Licea lignicola A. Kuhnt, Ber. Bayer. Bot. Ges.

Basanta, Diana Wrigley De, Mier, Carlos De & Lado, Carlos, 2023, A taxonomic revision of the species of Licea subg. Licea (Myxomycetes), Phytotaxa 629 (2), pp. 95-128 : 110-111

13. Licea lignicola A. Kuhnt, Ber. Bayer. Bot. Ges. 91: 187 (2021) Figs. 10A–I

Sporophores sporocarpic, dispersed or grouped, sessile. Sporocarps subglobose, 0.22–0.35 mm diam., orange brown or red brown. Peridium double, outer layer yellowish olive, marked with dark lines of dehiscence, inner layer orange with granular matter included ( Fig. 10 D ); dehiscence into 3–4 lobes, having margins with lines of concentrated warts in a band. Spores free, medium brown in mass, light brown by TL, with paler germination pore, globose, 10.5–11.5 µm diam., densely warted. By SEM the peridium is 15–20 µm thick, the inner surface of the peridium is finely granular, and the platelet margins have linear concentrations of larger finger-like outgrowths ( Fig. 10 G ); the epispore is densely covered with pila with a well-developed caput and short baculum (see Kuhnt, 2021: fig. 57b).

Material examined: Holotypus. GERMANY. Landkreis Oberallgäu, Gemeinde Oberstdorf , Stillachtal , Höhe 880 m, MTB 8627/23 , Fichtenwald (überwiegend Fichten, wenige Laubbäume), schattiger Talgrund, an der Seitenfläche von stark vermorschtem, entrindetem Moderholzstumpf von Picea abies , überwiegend unter der Oberfläche im Holz, 20-08-2020 , HK 200820-27a (M-0313080)!.

Habitat: On old, decayed, wood stumps of Picea abies , usually below the surface in the soft wood.

Distribution: Known only from type territory (Germany).

Icon.: Kuhnt (2021: 188, Figs. 53a–f; 189, Figs. 54a–c, Figs. 55a–d; 191, Figs.56a–d, 57a–b).

Notes. The orange to red-brown colour of sporocarps in this species, with dark lines of dehiscence make it easy to distinguish from others. Licea rufocuprea Nann. -Bremek. & Y. Yamam. has a similar, but darker, colour of the peridium in reflected light, and also differs in having a concolorous shiny circumcissile line at the base of a conical sporotheca. The illustrations in the original description are excellent.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Licea lignicola. A–I (HK 200820-27a, M-0313080, Holotype). A. Herbarium specimen. B–C. Open sessile sporocarps. D. Peridial platelet by TL. E. Spores by TL. F. Dehisced sporocarp by SEM. G. Platelet margin by SEM showing lines of concentrated warts. H. Group of spores by SEM. I. Spore by SEM. Scale bars: B–C = 0.1 mm, D–E = 10 µm, F = 50 µm, G–H = 10 µm, I = 5 µm.