Type species: Asterina melastomatis Lév., Annls Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 3 3: 59 (1845)
≡ Parasterina melastomatis (Lév.) Theiss. & Syd., Annls mycol. 15(3/4): 246 (1917)
Type: PC 0084477, neotype designated by Theissen (1912a)
Epiphytes on the upper surface of the leaves, forming 5– 6 mm diam., black, circular. Superficial hyphae spreading over the leaf surface, with appressoria and scattered, superficial thyriothecia. Appressoria lateral, alternate or unilateral, globose with a somewhat conical, sparsely septate. Sexual state: Thyriothecia 400–520μm diam., solitary to gregarious, superficial, easily removed from the host surface, black, opening with star-like fissures when mature. Upper wall comprising a thin layer ofmostly neatly arranged dark cells, which are branched at the outer rim, from which hyphae strands develop, base poorly developed. Hamathecium usually lacking pseudoparaphyses. Asci 8-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate dehiscence not observed, oblong to subglobose, with short pedicel, apical region of asci usually with a thick opaque region, ocular chamber not observed, not staining blue in IKI, asci vertically orientated in the thyriothecia. Ascospores 25–36× 10–15μm (x= 29×12μm, n=10), overlapping, subglobose, 1- septate, brown when mature, strongly constricted at the septum. Asexual state: Unknown.
Material examined: CAYMEN ISLANDS, November 1800, L. Leprieur, Crypt. Guyan 582, Mont 1133, identified by F. Theissen as Asterina melastomatis in October 1911 (PC 0084477, neotype of Asterina melastomatis Lév., designated by Theissen (1912a); GUATEMALA, Izabal, Morales Dep., 160 ft altitude, on Melastomataceae, May 1907, Kellerman (PC 0084475).
Notes: We examined two specimens from Montagne’s herbarium at P, both of which are illustrated. The first is Crypt. Guyan 582 and appears to be the neotype recommended by Theissen (1912a), the latter also from Melastomataceae leaves is likely to be the same species as the neotype. The species was also illustrated by von Arx and Müller (1962).
Fig. 1 Asterina melastomatis (neotype). a, b Appearance of colony with thyriothecia on the surface of leaves. c Squash mount of thyriothecium. d Appressoria. e, f Ascospores. Scale bars: b=500μm, c=100μm, d, e=20μm, f=10μm
Fig. 2 Asterina melastomatis (PC 0084475). a, b Appearance of colony with thyriothecia on the surface of leaves. c Squash mount of thyriothecium. d, e, g Asci. f Ascospores. Scale bars: b=500μm, c=100μm, d–g=50μm, i–l=20μm