Phragmocephala atra (Berk. & Broome) E.W. Mason & S. Hughes, Naturalist

- Yan, Hong, Udayanga, Dhanushka, Luo, Zong-Long, Manamgoda, Dimuthu S., Zhao, Yong-Chang, Yang, Jing, Liu, Xiao-Ying, Mckenzie, Eric H. C., Zhou, De-Qun & Hyde, Kevin D., 2015, Hyphomycetes from aquatic habitats in Southern China: Species of Curvularia (Pleosporaceae) and Phragmocephala (Melannomataceae), Phytotaxa 226 (3), pp. 201-216 : 209

Phragmocephala atra (Berk. & Broome) E.W. Mason & S. Hughes, Naturalist : 97 (1951)

Basionym. Arthrobotryum atrum Berk. & Broome, Ann. Mag. nat. Hist., Ser. 3 3: 361 (1859)

≡ Endophragmia atra (Berk. & Broome) M.B. Ellis, Mycol. Pap. 72: 22 (1959)

≡ Phragmocephala atra var. atra (Berk. & Broome) E.W. Mason & S. Hughes, Naturalist : 97 (1951)

= Phragmocephala atra var. stenophora S. Hughes, N.Z. Jl Bot. 16(3): 341 (1978)

Facesoffungi number: FOF 00573, Fig 5

Colonies on PDA superficial, effuse, scattered, dark brown to black. Hyphae hyaline, septate, branched,. Conidiophores synnematous, macronematous, septate, unbranched or branched, erect, dark brown at the base, pale brown at fertile, flared apex, sometimes proliferating, 4–8-septate, 128–157 μm (x=142.5 μm, SD=14.5 μm, n=10) long and 6.5–8.5 (x=7.5 μm, SD=1 μm, n=10) wide. Conidiogenous cells monoblastic, terminal, integrated, elongated, pale brown, often separating from the conidium through a break or frill below the base of conidium. Conidia 4-septate, ellipsoidal to subglobose, dark brown, pale brown at apical and basal cells, with dark brown to black central cells, with a thick dark band on the central septum; smooth, rounded at apex, truncate at base, sometimes released with part of conidiogenous cell, 30–35 μm (x=32.5 μm, SD=2.5 μm, n=45) long and 16–19 (x=17.5 μm, SD=1.5 μm, n=45) wide, germinating from both end cells; conidial secession schizolytic.

Material examined:— CHINA. Yunnan Province, Canshang Mountain, on decaying wood in a stream, August 2014, XiaoYing Liu 2LQXM 15-2(S-129), (HKAS 84013!), living culture, MFLUCC 15-0021.

Notes: Based on a megablast search of GenBank, the closest hits of the ITS sequences are uncultured fungus clone CMH233 (GenBank KF800324; Identities = 477/502 (95%)), fungal sp. mh2199.3 (GenBank GQ996144; Identities = 472/498(95%)) and Calluna vulgaris root associated fungus (GenBank FM172853; Identities = 473/500(95%)). There were previously no DNA sequence data available in GenBank for Phragmocephala species. The key morphological feature of Phragmocephala atra is the dark brown to black central cells, the conidial sizes are (30–35 x 15–18 μm) referring to the protologue and recent descriptions ( Saccardo 1886; Mason & Hughes 1951; Taylor & Hyde 2003). The fresh collection made from incubated wood is similar in morphology to that of the original description ( Mason & Hughes 1951).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Phragmocephala atra a–b. synnemata on the substrate; c–d. Conidia attached to conidiophores; e–g. conidia; h. germinating conidium; i. surface view of cultures on PDA; j. reverse view of culturs son PDA. Scale bars: c = 50 μm, d–e,h = 30 μm, f = 15 μm, g = 20 μm.