Hi to all

These minute (up to 0.35 mm) urceolate apothecia were growing on the underside, on dead parts of Arenaria grandiflora L. subsp. incrassata, a postrate small plant living on calcareous rocks. This collection was made at Saliencia, Somiedo, at 1400 m of altitude.

The 8-spored asci, 39-58 x 5-8, arising from croziers, IKI b. Ascospores cylindric or cylindric-clavate, (9-)12(-17) x 1.5-2.7, with some polar small guttules. Hairs apex 2-5 microns broad, with a spiny ornamentation. The prismatic cells of the ectal excipulum with granules of ochraceous pigment.

Maybe this fungus is close to the more caulicolous 'Cistella grevillei complex', with shorter, different ascospores and larger apothecia, but I'd like to know your opinion

Many thanks in advance

Stip Helleman, 19-05-2016 00:23

Re : Cistella on dead parts of Arenaria grandiflora

Hi Enrique,
not a easy one, the hairs tend to look more like aconitii, sporesize could fit too in the lower range but the content is missing, this could be a undescribed taxon in the grevillei group. Did you see any aborted spores in asci that explains the sizedifference in spores or spore dimorphism as in Dasyscyphella where lower spores are smaller as th ones in the top?

Stip

Enrique Rubio, 19-05-2016 10:35

Re : Cistella on dead parts of Arenaria grandiflora

Hi Stip

I not noticed any abnormality inside the asci and I couldn't see 4-spored asci that explain us the hihghly differences in the spore size

Thank you very much for ypur opinion