Melastiza verruculosa M. Zeng, Q. Zhao & K.D. Hyde, sp. nov. FIGURE 9
MycoBank number: MB; Index Fungorum number: IF; Facesoffungi number: FoF 12598.
Saprobic on sandy soil. Sexual morph: Apothecia 3−7 mm broad, 0.5−1.5 mm high, scattered to gregarious, sessile, pubescent, basal with brownish mycelia. Receptacle discoid to shallowly saucer-shaped, receptacle surface darker in color than hymenium, brown when dry, covered setaceous hairs, margin conspicuous, entire. Hymenium orange when fresh, yellow to orange when dry, nearly smooth. Ectal excipulum 40−200 µm, composed of textura angularis to textura globulosa, 19−25 × 12−17 μm cells, inner cells hyaline, outermost cells brown, with 40−200 μm long, 7−11 μm broad setaceous hairs, dark brown, septate, obtuse end; basal with 9−11 μm broad brown hyphal hairs. Medullary excipulum 30−200 μm, composed of textura intricata, 2−4 µm broad hyaline hyphae. Paraphyses 2−4 µm broad, with yellow to orange pigmented, filiform, exceeding the asci, apex enlarged, 5−8 µm broad. Asci 250−270 × 11−15 μm, 8-spored, cylindrical, operculate, inamyloid. Ascospores [20/1/1, in H2O] (13.7−)14.4−16.3(−17.3) × (9.5−)10.0−10.8(−11.0) μm (Q = 1.31−1.69, Q = 1.47±0.09) (excluding ornamentation), ellipsoid, uniseriate, equilateral, rounded at the ends, uniguttulate, rarely biguttulate, cyanophilous ornamented with mostly rounded pustules, up to 2.5 μm high, 3.0 μm broad, connecting by narrow ridges, pustules at poles of ascospores are enlarged and form spherical apiculi, up to 3.5 μm high, 4.5 μm broad. Asexual morph: Unknown.
FIGURE 9. Melastiza verruculosa. a–e Typic mature specimens. f Vertical section of ascomata. g Basal hyphal hairs. h Ectal excipulum. i Asci and paraphyses. j Apex of ascus in Congo red. k–n Asci (k Ascus in Congo red.). o–r Ascospores (r Ascospore in Cotton Blue). Scale bars: f = 500 μm. g, h = 50 μm. i, k–n = 100 μm. j, o–r = 10 μm.