HYPHOMYCETES OF CONIFER LEAF LITTER

Abstract Hormodendr~d~n ska~a~o~h,orum sp. nsv., a pleomsrphic dematiaceous hyphsrnycete

isolated from fallen needles sf Pitzus syloastris, is described axad illustrated.

The fungus described here was isolated twice during a study of the micro- fungal succession associated with decaying leaf litter of Piazus sylvestris. Both cultures were obtained from recerntly fallen needles sampled from the surface litter, or L layer, of the organic horizon a t Belarnere Forest, Cheshire, England (Kendrick 1959). The aneedles had been rigorously washed in anany changes of detergent and sterile water to remove surface-borne f u ~ ~ g a l spores prior t o plating s n acidified f-n~alt agar,

FIG. 1. Hormodewdrum stauraphorum : conidia from culturep X 1500.

BManusc~ipt received February 8, f 96%. Joint contribution from the Plant Research Institute, Research Branch, Canada. Depart-

ment of Agriculturey Ottawa, Canada (Contribution Ms. 123), and the Botany Department, University sf Liverpool, England.

Can. J. Botany. Vol. 39 (1961)

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FIG. 2. Ho~modendrzrm stuuropharum: chla~nydospores from culture, X 6500.

On malt agar, colonies are spreading and effuse. Aerial nayceIiunn is velvety ira texture, and light brown in color, while irnmersed n-qrcelitarn is ,a rich bro~vn~. The anyceliuaza is cornposed of branched, septate, brown kypkae which are 1.4-4.0 $L in width. The cesnidia (Figs. 1, 5) are inesnspicuo~as, developing aeropetally inr dry, branched chains from ~tcrial k yphae. They are non-septate, pale brown, and snore or less frasiiorrn, measuring 5.2-18.8 X 1.4-2.6 p ; each end is truncate and lateral truncate outgrowth is sometimes found near the apex of the c:sniduam where a new branch of the spore chain has beern initiated.

The very eharcacteristic, tlarkly pigmented cla%a~ng~dospores (Figs. 2, 3, 5) are prsd~rced abundantly on the iez-rmersed rnyceliu~m. They are cruciform, being rnade up usually of five cells; a truncate obesnicnl basal cell ssn~evsrl~crt less heavilqr pigmented than the otl.rers, a more or less cubical central cell which protrudes on both sides from the axial plane of the spore, two laenmis - pherical lateral cells situated ora opposite sides of the ce~atral cell, arld a larger hemispherical apical cell. The eratire cl.llamydsspore is quite constant in its dimerasisns, being 6 2.5-18.8 p& Isng, 12.5-15.0 kr, wide, and 6.8-8.2 p thick. In older colo~lies, the chlamydospsres care occasionally slightly rouglzea~ed. They anay be sessile, OP are borne s n an auxiliary cell or a t the apex of' 2%

hypl~a. This unique cklamyde~spore, resembling the c&ictysspol-e of sstne species of ar/%snodiet>p.~ (Hughes 1958), is the feature which justifies the erection sf a new species for these isolates.

FIG. 3. Hormodendruan sfuarophor.~4m: n~ycel iu~n bearing ch~arnydospores, X550. FIG. 4. SFar~nadendruns stazlropkorz~m: colonies on nzak agar at 14 clays, natural size. FIG. 5. . fIo~~modendruna stnuropko~2~~r&: cunidia and a chlarnydospore developed from

the same Esypha, X550.

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Fungi imperfecti, hyphornycetes aaprophgvtici. Ex culturis in agaro "malt" dicts deseripta. Coloniae sadiantes, effusae. h,Tyeelium aerium ve$utinurn, palride fuseurn.

hlyceliurn imrnerau~m brunrzeum. Hyphae rarnssae, septatae, fuscae, 1.5-4.0 p crassae. Ceanidia. nsn-septata, dilute frasca, plusn~inusve fusifezrmia, 5.2-18.0 X 1.4-2.6 p, in utrayeae terrninatiane truazcata, inlterd~aan versus apicerxz certmr ensatislze truncata laterali ; acre~petalia-i-a ira catenas sieeas ramgasas, ex hyphis aeriis oriuricia. Chlar~lydosporae nuanerosae, saepe immeraae, sslitariae, atrobrunneae, parietibus eraasis, crucif~rrniae in 2 dianerasionibus, e cellulis 5 csmpositae-cellraPa basali obcoraicstruncata, celleala eentrale p%usrnineasve cubiforme, 2 eellulis kernisphaesicis parvis lateralibus, atque cellula majore hernisphaeriea apicali--in nnycelis sessile%, vel cum cellula rtuxiliare, %-el in Brayphae apice; 12-5-16.8 gf, lonagae, 12,s-15.8 p latae, 6.8-8.2 p erassae; in eerlo~aiis ~n~aturis %a~terdlana subasperae.

Habitat: ex fo lk ernorteais Pini syluestris, Delamere, Cheshire, AngIia i s o l a i u ~ ~ ~ .

Typus: in Herbarium DAOM 60186, sicetns ex vitro. The specific epithet has beers derived from the Greek Z ~ a v p G s p i p s v 9

meaning Tress bearer9, in preference ts the Eatin kcruciferuan' sf the same meaning, which was thought to he potealtialIy misleading.

I am much obliged to Dr. V. He Heylvsod for correcting tile Latin diagnosis.

I~UGHES, S. J. 1958. Ree-isiones hyphs~raycetunr aliquot cum appendice de norniiaibus rejir-i- endis. Can, J. Botany, 36, 727-1336.

KENTIRICK, IV. B. 1959. The time factor in the decomposition of conlfcrnus leaf Qitter. Can. J. Botany, 37, 907-962.

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