ITALIC 8.0

Scutula stereocaulorum (Anzi) Körb.

Parerga Lichenol., 5: 455, 1865. Basionym: Lecidea stereocaulorum Anzi - Comm. Soc. Crittog. Ital., 1, 3: 155, 1862.

Synonyms: Biatorina stereocaulorum (Anzi) Jatta; Catillaria stereocaulorum (Th. Fr.) H. Olivier; Spilodium stereocaulorum (Anzi) Nieuwl.

Distribution: N - TAA (Brackel 2016), Lomb (Brackel 2016), Piem (Brackel 2016).

Description: Thallus absent, not lichenized, developing on the thalli of Stereocaulon-species, causing little damage to the host thalli. Apothecia lecideine, 0.1-0.8 mm across, at first dark red-brown, then black, with a flat o finally convex disc and a persistent or finally excluded proper margin. Proper exciple of parallel, radiating, branched and anastomosing, strongly adglutinated hyphae, dark reddish brown; epithecium reddish brown, sometimes with an orange or red hue, 5–10 μm high; hymenium colourless or pale yellowish brown, (35-)50-80 µm high, the hymenial gel hemiamyloid; paraphyses septate, very sparingly branched and anastomosing, the apical cells thickened, 4-8 µm wide, with a dark cap; hypothecium colourless to brown, of loosely intertwined hyphae, 100–250 μm high, I+ and K/I+ blue-violet, with greenish yellow inclusions reacting K+ orange-red. Asci 8-spored, with an amyloid tholus, a diffuse non-amyloid apical cushion, and an outer amyloid wall layer. Ascospores (0-)1-septate, not constricted at septum, hyaline, narrowly ellipsoid to narrowly oblong, (10.5-)13-17(-19) x (3.5–)4-5.5(-6.5) μm, thin-walled, without a perispore. Pycnidia brown, cupuliform, 50-130 μm in diam., immersed. Conidia simple, hyaline, falcate to bacilliform, (8-)10-12.5(-13.5) x 1-1.5 μm. Photobiont absent. Spot tests: K-, C-, KC-, P-, UV-. Chemistry: thallus without lichen substances; apothecia with different pigments.

Note: a mainly arctic-alpine, non-lichenized lichenicolous fungus growing on the thalli of Stereocaulon-species, also known from the mountains of Macaronesia. Perhaps more widespread in the Alps and to be looked for also in Southern Italy (e.g. on the Vesuvius). The description mainly follows Zhurbenko (2010).

Growth form: Lichenicolous fungus

Substrata: rocks, soil, terricolous mosses, and plant debris

Reproductive strategy: mainly sexual

Commonnes-rarity: (info)

Alpine belt: very rare

Subalpine belt: very rare

Oromediterranean belt: absent

Montane belt: absent

Submediterranean belt: absent

Padanian area: absent

Humid submediterranean belt: absent

Humid mediterranean belt: absent

Dry mediterranean belt: absent

pH of the substrata:

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Solar irradiation:

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Aridity:

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Eutrophication:

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Poleotolerance:

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Altitudinal distribution:

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Predictive model

Herbarium samples

DOLICHENS

Source: https://fungi.myspecies.info/all-fungi/catillaria-stereocaulorum Photo uploaded by Paul Cannon - CC BY NC

Catillaria stereocaulorum, infected thallus of the host lichen Stereocaulon dactylophyllum, covered in minute black apothecia; those of the host are larger and dark brown. Collection from soil over mine spoil, VC97 W Inverness.