Dicephalospora rufocornea
Dicephalospora rufocornea (Berk. & Broome) Spooner
Facesoffungi number: FoF 05900; Fig. 31
Saprobic on dead stems. Sexual morph: Apothecia 2–2.5 × 1.2–1.6 mm (x = 2.30 × 1.43 mm, n = 10) arising singly or in small groups, superficial, stipitate, red or reddish orange when fresh. Receptacle cupulate, disc concave and red, margins red or orange, smooth. Stipe red, central, medium to long in length. Ectal excipulum 27–32 µm (x = 29.7 µm, n = 10) wide at margins and flanks, composed of yellow colour cells in margins and hyaline cells in flanks of textura prismatica, marginal cells are elongated, arranged in rows, end with a swollen tip and secrete yellow colour pigment which can dissolve in KOH. Medullary excipulum 90–110 µm (x = 97 µm, n = 10) comprising hyaline cells of textura epidomoidea. Hymenium yellow. Paraphyses 0.9–2.1 µm wide (x = 1.5 µm, n = 20), numerous, filiform, septate. Asci 130–145 × 9–12 µm (x = 140 × 10.9 µm, n = 30), 8-spored, unitunicate, cylindrical, apex obtusely conical, inoperculate, faintly amyloid, sessile base, croziers absent. Ascospores 25–40 × 3.1–5.2 µm (x = 31.8 × 4 µm, n = 40), 1–2-seriate, hyaline, smooth, aseptate, but containing row of large guttules, fusiform, often slightly curved, pointed tips capped with a small, obconical gelatinous collar. Asexual morph: Undetermined.
Material examined – Thailand, Chiang Rai Province, Doi Mae Salong, on dead stems, 22 June 2015, A.H. Ekanayaka, HD023 (MFLU 16-0585); Same collection details HD30Y (MFLU 18-0675), HD30b (MFLU 18-0674a), HD30M (MFLU 18-0674b); China, Yunnan Province, Kunming, December 2015, S.C. Karunarathna, NB205 (MFLU 16-1860); China, Honghe, Yunnan Province, 15 June 2018, Junfu Li, HC40 (MFLU 18-1827, HKAS102128); China, Jinghong, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, 9 June 2018, Zeng Ming, HC38 (MFLU 18-1825, HKAS102126), HC36 (MFLU 18-1832, HKAS102124). GenBank accessions – MFLU 16-0585: LSU- MK591984, ITS- MK584955, TEFMK714021, RPB2- MK388222; MFLU 18-0675: LSU- MK591987, ITS- MK584961, TEFMK714022, RPB2- MK614723; MFLU 18-0674a: ITS- MK584959, TEF- MK714023; MFLU 18- 0674b: LSU- MK591989, ITS- MK584960, SSU- MK585039, TEF- MK689342; MFLU 16-1860: LSU- MK592011, ITS- MK584989, SSU- MK585064; MFLU 18-1827: LSU- MK591978, ITSMK584978, SSU- MK585050, TEF- MK714031, RPB2- MK577781; MFLU 18-1825: LSUMK591976, ITS- MK584949, SSU- MK585048, TEF- MK714030, RPB2- MK614729; MFLU 18-1832: ITS- MK584977, TEF- MK714029
Notes – Eight of our collections from China and Thailand clustered with Dicephalospora rufocornea complex (Fig. 26). The clade received high statistical support of 83%. Both ITS and LSU data of our collections are 99–98% similar to those of Dicephalospora rufocornea (TNS:F-40024, KUS-F52274 and HMAS 75518). Dicephalospora rufocornea is characterized by yellowish to reddish orange apothecia,
excipulum pigmented and pigments dissolved in KOH, cylindrical amyloid asci and fusoid ascospores with pointed tips capped with a small, obconical gelatinous collar. Our collections are similar to the description from Spooner (1987). We observed slightly different morphologies among our collections, such as apothecial colour yellowish orange to bright red, Asci length varied from 70–140 µm, and ascospore length from 20–45 µm. More genetic markers with detailed morphological analyses are required to resolve this species complex.
Figure 31 – Morphology of Dicephalospora rufocornea (MFLU 16-0585) a Substrate. b Apothecia on wood. c Apothecium on wood. d Cross section of an apothecium. e Close up of the cross section of apothecium at margins. f Marginal cells with swollen tips. g Pigments of marginal cells dissolving in KOH. h Bunch of asci and paraphyses in congo red reagent (immature asci arising from crozier). i Filiform paraphyses. j–m Cylindric-clavate asci (j-l in distilled water and m in Melzer’s reagent). n Apex of the asci with the plug blueing in Melzer’s reagent. o–t Fusiform ascospores. Scale bars: b–c = 200 µm, d = 1000 µm, e = 150 µm, f = 100 µm, g = 200 µm, h = 60 µm, i = 40 µm, j–m = 50 µm, n = 50 µm, o–t = 20 µm.
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