ITALIC 8.0

Cryptodiscus cladoniicola (D. Hawksw. & R. Sant.) Pino-Bodas, Zhurb. & S. Stenroos

in Pino-Bodas & al., Persoonia, 39: 98, 2017. Basionym: Lettauia cladoniicola D. Hawksw. & R. Sant. - in Jahns, Bibl. Lichenol., 38: 138, 1990.

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Distribution:

Description: Thallus saprobic, not lichenized, growing on the podetia of different species of Cladonia. Apothecia, soon sessile, more or less round, slightly constricted at base, 0.2-0.3(-0.43) mm across, with an initially flat, later convex, pale yellow to orange-yellow disc, and a 20-40(-60) μm wide, usually paler, initially slightly raised, white, finally lacerated, reduced or excluded proper margin. Proper exciple colourless or pale orange in outer part, of round or tangentially elongated cells, without embedded crystals, 25-40 μm thick laterally; epithecium pale orange-yellow, c. 5 μm high; hymenium colourless, 30-50 μm high, I+ fleetingly blue then rapidly yellow-green, K/I+ blue or partly red due to colouration of ascal walls; paraphyses thread-like, often branched in upper part, 1.2-1.7(-3) μm thick, often somewhat constricted at septa in upper parts, the apical cells slightly swollen; subhymenium colourless c. 10 μm high; hypothecium colourless, 15-40 μm high. Asci 8-spored, narrowly clavate to subcylindrical, shortly pedicellate, thin-walled, the apex thickened, rounded, K/I+ blue, without any clear apical structures. Ascospores (2-)3(-4)-septate, not constricted at septa, hyaline, cylindrical to slightly fusiform, (13.5-)17-22(-26) x (2-)2.3-3(-3.5) μm. Photobiont absent. Spot tests: those of the host lichen. Chemistry: thallus without lichen substances.

Note: a non-lichenized parasite growing on different species of Cladonia, reported from many Northern and Central European Countries. To be looked for in Italy.

Growth form: Lichenicolous fungus

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

Reproductive strategy: mainly sexual

paras Cladonia-species

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Eutrophication:

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Poleotolerance:

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Altitudinal distribution:

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Predictive model

Source: habitus picture from Pino-Bodas R., Zhurbenko M.P., Stenroos S. 2017. Phylogenetic placement within Lecanoromycetes of lichenicolous fungi associated with Cladonia and some other genera. Persoonia, 39: 91-117.