Bryoparasitic Pezizales

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Identification

The main characteristics for species identification are ascospore-size and ornamentation as well as the host species. Below, there is a tentative key, which leads to main groups of species with similar spores. Apart from the key, a list of fungi with their known bryophyte hosts and a list of host bryophytes with the associated parasitic fungi may also help with idendification.

Key to main groups of bryoparasitic Pezizales

last update: 2016-01-18
the key as PDF

 1  Spores globose or nearly so (Q < 1.1), ornamented  2
 1* Spores subglobose, ellipsoid or fusiform (Q > 1.1), ornamented or not  9
 
 2  Spore ornamentation consisting solely of warts or tubercles  3
 2* Spores ornamentation consisting of ridges, sometimes additionally with warts  4
 
 3  Spores ornamented with large wart or tubercles mostly > 1 µm wide
 3* Spores ornamented with small warts, mostly < 1 µm wide
 
 4 Spores ornamented by fine ridges 0.1-0.2 µm wide, host the liverwort Aneura pinguis
 4* Spore ornamentation consisting of broader ridges, parasitic on mosses  5
 
 5 Ridges of spore ornamentation at least partly > 2 µm wide
 5* Ridges of spore ornamentation < 2 µm wide  6
 
 6 Ridges of spore ornamentation with at least some loose ends, not forming a reticulum or reticulum incomplete
 6* Spore ornamentation consisting of curved or straight ridges without loose ends, forming a complete reticulum, sometimes straight ridges can be reduced in various degrees and forming an incomplete reticulum (i.e. L. miniata s.l.)  7
 
 7 Spore ornamentation with curved ridges forming an alveolate reticulum (Seaveri-type)
 7* Spore ornamentation with straight ridges forming an areolate reticulum  8
 
 8  Ridges of spore ornamentation 1.5-3 µm high
 8* Ridges of spore ornamentation mostly less than 1.5 µm high
 
 9  Spores ornamented  10
 9* Spores smooth or nearly so (ornamentation hardly visible under the light microscope at 1000x magnification)  13
 
 10 Spore ornamentation consisting of ridges froming a ± reticulate pattern
 10* Spore ornamentation consisting of isolated warts  11
 
 11 Asci 4-spored or 4-8-spored
 11* Asci predominantly 8-spored  12
 
 12  Spores > 22 µm long, ellipsoid, narrowly ellipsoid or fusiform
 12* Spores < 22 µm long, subglobose, broadly ellipsoid or ellipsoid
 
 13  Asci 4-spored or 4-8-spored  14
 13* Asci predominantly 8-spored  15
 
 14  Spores on average > 27 µm long
 14* Spores on average < 27 µm long
 
 15 Spores on average < 20 µm long
 15* Spores on average > 20 µm long  16
 
 16  Spores on average > 13 µm wide
 16* Spores on average < 13 µm wide
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