Brahmaculus magellanicus M.E.Sm. & P.R.Johnst., 2021

Johnston, Peter R., Park, Duckchul, Smith, Matthew E., Mujic, Alija B. & May, Tom W., 2021, Brahmaculus gen. nov. (Leotiomycetes, Chlorociboriaceae), MycoKeys 80, pp. 19-43 : 19

Brahmaculus magellanicus M.E.Sm. & P.R.Johnst. sp. nov. Figure 3

Typification.

Chile - Magallanes • Puente San Pedro, south of Punta Arenas, stream near the end of the road, Nothofagus betuloides forest; -53.6993, 70.9695; Alija Mujic (MES2454) leg.; 5 Apr 2017; SGO - Holotype; FLAS-F-65086 - isotype; PDD 116650 - isotype.

Etymology.

Refers to the Magellanic forests of the type locality.

Diagnosis.

Phylogenetically distinct from other known Brahmaculus spp., apothecia 3-8 × 1-2.5 mm, paraphyses undifferentiated to rounded apex, ascospores 5.5-9 × 1.5-2 µm (average 7.3 × 1.7 µm).

Description.

Apothecia 3-8 mm high, stipe 0.4-0.6 mm wide, cap 1-2.5 mm wide, the more or less globose cap comprising several closely packed apothecial cups, these arising from short, branches at the top of the stipe, hymenium pale yellow, hymenial areas broken into smaller segments by groups of bright yellow, hair-like elements amongst the fertile parts of the hymenium. Receptacle densely covered with stiff, bright yellow hairs, stipe with shorter hairs. Hairs 45-70 × 2.5-4.5 µm, straight, cylindric, tapering gradually in apical half toward small, rounded apex, thin-walled, sparsely septate, pale brown vacuolar pigment, densely encrusted with coarse, bright yellow crystals that dissolve in KOH + Melzers. Ectal excipulum comprising narrow-cylindric cells 8-20 × 2.5-3 µm oriented at low angle to receptacle surface, wall slightly thickened, mostly hyaline except cells at the base of hairs have pale brown vacuolar pigment. Medullary excipulum similar in structure but cells wider, 4.5-8 µm diam. Paraphyses 1.5-2.5 µm diam., undifferentiated at rounded apex, about same length as asci. Asci 40-55 × 4-5 µm, cylindric, apex rounded, wall thickened, amyloid pore extends through the wall, diffuse and flaring slightly towards the outside of the wall, crozier at base, 8-spored. Ascospores 5.5-9 × 1.5-2 µm (average 7.3 × 1.7 µm, n = 12), oblong elliptic, ends rounded, flattened on one side, straight to slightly curved, 0-septate, hyaline.

Notes.

The two Chilean species differ macroscopically, B. magellanicus having noticeably thinner stipes than B. osornoensis . The only known collection of B. magellanicus is from Magellanic subpolar forest in Patagonia that is dominated by Nothofagus betuloides . It is possible that this Brahmaculus species is restricted to these sub Antarctic cold southern forests but more specimens are needed to determine the range of the species.

Figures

Figure 3. Brahmaculus magellanicus (PDD 116650) A, B fresh apothecia C dried apothecia D ascoma in vertical section, showing multiple apothecial cups on short branches E ascoma in vertical section showing excipular tissue and hairs, and a clump of hairs within the hymenium F squash mount showing hairs in KOH G asci H paraphyses I ascospores. Scale bars: 1 mm (A-C); 100 µm (D); 10 µm (E-I).