Pyrenomycetes Species Page

Ceratosphaerella castillensis

Large clustered ascomata
phragmospore 		(C. L. Sm.) Huhndorf, M. Greif, Mugambi & A. N. Mill., Mycologia 100: 944 (2008)
Ceratosphaeria castillensis
 Sordariomycetidae
Magnaporthaceae
Figure from SMH1865
Genbank Accession: EU527997 (LSU), EU528003 (SSU)
Complete Description
Ascomata globose, long beaked, with a sterile base, not collapsing when dry, dark brown, surface roughened, venter 525-650 µm diam, neck 250-400 µm long, occurring in large clusters, superficial on sparse, subicular hyphae. Ascomal wall of textura angularis-globosa in surface view; in longitudinal section 65-75 µm thick, composed of an inner layer of flattened hyaline cells, a middle layer of small, polygonal to irregular, dark brown cells, an outer layer of large, pale brown, polygonal to globose, pseudoparenchymatic cells. Ascomatal apex elongate beak-like, 250-400 µm high, 190-220 µm wide, composed of cells similar to the ascomal wall cells, ostiole circular, with periphyses. Paraphyses abundant, ca. 7-9 µm wide just above the asci, long tapering above. Asci clavate, 70-90 x 10-14 µm; with a tall, narrow, apical ring, 1.5-2.5 µm wide, 1.5-2.5 µm high. Ascospores fusiform, hyaline to pale brown, 3-septate, 29-40 (-45) x 4-5.5 µm.
Occurrence
Found on decaying wood and bark. Our collections are from Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana and Puerto Rico. The type is from Nicaragua. It is probably widely distributed in the Neotropics.
Similar Taxa Comments
The measurements of the spores and the asci in the type collection are actually larger than those given in the original description. Characterisitics that are variable among fresh collections include the extent the ascomata are clustered, the extent of the tomentum and the length of the neck. All the collections have the same kind of wide evanescent paraphyses, the same tall, narrow ascal ring and the same spore shape, size and septation.
Reference
Huhndorf SM, Greif M, Mugambi GK, Miller AN. 2008. Two new genera in the Magnaporthaceae, a new addition to Ceratosphaeria and two new species of Lentomitella. Mycologia 100: 940-955.