Pyrenomycetes Species Page

Gaillardiella pezizoides

Large separate ascomata
didymospore
Pat., Bull. Soc. mycol. Fr. 11: 226 (1895)

Hypocreomycetidae
Coronophorales
Figure from SMH2070 (Puerto Rico) Material Examined: SMH2070, SMH2691, MUG1144, GJS3392
Complete Description
Ascomata turbinate, with a short sterile base, apex flattened but not additionally collapsing collabent when dry, dark brown to black, 1000-1100 µm diameter, 700-900 µm high when dry, superficial, with roughened, papulose surface, separate and scattered. Ascomatal wall of textura globosa in surface view; in longitudinal section a single layer, 95-110 µm thick at the sides, thicker (135-200 µm) at the apex perimeter, composed of pale brown, pseudoparenchymatic cells, with irregular, wavy outlines; Munk pores present, few per cell. Ascomatal apex flattened, with an indistinct ostiole, with periphyses-like structures present. Centrum composed of collapsed, indistinct, paraphyses-like structures among the asci, quellkorper absent. Asci clavate, long stipitate, spore bearing part 45-65 x 9-15 µm, pedicels 55-100 µm, with an indistinct apical ring, with eight biseriately arranged ascospores. Ascospores ellipsoid to fusiform, brown, 1-septate, with 1-2 guttules per cell, 10-13 x 4.5-5.5 µm.
Occurrence
Our collections are from French Guiana, Illinois, Kenya and Puerto Rico, with single specimens from each location. The type is from Ecuador. It appears to occur widely but is seldom found or recognized.
Similar Taxa Comments
The concept of this genus was apparently misinterpreted early on and all other species in the literature refer to leaf-inhabiting taxa. In this species the ascomata occur singly on the substrate often widely separated from each other. Ascomata are flattened at the top and flared out at the edges, appearing like a cup but not deeply sunken. Long-stipitate, delicate asci with brown spores and a shallow ring are distinctive. The ascomal walls are composed of large cells that are soft and collapse to have irregular outlines, described as “characteristically wavy” by Subramanian and Sekar (1990).