Oxydothis rhapidicola

Oxydothis rhapidicola

Konta & K.D. Hyde (2016)

Classification:Ascomycota-Pezizomycotina-Sordariomycetes-Xylariomycetidae-Xylariales-Oxydothidaceae-Oxydothis

Host species: Rhapis excelsa (Konta et al 2016)

Holotype: MFLU 15-0002 (Konta et al 2016)

Known distribution: Chiang Rai, Thailand

IF Number: IF552538      Mycobank Number: 552538      FOF Number: FoF02706

Description

Saprobic on petiole of Rhapis excelsa (Thunb.) Rehder (Arecaceae). Sexual morph: Ascomata 303–480 μm diam. (x̅ = 361 μm diam., n = 40, up to 600 μm), solitary or aggregated, mostly solitary when young, becoming grouped at maturity, immersed, comprising slightly raised blistering areas through the host tissue, axis oblique or perpendicular to the host surface, with central papilla, 25–44 μm high × 82–124 μm diam. (x̅ = 40 × 117 μm, n = 5), in transverse section, lenticular, globose to subglobose, darker at the central region, light towards the outer darker rim on the host surface. Peridium 10–14 (x̅ = 12 μm, n = 10), outer cells merging with the host epidermal cells, comprising dark brown to black, cells of textura angularis. Asci 103–150 × 8–12 μm (x̅ = 123 × 10 μm, n = 10), 8-spored, unitunicate, cylindrical, pedicellate, with a J+, wedge-shaped, subapical ring. Ascospores 47–50 × 3–5 μm (x̅ = 49 × 4 μm, n = 20), 2–4-seriate, fusiform, tapering gradually from the center to the ends, centrally 1-septate, not constricted at the septum, with pointed ends, hyaline, with large multi-guttules in each cell, sometimes smaller near the ends, smooth-walled. Asexual morph: Undetermined. Appressoria not formed.

Culture conditions: Ascospores germinating on MEA within 24 hours and germ tubes produced from end cells. Colonies on MEA, white, grey and olivaceous, rough on the surface, producing ascomata-like structures, hyphae, septate, branched, smooth-walled.