Pyrenomycetes Species Page

Bertia tropicalis

Large clustered ascomata
didymospore
Huhndorf, A.N. Mill. & F.A. Fern., Mycol. Res. 108: 1387. (2004)

Hypocreomycetidae
Coronophorales
Figure from SMH1265, SMH1707 (Puerto Rico)
Complete Description
Ascomata turbinate, with a thick sterile base, collapsing collabent when dry, dark brown to black, 463-530 µm diam. at the base, 785-825 µm diam. at the apex, 892-1135 µm high, superficial, with a roughened, tuberculate surface, occurring in small to large clusters. 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, 230-250 µm thick at the base, composed of pale brown, pseudoparenchymatic cells, with smaller cells at the outer surface, cells at base radiate from the bottom; Munk pores present, numerous per cell. Ascomatal apex flattened becoming collabent, with an ostiole present, often with a white mass of ascospores, periphyses absent. Centrum with a apical cushion of hyaline, thin-walled cells, quellkorper absent, paraphyses hyaline, inflated, unbranched, 13-16.5 µm wide. Asci cylindrical-clavate, long-stipitate, 195-246 x 14-15 µm, spore bearing part 86-108 µm, pedicels 107-138 µm, with an indistinct apical ring, with 8 biseriate ascospores. Ascospores cylindrical, basal one third curved geniculate, hyaline, 1-septate, 22-37 x 5-8-(9.5) µm, without sheath or appendages.
Occurrence
Found on decaying wood and bark. Our collections are mainly from Puerto Rico and Panama but it was also occasionally encountered in French Guiana, Costa Rica, and Thailand. It was never found in our temperate collecting sites.
Similar Taxa Comments
Bertia tropicalis differs from B. moriformis by its curved, geniculate ascospores and ascomata that become collabent. B. tropicalis is one of several Bertia species that have ascospores that curve at the basal end but they differ from each other in their growth habit and ascomatal morphology. B. convolutispora was described from submerged wood and the ascomata are solitary or very rarely clustered (Hyde 1995). B. latispora has similar-shaped but smaller ascospores and appears to be limited to coniferous hosts in temperate locations (Corlett & Krug 1984).