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

322 J. A. Nannfeldtlike the Nitschkiaceae, have Lasiosphaeriaceous ancestors and so it is still justifiedto treat it in this paper.Prof. Santesson has contributed the following descriptions and comments: —"Sometimes very small but characteristic ascocarps of a fungus appear on thediscs of dead, black apothecia of certain species of Sticta. At first, this fungus wastaken for a new species of Acanthonitschkea. The cupulately collapsing ascocarpsarmed with rigid, sharp-pointed spines, the clavate asci tapering to a thin stalk, theabsence of paraphyses, and the small fusiform to ellipsoidal, hyaline spores seemedto indicate a relationship to this otherwise corticolous genus. This suggesion couldnot be upheld. The fungus was found to take a rather isolated position and has to beplaced in a new genus.Nitschkiopsis Nannf. & R. Sant. nov. gen.Perithecia sicca cupulato-collapsa, papilla apicali distincta. Peridium membranaceum,fuscescens. Asci 8-spori, clavati, stipitati, annulo apicali incrassato. Sporae fusiformes velellipsoideae, 1-septatae, hyalinae.—Lichenicola.Typus: N. stictarumNannf. & R. Sant.N. stictarum Nannf. & R. Sant. nov. sp.Perithecia madefacta ± globosa, 0.09-0.12 mm diam., fusco-nigricantes, pilis hyalinis et spinisfuscis ornata. Sporae 6-7x 1.5-2 /xm.—In apotheciis Stictarum.Typus: Kenya, Santesson 22144 f (holotypus: UPS; isotypus: S).The vegetative dark mycelium immersed in the ± dead tissues of the host.Perithecia at first immersed in the necrotic hymenia of the host but later superficial, scatteredor sparsely gregarious, when moist almost spheric with a slightly protruding conical papilla,which is somewhat paler than the rest of the perithecium, when dry collapsed into cup-shapewithout any visible papilla. The upper part of the perithecium furnished with spines and hairs.Spines 1-celled, thick-walled, dark brown to almost black, 12-20 /xm long, ± conical withpointed apex and up to 3-5 /xm broad, basally rather abruptly enlarged to 6-12 /xm. Hairs2-5-celled, thin-walled, hyaline, subcylindrical, 55-85 (xm long and mostly 3.5—1 /xm broad,apically rounded and the apical as well as the basal part slightly enlarged, ca. 5 /¿m and 5-6 /xmrespectively. The dark spines usually 10-25 per perithecium, the hyaline hairs much fewer,usually 3-6 only. Hyaline hairs rarely with dark brown zones and a flattened broad base, thus insome respects transitional to dark spines.Peridium membranaceous, pseudoparenchymous, in thin sections rather pale brown, 10-15/xm thick, the paler papilla ca. 25-30 /xm in diam.Asci 8-sporous, 30-40x5-6 /xm, clavate, rather long-stalked, non-amyloid; apical ring distinct,thickened. No paraphyses visible. Below the papilla a cushion (ca. 15-20 /xm) ofperiphysis-like hyphae.Fig. 5. Nitschkiopsis stictarum (holotypus). (a-c, e) Hairs and spines on the surface of the ascocarps. (a, c)Hyaline hairs with rounded tips and slightly thickened bases, (e) Dark-brown spines with pointed tips andbroad flattened bases. (b) Transitional types with dark parts on the hyaline hairs and broad flattened bases(ca. 700x). — (d,f) Median sections of ascocarps, (d) showing the prominent ostiolarpart (seen also in a),f showing the arrangement of the asci and the periphysis-like hyphae (ca. 500x).Svensk Bot. Tidskr. 69 (1975)