Botryosphaeria tamaricis (Cooke) Theiss. & Syd., Annls mycol. 13(5/6): 663 (1915), Index Fungorum Number: IF 100323

Basionym: Dothidea tamaricis Cooke, Grevillea 11 (no. 59): 108 (1883)

Saprobic on branches of Tamarix species. Sexual morph: Ascostromata 300–400 μm high × 550–650 μm diam. (x = 330 × 613 μm, n = 5), immersed to partially erumpent through the bark, gregarious or solitary, forming a botryose aggregate, black, multi-loculate, with 3–5 locules; individual locules, 175–280 μm high × 145–265 μm diam. (x = 212 × 189 μm, n = 10), sometimes with a central ostiole. Peridium of locules 15–40 μm wide, two-layered, outer layer composed of dark brown, thick-walled cells of textura angularis, inner layer composed of lightly pigmented, thin-walled cells of textura angularis lining the locule. Hamathecium composed of 1–2 μm wide, hypha-like, septate pseudoparaphyses. Asci 60–80 × 11.5– 17 μm (x = 67.8 × 13.5 μm, n = 10), 8-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate, clavate, short pedicellate, apically rounded, with a small ocular chamber. Ascospores 17.5–23 × 5–8.5 μm (x = 20.9 × 6.8 μm, n = 20), overlapping, uniseriate at the base, biseriate at the apex, hyaline, aseptate, fusoid to ovoid, smooth walled, with granular contents. Asexual morph: Undetermined.

Material examined: USA, South Carolina, Aiken, on Tamarix sp. (Tamaricaceae), H.W. Ravenel (S-F49472, holotype of Dothidea tamaricis).

Notes: This species is morphologically similar to the type species of Botryosphaeria, B. dothidea (Moug.) Ces. & De Not., except in the slight variation in the asci and ascospore dimensions (Liu et al. 2012; Phillips et al. 2013). However, fresh collections and molecular analyses are essential to establish whether B. tamaricis is a synonym of B. dothidea.

FIG Botryosphaeria tamaricis (holotype) a Herbarium material b, c Ascostromata on host surface d Vertical section through ascostroma e Close-up of locule f Peridium g, h Mature and immature asci i-l Ascospores. Scale bars: d-f = 50 μm, g, h = 30 μm, i-l = 10 μm