Neoxylaria arengae

Neoxylaria arengae

Konta & K.D. Hyde (2020)

Classification:Ascomycota-Pezizomycotina-Sordariomycetes-Xylariomycetidae-Xylariales-Xylariaceae-Neoxylaria

Host species: Arenga pinnata (Konta et al. 2020)

Holotype: MFLU 15-0267 (Konta et al. 2020)

Known distribution: Phang-nga, Thailand

IF Number: IF556651      Mycobank Number: 556651     FOF Number: FoF03395

Description

Saprobic on dead petiole of Arenga pinnata (Arecaceae). Sexual morph: Stromata (1.6–)4–27(–30) × 0.5–1 mm (x̅ = 13 × 0.7 mm, n = 30), erect, coriaceous, solitary, cylindrical, simple to branched from the base, unbranched when immature, branching from the base at maturity with 3(–5) branches, arising separately or in small bundles, stipes (stem) (1.7–)2.1–4.6(–7.1) × 0.4–1 mm (x̅ = 3.2 × 0.7 mm, n = 20, up to 12 mm), cylindrical, longitudinally, black, with a hairy-tomentose broadened base, smooth to downy to hairy-tomentose above; tomentum black to dark brown, fertile part (1.7–)2.5–18(–25) mm (x̅ = 9 mm, n = 20), bearing 29 to 35(–45) exposed perithecia, apex sterile, rarely find finely longitudinally furrowed delimiting narrow stripes, roughened with prominent ostiolar papillae, perithecia scattered along the stroma, arranged in a zigzag or in straight rows, without circumferential wrinkles isolating groups of perithecia, perithecial contours most often conspicuous, visible as black single or small fusiform ascoma, surface, outer crust, thick, coriaceous, cracked, interior solid, brown with white tissue surrounding perithecial layer, sterile apex attenuated conical, up to 1–2(–3) mm. Perithecia 400–620 × 260–570 μm (x̅ = 493 × 464 µm, n = 10), pale brown, immersed in stromatic tissues, globose to subglobose, ostiolate, papillate, slightly conspicuous, with periphyses. Peridium 80–130 µm wide (x̅ = 100 µm, n = 20), thick-walled, composed of several layers, outwardly, thick-walled, comprising dark brown cells of textura angularis and inwardly, thick-walled, comprising hyaline to pale brown cells of textura prismatica. Ostiole 150–215 × 150–285 μm (x̅ = 180 × 210 µm, n = 5), raised-discoid, brown to black surrounding disc appear on the surface; hyaline, papillate, with a central periphyses. Paraphyses 3–5(–7) µm wide (x̅ = 4 µm, n = 10), filamentous, cylindrical, septate, unbranched. Asci 74–160(–180) × 5–12 µm (x̅ = 115 × 7 µm, n = 20), 6–8-spored, unitunicate, cylindrical, long pedicellate, apically rounded, with a J+, apical ring, inverted hat-shaped. Ascospores 10–18(–22) × 3.5–6(–7.5) µm (x̅ = 15 × 5 µm, n = 20), uniseriate, hyaline to pale brown when immature, dark brown at maturity, broad fusoid, unicellular, a lot of small guttules when immature, two large guttules at maturity, smooth-walled, with a straight, full length germ slit. Asexual morph: Undetermined. Appressoria 4–9 × 3–10 μm (x̅ = 6 × 6 μm, n = 20), solitary, hyaline, mostly globose, irregular in shape, thick-walled.

Culture conditions: Ascospores germinated on MEA within 24 hours and germ tube was produced from germ slit. Mycelium immersed in the medium, septate, branched, and smooth-walled hyphae. Colonies on MEA, medium dense, irregular in shape, flowered-like, surface slightly rough with curled margin, radiating outward colony, flat, slightly raised at the centre, hairy fluffy, initially white, becoming white at the margin, greyish white near the centre, with black and white curled, radiated near the centre; reverse zonate, yellow and white, curled with black radiating outward colony; not produced pigmentation on medium.