Homortomyces tamaricis Wijayaw., Camporesi & K.D. Hyde, in Wijayawardene et al., Phytotaxa 176(1): 160 (2014).

MycoBank number: MB 550192; Index Fungorum: IF 550192; Facesoffungi number: FoF 02151; Fig. 108

Saprobic on Tamarix gallica L. Sexual morph: Ascomata 190–280 μm high × 280–350 μm diam. ( x̄ = 234 × 310 μm, n = 6), scattered, sometimes aggregated, immersed to partially erumpent through the host tissues, black, globose to subglobose, unilocular, ostiolate. Peridium 20–40 μm wide, comprising several layers of brown to dark brown, thick-walled cells of textura angularis. Hamathecium comprising 2–4 μm wide, septate, cellular pseudoparaphyses. Asci 80–100 × 18–23 μm ( x̄ = 87 × 21 μm, n = 6), mostly 2–6-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate, cylindrical, short pedicellate, apically rounded, with a distinct ocular chamber. Ascospores 23–30 × 8–12 μm ( x̄ = 25 × 10 μm, n = 25), 1–2-seriate, fusiform with broadly to narrowly rounded ends, yellowish brown to brown, 3-septate, smooth-walled, without a mucilaginous sheath. Asexual morph: Coelomycetous. Conidiomata 150–250 μm high × 300–350 μm diam. ( x̄ = 200 × 330 μm, n = 5), solitary or gregarious, immersed to slightly erumpent, pycnidial to irregular, uniloculate to multi-loculate, subglobose, ostiolate. Conidiomatal wall 10–22 μm), comprising a few layers of lightly pigmented to hyaline cells of textura angularis. Hamathecium comprising numerous, aseptate, cylindrical, guttulate, paraphyses. Conidiophores reduced to conidiogenous cells. Conidiogenous cell 6–25 × 2.5–5.5 μm ( x̄ = 15 × 3.6 μm, n = 20), with supporting cell, hyaline, percurrently proliferating at the tip of the supporting cells. Conidia ellipsoid to subcylindrical, straight to slightly curved, 20–30 × 9–12.5 μm ( x̄ = 25 × 11 μm, n = 30), golden brown to dark brown, becoming coloured before release from conidiogenous cells, smooth- walled, initially asptate to 1-septate, becoming at maturity 3-septate, apex obtuse, base truncate, smooth-walled.

Material examined: Italy, Province of Forlì-Cesena [FC]), Ravaldino in Monte Forlì, on dead branches of Tamarix gallica L. (Tamaricaceae), 22 November 2012, Erio Camporesi IT 922 (MFLU 14-0595 & MFLU 14-0167).

Notes: Wijayawardene et al. (2014b) introduced Homortomyces tamaricis from Tamarix gallica based on its asexual morph, while Thambugala et al. (2017) described the sexual morph of this species from the same host based both morphological traits and molecular sequence data.

Fig. 108 Homortomyces tamaricis (a–g = MFLU 14-0595; h–l = MFLU 14-0167). a Appearance of ascomata on host surface b Vertical section through ascoma c Peridium d Pseudoparaphyses and mature ascus eg Ascospores h Vertical sections through conidioma. i, j Developing conidia and paraphyses kl Conidia. Scale bars: b = 100 μm, c, h = 50 μm, d, i = 20 μm, e–g, j =10 μm