Ligninsphaeria J.F. Zhang, J.K. Liu, K.D. Hyde & Z.Y. Liu, 2016

Zhang, Jin-Feng, Liu, Jian-Kui, Hyde, Kevin D., Liu, Yong-Xiang, Bahkali, Ali H. & Liu, Zuo-Yi, 2016, Ligninsphaeria jonesii gen. et. sp. nov., a remarkable bamboo inhabiting ascomycete, Phytotaxa 247 (2), pp. 109-117 : 113

Ligninsphaeria J.F. Zhang, J.K. Liu, K.D. Hyde & Z.Y. Liu , gen. nov

Index Fungorum number: IF551757, Facesoffungi number: FoF 01662

Etymology: From the Latin lignin refers to wood and sphaeria meaning fruiting body, in reference to the fruiting bodies on wood.

Type species: Ligninsphaeria jonesii

Saprobic on decaying bamboo culms. Sexual morph: Ascomata scattered, solitary, immersed under the host tissue, black, subglobose or obpyriform, clypeate, ostiole at the centre, with a slit-like opening. Peridium coriaceous to carbonaceous, composed of two strata, an outer stratum of thick-walled and brown cells arranged in a textura angularis and fusing with host cells, and inner layer of hyaline cells of textura angularis. Hamathecium comprising numerous, cellular pseudoparaphyses, embedded in a gelatinous matrix. Asci 8-spored, broad-clavate, bitunicate, fissitunicate, with tapering pedicel, apically rounded with a distinct ocular chamber. Ascospores 3–4-seriate, hyaline, broad-fusiform, with tapering apices, indistinctly 1-septate when mature, pointed at both ends with a gelatinous cap. A sexual morph: Undetermined.