Hydnotrya qinghaiensis Yi Li, A. Xu, J.J. Lu & W.F. Lin, 2023

Xu, Ao, Lu, Jiao-Jiao, Lin, Wen-Fei, Fan, Li, Xie, Meng-Le, Wan, Shan-Ping & Li, Yi, 2023, Hydnotrya qinghaiensis sp. nov. (Discinaceae, Pezizales) from Tibetan Plateau, China, Phytotaxa 616 (3), pp. 235-246 : 241

Hydnotrya qinghaiensis Yi Li, A. Xu, J.J. Lu & W.F. Lin , sp. nov. ( Figs. 2 , 3 )

Fungal Names FN570864.

Diagnosis:— Hydnotrya qinghaiensis is most similar and closely related to H. cerebriformis among known species within the genus Hydnotrya , but differed in its somewhat larger and irregularly brownish ascomata and the particular habitat in Tibetan Plateau under Picea trees, as well as the ITS sequence differs by at least 37 substitutions and indels.

Etymology:—The epithet “ qinghaiensis ” refers to the type locality Qinghai Province in China.

Holotypus:— CHINA, Qinghai Province, Guoluo Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Baima County, Dengta Village , 32°40′16″N, 101°01′33″E, ASL 3188 m, hypogeous or semi-hypogeous in soil under subalpine mixed conifer ( Picea sp. ) — broadleaf forest, 13 August 2019, Yi Li 1530 ( HMAS 350656 ) .

Description:— Ascomata irregular globose with conspicuous cerebriform convolutions, light brown to brown, 15−28 × 25−50 mm; Gleba dark brown and brown when dried, solid and scattered with some small, isolated, and numerous irregularly shaped chambers lined with gray hymenium; Peridium 80−200 μm thick, composed of a rectangle or subangular cells of 16.1–34.4 × 7.2–16.6 μm; Asci 235–392 × 24–38 µm, hyaline, clavate, apex rounded, narrowed at the base into a short stalk, 8-spored, spores uniseriately arranged; Paraphyses crowded, 6–7.1 µm in diam, hyaline, straight, apically slightly inflated to 6.6–9.8 µm wide, septate, extending 19.4–48 μm beyond asci; Ascospores globose, coated, exosporium clew like, immature spores hyaline, brown at maturity, 27.1–36.6 μm (n = 30) including ornament and 19.6–27.5 µm (n = 30) excluding ornament in diam.

Habitat and distribution:—Hypogeous or semi-hypogeous in soil under subalpine mixed forests dominated by Picea sp. , known from the Tibetan Plateau of China.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Hydnotrya qinghaiensis (HMAS 350656, Holotype) A: Ascomata when fresh. B: Section showing mature asci. C: Peridium. D: Paraphyses. E: Asci with mature ascospores. F: Asci with immature ascospores. G: Ascospores. H: Spore surface. Bars:A 2 cm; B 200 μm; C–F 50 μm; G–H 20 μm.

FIGURE 3. Scanning electron micrographs of Hydnotrya qinghaiensis (HMAS 350656, Holotype). A: Asci and extended paraphyses (indicated by arrow). B, C: Coated ascospores in asci. D, E: Exposed ascospores. F: Broken ascospores showing exosporium. Bars: A–B 50 μm; C 20 μm; D–F 10 μm.