Original paper
Non-hypocrealean ascomycetes on Frullania mainly from Southeastern North America
Döbbeler, Peter; Davison, Paul G.
Nova Hedwigia Band 113 Heft 3-4 (2021), p. 361 - 401
42 references
published: Nov 25, 2021
manuscript accepted: Sep 14, 2021
manuscript received: Jul 6, 2021
DOI: 10.1127/nova_hedwigia/2021/0663
ArtNo. ESP050011303007, Price: 29.00 €
Abstract
This contribution is a study of the non-hypocrealean fruit-body forming ascomycetes (Chaetothyriales, Helotiales, Pezizales, Verrucariales) on common bark-inhabiting Frullania species (Frullaniaceae, Porellales, Jungermanniopsida) mainly from Southeastern North America (U.S.A., Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia). Some records from Northeastern North America (Canada, New Brunswick; U.S.A., Maine, New Hampshire) and from Europe are included. Frullania specimens gathered from about 1100 trees were visually screened, many of them co-infected by hypocrealean ascomycetes treated in a previous study. The following 12 non-hypocrealean species based on about 240 records were found to occur in North America: Epibryon muscicola, Filicupula cyanopoda sp. nov., F. sororia sp. nov., Hypobryon bacillare, H. florentinum, Muellerella frullaniae, M. rubescens, Octosporella brevibarbata sp. nov., O. caudifera sp. nov., O. imitatrix sp. nov., Pithyella chalaudii, P. trigona sp. nov. Several of these species were previously known from Europe and have North American Frullania species as new hosts. Apart from Frullania, Radula complanata is a new host for Muellerella frullaniae, and Cheilolejeunea clypeata is a new host for Pithyella chalaudii. Worldwide there are currently 38 species of ascomycetes known on 13 host species of Frullania. More species of bryophilous ascomycetes parasitize Frullania than any other bryophyte genus. Seventeen species belong to the Hypocreales, ten to the Pezizales, and 11 to other orders. In the North American Frullania species, ascomycete species richness is highest on Frullania inflata (11 species), in Europe on F. dilatata (14 species). Most species of non-hypocrealean ascomycetes exhibit a biotrophic lifestyle in combination with specificity to one or few host species. Ascomata occur on or between the leaves, less often on the ventral side of the leaf lobe perforating the leaves or protruding just beyond the leaf border. Non-hypocrealean species parasitizing juvenile sporophytes within the perianths as in the hypocrealean genus Periantria have not been observed. A key and a short overview of non-hypocrealean frullaniicolous ascomycetes hitherto known are given.
Keywords
biodiversity • biogeography • biotrophic parasitism • bryophilous • frullaniicolous • hepaticolous • host specificity • microniches