Stray Studies in the Coronophorales (Pyrenomycetes) 4-8 - ASCOfrance

316 J. A. Nannfeldtspicuous in spite of the minuteness of its ascocarps, appears evidently more frequentlyin certain years (springs) and may then be fairly copious in its localities.(18) Nitschkia pezizoidea (Pat. & Gaill.) O. Kze, Rev. gen. pi. 3(2): 501 (1898;"Nitschkeapezizodea").Coelosphaeria pezizoidea Pat. & Gaill., Bull. Soc. Mycol. Fr. 4(3): 106 (1889;"Caelosphaeria"). — Winterina (?) pezizoidea Höhn., Ann. Mycol 16(1-2): 105 (1918). —Typus: Venezuela, Gaillard 266 (PC).Similar to N. grevillii. Ascocarps 0.35-0.45 mm, collapsing into deeply cupulate,apical papilla unusually prominent. Asci 8-sporous. Spores fusiform to ovoid,straight, 7-11x2-3 fxm, hyaline, eventually with a distinct septum. (Compiled fromFitzpatrick 1923:52.)DISTRIBUTION: South America (Venezuela). Only the type collection.(19) Nitschkia similis (Bres.) Nannf. nov. comb.Trichosphaerella similis Bres., Bull. Jard. Bot. Bruxelles 4(1);7 (1914). — Scortechiniellasimilis Arx & Müll., Beitr. Krypt.-fl. Schweiz 11(1): 383 (1953). — Typus: Zaïre, Vanderyst(S!).Similar to N. acanthostromabut the dichotomously branched endings of thesubicular hyphae not spiny. Ascocarps 0.3-0.5 mm. Asci ca. 32-sporous. Sporesreniform to suballantoid, often also spirally twisted (up to 90°), hyaline, with afiliform, ca. 5 /xm long curved appendix at each end, 6-9x3 /xm, and with 2 largedrops, almost filling the lumen, and eventually with a distinct (pseudo?)septum.DISTRIBUTION: Tropical Africa (Zaïre). Only the type collection.(20) Nitschkia tetraspora Nannf. nov. spec.N. collapsa similis et certe affinis. Differt praecipue sporis angustioribus et longioribus(15-22x2.5-3 /urn), initio octonis in asco sed normaliter quaternis tantum maturescentibus.Ascocarpia (sicca) cupulato-collapsa (0.4-0.5x0.25-0.3 mm), papilla apicali parva inconspicua.Sporae anguste fusiformes, rectae vel interdum leviter curvatae, 1-septatae, pariete deniquefuscescente.Typus: Kenya, Nannfeldt 22058 (holotypus: UPS; isotypus: S).Subiculum absent or scanty. Ascocarps scattered to densely gregarious, seated on peridermor on inner-bark beneath loosening parts of the periderm, turbinate and (when dry) collapsed tocupshape, 0.4-0.5x0.25-0.3 mm, the apical papilla very small. Asci 25-30x8-11 /x (p. sp.),early deliquesent, initially 8-spored, but as a rule only (the upper) 4 spores reach maturity.Spores fusiform, straight or sometimes slightly curved, 15-22x2.5-3 ¡xm, with initially 4-6drops, later confluent to 2 and at a certain stage almost filling the lumen, successively getting amedian septum and constriction; wall smooth, eventually smoky-grey. Abortive spores acicularto narrowly fusiform (ca. 16x 1-1.5 /xm), hyaline, 1-septate.DISTRIBUTION: Tropical Africa (Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone).SvenskBot. Tidskr. 69 (1975)