Frondisphaeria K.D. Hyde, Mycoscience

Daranagama, Dinushani A., Liu, Xingzhong, Chamyuang, Sunita, Stadler, Marc, Bahkali, Ali. H. & Hyde, Kevin D., 2016, Towards a natural classification of Sordariomycetes: The genera Frondisphaeria, Immersisphaeria, Lasiobertia, Pulmosphaeria and Yuea (Sordariomycetes incertae sedis), Phytotaxa 258 (2), pp. 153-163 : 154-156

Frondisphaeria K.D. Hyde, Mycoscience 37(2): 169 (1996)

Facesoffungi number: FoF 01351

Saprobic on palms. Sexual morph: Ascomata immersed, developing beneath host surface, conical, with reduced stromata, visible as darkened areas, solitary, sometimes clustered, irregular in cross section, with tapered ends. Ostioles central, inconspicuous, periphysate, black. Peridium comprising a few layers, outwardly comprising loosely arranged, flattened, light brown cells, inwardly comprising thin walled, dark brown cells. Hamathecium comprising numerous, filamentous, septate, paraphyses with tapered ends. Asci 8-spored, unitunicate, clavate, pedicellate, with inconspicuous, J+, discoid, apical apparatus, slightly bluing in Melzer’s reagent. Ascospores unicellular, hyaline, elongated fusiform, with narrow, apiculate ends, fasciculate, smooth-walled. Asexual morph: Undetermined.

Notes:— Frondisphaeria was introduced to accommodate F. palmicola K.D. Hyde , an ascomycete from palm leaves, with long-fusiform ascospores ( Hyde 1996). Hyde (1996) mentioned that this genus shows characters of Linocarpon Syd. & P. Syd. by having unicellular, filiform ascospores and species of both genera occur mostly on palms. Fröhlich & Hyde (2000) added a second species, F. joanneae J. Fröhl. & K.D. Hyde. Hyde (1996) also stated that the morphology of the asci is reminiscent of the Diaporthaceae , while the presence of paraphyses, the reduced peridium and the lack of periphyses differentiate Frondisphaeria from the latter family. Besides, in Linocarpon the ascomata develop under distinct discs of clypeal tissue and their ostioles are very conspicuous ( Hyde 1993). Therefore the familial affinities of Frondisphaeria remained unknown.

Huhndorf et al. (2004) grouped Linocarpon , which was formerly placed in Lasiosphaeriaceae ,in Sordariomycetidae incertae sedis. Phylogenetic analysis of species of Lasiosphaeriaceae by Huhndorf et al. (2004) showed the family to be highly paraphyletic and genera segregated into numerous clades dispersed throughout several orders ( Chaetosphaeriales , Coniochaetales and Coronoporales). Frondisphaeria is morphologically similar to Pedumispora K.D. Hyde & E.B.G. Jones a genus described from mangrove roots with immersed ascomata, 8-spored, fusiform, unitunicate asci and curved, filiform ascospores ( Hyde & Jones 1992). However Pedumispora differs by having subglobose, ostiolate ascomata, asci lacking apical apparatus and multi septate (13–17 septa), slightly inflated and yellow-yellowish brown ascospores ( Hyde and Jones 1992). Klaysuban et al. (2014) clarified the phylogenetic classification of P. rhizophorae K.D. Hyde & E.B.G. Jones using molecular phylogenetic data. Their study revealed that P. rhizophorae is distantly placed from the Diaporthales where it was previously classified by Hyde & Jones (1992) and groups in the Diatrypaceae , Xylariales with strong support. Considering these morphological similarities and the presence of an inconspicuous apical apparatus in ascus we tentatively refer Frondisphaeria to Diatrypaceae until the fresh materials to be recovered and molecular data for Frondisphaeria species are available.

Type species:— Frondisphaeria palmicola K.D. Hyde, Mycoscience 37(2): 169 (1996) Facesoffunginumber: FoF01362.

Saprobic on rachis of Eugeissona minor Griff. Sexual morph: Ascomata 1000–1800 × 170–260 μm (x = 1574

× 2256 μm, n = 10), immersed, visible as irregularly arranged, conical to dome-shaped areas, solitary or clustered,

light brown, carbonaceous, in cross section irregularly rectangular, with tapered ends. Ostioles central, inconspicuous, periphysate, black. Peridium 30–50 μm (x = 41.5 μm, n = 10) wide, outwardly comprising loosely arranged, flattened,

light brown-grey cells, inwardly comprising thin-walled, compressed, dark brown cells. Hamathecium comprising numerous, filamentous, septate, paraphyses, 5 μm wide at base, with tapered ends. Asci 155–230 × 22–30 μm (x =

173 × 27.6 μm, n = 20), 8-spored, unitunicate, clavate, narrow at the apex, pedicellate, with inconspicuous, J+, discoid, 2–4 × 1–2 μm (x = 3.3 × 1.6 μm, n = 20) apical apparatus. Ascospores 80–110 × 7.5–10 μm (x = 91 × 8.6 μm, n

= 20), crowded, unicellular, hyaline, long-fusiform, slightly curved at the ends, smooth-walled. Asexual morph:

Undetermined.