Neoastrosphaeriella phoenicis

Neoastrosphaeriella phoenicis

S.N. Zhang, E.B.G. Jones & J.K. Liu Mycosphere 11(1): 279 (2020)

Classification: Ascomycota-Pezizomycotina-Dothideomycetes-Pleosporomycetidae-Pleosporales-Aigialaceae-Neoastrosphaeriella

Host species: Phoenix paludosa

Holotype: MFLU 19-0807

Known distribution: Thailand (Ranong Province)

IF Number: IF556951      Mycobank Number: 556951      FOF Number: FoF06863

Description

Saprobic on palm in mangrove habitat. Sexual morph: Ascomata 535–730 µm long, 350–505 µm diam., in vertical section 260–295 µm high, 360–415 µm long, black, coriaceous, slightly carbonaceous, unilocular, hemispherical, scattered, erumpent, semi-immersed to immersed, with a flattened base, beneath the host surface, with a central slit-like ostiole over almost the entire length, base applanate and immersed. Ostioles central, slit-like opening. Peridium 40–80 µm wide, the outside layer black, with host cells and fungal tissue, and the inner layer thin, comprising fungal cells of textura angularis, thinner at the base. Hamathecium 1–1.5 µm wide, trabeculate pseudoparaphyses, hyaline, anastomosing, embedded in a gelatinous matrix. Asci 110–130 × 15–22 µm (x̅ = 120.7 × 19.4 µm, n = 15), 8-spored, fissitunicate, obclavate, short pedicellate, apex narrow and rounded, with a small ocular chamber. Ascospores 40–60 × 6–11 µm (x̅ = 48.9 × 7.8 µm, n = 20), 1–2 seriate, fusiform, hyaline when young, becoming brown to dark brown and verrucose when mature or senescent, tapering to pointed apices, 1–3-septate, constricted at the septum, surrounded by a mucilaginous sheath 1–2 µm wide, which is slightly drawn out at the apices. Asexual morph: Undetermined.

Culture conditions: Colonies growing well on PDA media and attaining a diameter about 3–4 cm after 21 days at 25 °C, flattened colony, slightly radiating with concentric ring of cottony mycelium at edge of colony, obverse gray-green, reverse dark green.