Rubropezicula thailandica
Rubropezicula thailandica Ekanayaka & K.D. Hyde
Index Fungorum number: IF556303; Facesoffungi number: FoF 05945
Etymology – refers to the country where Holotype collected
Holotype – MFLU 16-0592
Saprobic on dead stems. Sexual morph: 408–434 × 170–200 µm (x = 425.7 × 198.3 µm, n = 10), arising in small groups, sessile to sub-stipitate, erumpent. Receptacle cupulate, disc flat and white, margins are red when fresh. Hairs 100–150 × 1–2.7 µm (x = 130 × 1.7 µm, n = 30), cylindric, septate, walls usually thin, composed of red pigments that readily dissolve in KOH and slightly dissolve in water. Ectal excipulum 38–42 µm (x = 40.8 µm, n = 10) in lower flanks, composed of thin-walled, dark brown cells of textura angularis. Medullary excipulum 10–15 µm (x = 12 µm, n = 10) in lower flanks, composed of thin-walled, brown to hyaline cells of textur prismatica. Hymenium hyaline. Paraphyses 1.4–2.4 µm wide (x = 1.8 µm, n = 20), numerous, filiform, obtuse and slightly swollen at the apex, septate, not exceeding the asci in length, smooth, aguttulate. Asci 80–120 × 10–20 µm ( x = 102.2 × 14.8 µm, n = 30), 8-spored, unitunicate, cylindric-clavate, rounded or medium conical at the apex, amyloid, stipitate base, croziers absent. Ascospores 19.3–23.9 × 6.3–8.3 µm ( x = 22.2 × 7.6 µm, n = 40), 1–2-seriate, ovoid, septate, hyaline. Asexual morph: Undetermined.
Material examined – Thailand, Chiang Mai Province, Mushroom Research Center, on dead
stems, 19th July 2015, A.H. Ekanayaka, HD031 (MFLU 16-0592).
GenBank accessions – ITS- MK584963
Notes – In our phylogenetic analysis of Pezizellaceae (Fig. 57), our collection formed an independent clade basal to Scleropezicula-Phialina clade with strong statistical support of 63%. The ITS data of our collection is 90% similar to that of Scleropezicula alnicola (CBS200.46) (503/557-90%) but differ by 54 base pairs with 10 gaps, 85% to Bisporella citrina (420526MF0079) (466/546-85%), but differ by 80 base pairs with 16 gaps. Therefore here we considered the phylogenetic position of our collection within Pezizellaceae and the guidelines for introducing new taxa provided by Jeewon & Hyde (2016), and introduce the new genus Rubropezicula here. The genus Rubropezicula is close to Scleropezicula and Phialina by having sub-stipitate, cupulate apothecia, filiform paraphyses with swollen apices, and septate, ovoid ascospores (Verkley 1999). However, Rubopezicula differs from Scleropezicula and Phialina by having red pigmented excipular hairs.
Morphology of Rubropezicula thailandica (MFLU 16-0592 holotype) 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 Long cylindrical hairs. g Cylindrical paraphyses. h–k Cylindric-clavate asci. l Apex of amyloid asci in Melzer’s reagent. m–p Obovoid ascospores. Scale bars: c = 200 µm, d = 200 µm, e = 70 µm, f = 100 µm, g = 50 µm, h–l = 40 µm, m–p = 15 µm. (Note: all the figures appeared reddish, as it is impossible to get rid of pigments produced by hairs)
Recent Genus
RutstroemiaXeropilidium
Ionomidotis
Recent Species
Encoelia furfuraceaRutstroemia tiliacea
Xeropilidium dennisii