Craterium dictyosporum (Rostaf.) H. Neubert, Nowotny & K. Baumann, Myxomyceten

Zhao, Fengyun, Li, Yu, Hsiang, Tom & Liu, Shuyan, 2018, A new species in Physaraceae, Craterium yichunensis, and a new record for C. dictyosporum in China, Phytotaxa 351 (2), pp. 181-185 : 182

Craterium dictyosporum (Rostaf.) H. Neubert, Nowotny & K. Baumann, Myxomyceten 2: 194 (1995) Fig. 2

Sporocarps stalked, 1.2–1.8 mm tall. Sporocysts subglobose, obovoid, 0.3–0.5 mm diam., lower peridium remaining as a shallow and irregular cup. Stalk yellowish brown on the upper part connected to sporocysts, widened and paler toward the base. Hypothallus membranous, yellow, ribs radiating from the stalk base. Peridium membranous, single, pale grey on the upper part and dark brown on the lower part, encrusted with white lime, rarely circumscissile. Columella continuation of the stalk, brown, reaching the center of the sporocyst. Capillitium arising from the columella and peridium, badhamioid with white lime. Spores dark in mass, with an incomplete net of broad spines fused into short ridges, 14–16.5 μm in diam..

Specimens examined: — CHINA. Heilongjiang Province: Tangwanghe, Yichun, 129°26′31″ E, 48°27′13″ N, 371 m, 9 September 2017, on dead twigs, Fengyun Zhao SM2017090924 (HMJAU1014), and nearby, another specimen of this species was found on dead bark, Fengyun Zhao SM2017090925 (HMJAU1015).

Comments: —Of the known species of Craterium , C. dictyosporum is similar only to C. muscorum in having irregularly dehiscing sporocarps, rarely circumscissile, and subreticulate or reticulate spores. However, C. muscorum has loosely reticulate spores and pinkish lime granules. Craterium dictyosporum has been recorded in The Netherlands (Nannenga-Bremekamp 1974), Germany ( Neubert et al. 1995), Japan ( Yamamoto 1998), Africa ( Ndiritu et al. 2009) and France ( Poulain et al. 2011). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. dictyosporum in China.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Morphological characteristics of Craterium dictyosporum: a. Sporocarps. b. Cup and capillitia. c. Stalks and hypothallus. d. Stalk under light microscope. e. Peridium under light microscope. f. Stalk and columella. g. Capillitia with white lime under SEM. h. Capillitium full of globular calcareous granules under SEM. i. Spores with an incomplete net of broad spines fused into short ridges under SEM. Bars: a–c = 0.5 mm, d–g = 50 μm, h = 10 μm, i = 5 μm.