. Voucher specimens have been deposited in the National Fungus Collection, Beltsville, MD (BPI 74693), and in the Mycological Herbarium, Department of Plant Pathology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Observations on the biology and ultrastructure of the asci and ascospores of Julella avicenniae from Malaysia

Ultrastructure of the marine, bitunicate, ascomycete Julella avicenniae is presented and compared with the marine Pleospora gaudefroyi. Asci of J. avicenniae possess an ocular chamber, a thick endoascus, and a thinner ectoascus. Pseudoparaphyses are enveloped by mucilage (hyphal sheath) which stains with ruthenium red. The mucilage appears to be an extension of the pseudoparaphysis cell wall and internally these cells contain an array of vesicles. Muriform ascospores are surrounded by an exosporial sheath, an electrondense episporium and a bilamellate mesosporium. Optimum conditions for growth are 25–30 °C in 100% artificial seawater glucoseyeast extract-tryptone media, but the fungus also is able to grow at 35° and at higher salinities. The ability of the fungus to withstand extremes of environmental conditions is discussed.

Pycnidial Structures and Genus Concept in the Thelotremataceae

The pycnidial characters in eight species of the Thelotremataceae were studied by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy in order to develop a better understanding of the genus within the family. Three types of conidia can be recognized in the Thelotremataceae: oblong, fusiform, and bacilliform. The species groups recognizable by conidial characters prove to have appropriate apothecial types, according to the concept of M. E. Hale, Jr. Myriotrema andamanicum is transferred to the genus Ocellularia based on apothecial and pycnidial characters and Myriotrema mastarion is a new synonym of Ocellularia andamanica. The family Thelotremataceae includes crustose lichens occurring mainly on bark of trees, and characterized by crater-like apothecia which are unknown in other lichen families. Since Acharius (1803) first described the genus Thelotrema, more than 500 species of the family have been reported. Several attempts at the recognition of and generic divisions of the Thelotremataceae have been attempted. Muiller Argoviensis (1887) recognized four in the Thelotremataceae on the basis of ascospore color and septation: Ocellularia (with colorless, transversely septate ascospores), Phaeotrema (with brown, transversely septate ascospores), Thelotrema (with colorless, muriform ascospores), and Leptotrema (with brown, muriform ascospores). These called spore genera, have been widely accepted by many lichenologists for about a century. Hale (1980) produced a revision of the family in which he recognized three which were based on apothecial features: Thelotrema (with colorless exciple and periphysoids), Myriotrema (with colorless exciple and without periphysoids), and Ocellularia (with carbonized exciple and without periphysoids). These recognized by the apothecial features, are discordant with the spore genera. Although most lichenologists currently accept Hale's others still use the earlier spore genera proposed by Mtiller and the subdivisional classification of the Thelotremataceae remains confused. Pycnidia, which are developed as globose to flask-shaped conidiomata, are the conidia-bearing structures in lichens. It has been found in the last 15 years that pycnidia merit more critical attention at all taxonomic levels. For the recognition of several pycnidial features can be of high taxonomic importance. For example, the presence of unciform or filiform conidia separate Punctelia from the Parmelia (Krog 1982), and minute ellipsoidal conidia distinguish the genus Phaeophyscia from Physcia and Physconia, both of which have longer, subcylindric conidia (Moberg 1977). In the Thelotremataceae, conidiomata have been reported only from three species. Immersed pycnidia producing oblong conidia were observed in Thelotrema concretum (= Myriotrema concretum) (Nylander 1867). The size of conidia in Thelotrema anamorphoides and T. subcaesium (synonym of Myriotrema clandestinum) was mentioned by Nylander (1869) to have value for species recognition. Redinger (1936) and Hale (1974, 1978, 1981), in their monographic studies, did not paid any special attention to pycnidia and conidia as taxonomic characters. The present investigations attempt to establish a more sound classification of the family by the incorporation of pycnidial structures as new taxonomic characters. MATERIALS AND METHODS About 1,200 specimens were examined for the present study, including specimens borrowed from CBM and TNs. Type specimens were also borrowed from H and us for the taxonomic studies. The specimens collected by T Matsumoto are deposited in the herbarium of Hiroshima University (HIRO). Scientific names of the follow Hale (1980). Air-dried materials were used to observe the general appearance of thalli. Photographs were taken by a Nikon FX-35DX with a Nikon dissecting microscope SMZ-U and a Nikon microscope OPTIPHOT-2. Vertical sections of the pycnidia were made by a razor blade under the dissecting microscope for anatomical studies. The measurements and micrographs were made on preparations mounted in lactophenol cotton-blue (LPCB). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was employed to study the micromorphological structures. Mucilaginous matrix of the pycnidial cavity was removed by a modified method of Anglesea et al. (1982) and Honegger (1984). Thallus fragments were immersed in a 5% solution of the commercially available washing powder Ariel manufactured by P & G and incubated for 3 hr. at 25?C. Although Honegger (1983) incubated for 15 hr., with this long incubating time for the Thelotremataceae whole pycnidia were detached from the thallus. After this treatment, 0007-2745/99/86-91$0.75/0 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.248 on Thu, 28 Jul 2016 04:13:09 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1999] MATSUMOTO & DEGUCHI: THELOTREMATACEAE 87

Molecular Systematics of the Herpotrichiellaceae with an Assessment of the Phylogenetic Positions of Exophiala dermatitidis and Phialophora americana

Despite a significant body of evidence in support of the close phylogenetic relationship of species of Capronia (Herpotrichiellaceae) and black yeasts belonging to or allied with the genus Exophiala, questions concerning the taxonomic importance of features furnished by ascospore, stromal and anamorph characters have remained unanswered. In order to address these issues and to elucidate more fully relationships within the family, we have sequenced a portion of the nuclear large ribosomal RNA subunit (28S), the 5.8S gene, and the internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) of 15 species of Capronia and 19 black yeasts assigned to the form genera Cladosporium, Cladophialophora, Exophiala, Fonsecaea, Phaeococcomyces, Phialophora, Ramichloridium and Rhinocladiella. Cladistic analysis of these data confirmed the monophyly of the Herpotrichiellaceae but did not support the division of the genus Capronia on the basis of conidial ontogeny, pattern of ascospore septation, or the degree of stromal development. Homothallic species of Capronia with 8-spored asci, muriform ascospores and Exophiala anamorphs formed a well-supported lineage that included the medically important species Exophiala dermatitidis. Capronia mansonii and Capronia munkii, morphologically similar taxa isolated from the wood of Populus, were inferred as closely related but separate species. The clade comprising members of the Herpotrichiellaceae that possess Cladosporium-like and Phialophora anamorphs was also strongly supported. Available molecular evidence indicates that Dictyotrichiella semiimmersa and Phialophora americana are teleomorph and anamorph states of a single holomorph. Cladistic analysis also confirmed that the genera Cladophialophora and Ramichloridium are polyphyletic. The anamorphs of Capronia nigerrima and Dictyotrichiella semiimmersa are described and illustrated, and the combination Capronia semiimmersa is proposed.