Introduction to Fungi, Third Edition

PLEOSPORALES
467
Fig17.8 Epicoccum nigrum. (a) Young sporodochium. (b) Conidiophores and conidia. (c) Conidium almost separated from the
conidiophore. Note the bulging septum of the conidiophore. (d) Two detached conidia.
The pseudothecia are common on overwintered
stems of herbaceous maritime plants. The
large, black, somewhat flattened pseudothecia
contain broad, sac-like bitunicate asci, with
eight yellowish-brown, slipper-shaped ascospores
with transverse and longitudinal septa
(Fig. 17.9a). The anamorphic state, Stemphylium,
produces pigmented muriform conidia and is
often associated with the pseudothecia. The
connection between the teleomorphic and
anamorphic states is readily demonstrated by
shooting ascospores onto an agar surface
where they germinate and the resulting mycelium
develops conidia within a few days.
Conversely, cultures started from a single conidium
develop pseudothecia within a few weeks