Delphinella strobiligena (Desm.) Sacc. ex E. Müll. & Arx, in Müller & von Arx, Beitr. Kryptfl. Schweiz 11(no. 2): 25 (1962).

≡ Didymella strobiligena (Desm.) Sacc., Syll. fung. (Abellini) 1: 552 (1882)

≡ Glonium strobiligenum (Desm.) Mouton, Bull. Soc. R. Bot. Belg. 28(C.R.): 79 (1889)

≡ Hariotia strobiligena (Desm.) P. Karst., J. Bot., Paris 3: 206 (1889)

≡ Pleoglonis strobiligena (Desm.) Clem., Gen. fung. (Minneapolis): 1-227 (1909)

≡ Sphaeria strobiligena Desm., Annls Sci. Nat., Bot., sér. 3 6: 75 (1846)

Index Fungorum number: IF 329757, MycoBank number: MB 329757, Facesoffungi number: FoF 00075

Parasitic on twigs, wood, needles and cone scales of conifer plants. Sexual state: Ascostromata 220−310 µm high × 290−330 µm diam (x̄ = 295 × 320 µm, n = 5), black, initially immersed and becoming erumpent at maturity on host surface, scattered, subglobose, carbonaceous, 2−3-loculate, cells of ascostromata of brown-walled textura angularis. Locules 140−209 µm high × 162−191 µm diam (x̄ = 180 × 170 µm, n = 5), globose to subglobose, lacking ostioles. Peridium of locules 22−80 µm (x̄ = 46 µm, n = 10), thin-walled, composed of a single layer of light brown to hyaline cells of textura angularis. Hamathecium lacking pseudoparaphyses. Asci 79−87 × 9−11 µm (x̄ = 82 × 10 µm, n = 7), poly-sporous, bitunicate, fissitunicate, oblong, clavate or cylindric-clavate with a short pedicel, rounded at the apex. Ascospores 8−10 × 3−5 µm (x̄ = 9 × 4 µm, n = 15), overlapping 1−3-seriate, hyaline, 1-septate, ellipsoid to fusiform, upper cell rounded and wider than lower cell, slightly constricted at the septum, smooth-walled, surrounded by a thin sheath. Asexual state: Unknown.

Material examined – FRANCE, on strobili of Pinus sp., Desmaziere (PC 0084688, holotype).

 Fig. 1  Delphinella strobiligena (PC 0084688, holotype). a–c Ascostromata on host surface. d Section through ascostromata showing locules. e Ascus arrangement in locules. f Cells of ascostroma and peridium of locule. c-h Asci. i Ascus stained in cotton blue reagent. j-k Ascospores. l Ascospores stained in cotton blue reagent. Scale bars: d = 100 µm, e, g-i = 50 µm, f = 20 µm, j-l = 10 µm.