Dennisiella Bat. & Cif., Beih. Sydowia 3: 37 (1962)
MycoBank number: MB 1457; Index Fungorum number: IF 1457; Facesoffungi number: FoF 10354; 7 morphological species (Species Fungorum 2021), molecular data unavailable.
Type species: Dennisiella babingtonii (Berk.) Bat. & Cif.
Epiphytic or biotrophic on the leaves of Laurus spp. and Buxus spp. as sooty molds adpressed to the surface of host gaining nutrients from sugary exudates of sap-feeding insects. Subiculum well-developed, superficial, pelliculose, loose, blackish or grayish, comprising effuse, branched, subhyaline to olivaceous, septate hyphae, setose, reticulate. Setae erect, straight, tapering to the apex, bulbose at the base (Batista & Ciferri, 1962). Sexual morph: Ascomata superficial, sessile on subiculum, perithecial, scattered to aggregated, globose, circular when dry, uniloculate, brown to black, with periphysate ostiole, thick-walled, glabrous. Wall of ascoma multi-layered, externally comprising pigmented, dark brown, thick-walled cells of textura angularis, with inner layer thinner, composed of irregularly-shaped, flattened, lightly brown to hyaline, thin-walled cells of textura prismatica. Hamathecium lacking paraphyses. Asci 8-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate, cylindrical to broadly clavate, shortly pedicellate or sessile, lacking a distinct ocular chamber. Ascospores overlapping bi-seriate or multi-seriate, irregularly arranged, fusoid, hyaline, 2–6 septate, slightly constricted at the septum, smooth and thick-walled, lacking a gelatinous sheath or appendages. Asexual morph: Undetermined.
Species