Allophaeosphaeria clematidis

Allophaeosphaeria clematidis Wanas., Camporesi, E.B.G. Jones & K.D. Hyde, in Ariyawansa et al., Fungal Diversity: 10.1007/s13225-015-0346-5, [73] (2015)

Index Fungorum number: IF 551408; Facesofungi number: FoF 00947

Etymology: Name reflects the host genus Clematis, from which the species was collected.

Holotype: MFLU 15-1505.

Saprobic on dead branches of Clematis vitalba L. Sexual morph: Ascomata 110–130 μm high, 150–180 μm diam. (x̄ =124.1×166 μm, n=10), superficial, solitary, scattered, broadly oblong and flattened, dark brown to black, coriaceous, ostiolate. Ostiole 25–35 μm high, 25–40 μm diam. (x̄ = 29.5×32.7 μm, n=5), papillate, black, smooth, comprising short, hyaline setae. Peridium 4–6 μm wide at the base, 9–10 μm wide in sides, comprising 3–4 layers, of heavily pigmented, thin-walled, blackish to dark brown, cells of textura angularis. Hamathecium comprising numerous, 2–2.5 μm (n =30) wide, filamentous, branched, septate, pseudoparaphyses. Asci 60–100×15–30 μm (x̄ = 79. 7×20.3 μm, n=40), 8- spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate, cylindric-clavate, short pedicellate, rounded and thick-walled at the apex, with an ocular chamber. Ascospores 20–25×8–10 μm (x̄ = 23.2×9.1 μm, n =50), overlapping 1 –2-seriate, initially hyaline, becoming brown at maturity, mostly ellipsoidal, curved, muriform with 4–6 transverse septa, and 3–4 vertical septa, strongly constricted at the central septa, the cells above the central septum wider, weakly constricted at the other septa, with conical, narrowly rounded ends, lacking a mucilaginous sheath. Asexual morph: Undetermined.

Culture characteristics: Colonies on PDA reaching 30–35 mm diam. in 21 days, surface dirty white, spreading with moderate aerial mycelium, and smooth even, margins; reverse pale luteous.

Material examined: ITALY, Province of Forlì-Cesena, Fiumicello in Premilcuore, dead and hanging branches of Clematis vitalba (Ranunculaceae), 5 December 2013, E. Camporesi (MFLU 15-1505, holotype), ex-type living culture, MFLUCC 14-0652.

GenBank Numbers: LSU: KT306953, SSU: KT306956, ITS: KT306949.

Notes: Allophaeosphaeria clematidis differs from A. dactylidis (currently Septoriella neodactylidis) in having 23.2×9.1 μm, mostly ellipsoidal, curved ascospores, with 4–6 transverse septa, and 3–4 vertical septa, while A. dactylidis has 18.2×6.3 μm, ellipsoidal to subfusiform, ascospores with 3–5 transverse septa, and 1–3 vertical septa. Allophaeosphaeria muriformia (currently Septoriella muriformis) differs from A. clematidis in having large oblong to narrowly oblong, 56×26 μm ascospores (Ariyawansa et al. 2015).