This tiny pyrenocarpous fungus has been described as a lichen and studied mainly by lichenologist as a facultatively lichenized fungus thanks to the common presence of algae in the immediate vicinity of perithecia (Aguirre-Hudson 2009) and its epiphytic occurrence. According to a new study by Voglmayr et al. (2019), it is regarded as a non-lichenized fungus. Based on molecular data, the authors have found a synonymous anamorphic stage of this species, originally described as Liberomyces saliciphilus (Pažoutová et al. 2012) and isolated as an endophytic fungus.
The species forms black, pear-like, wrinkled perithecia, adhered to thallus, with apical opercula. Fusiform, curved, simple ascospores with drops (looking like septa) and rounded endings are produced in unitunicate asci. The fungus usually grows in dry bark crevices of old deciduous trees, especially Salix, Populus and Ulmus. The species was repeatedly reported from the Czech Republic as Leptorhaphis wienkampii in the past (see Vězda & Liška 1999). In recent literature, the name Cresporhaphis wienkampii is usually used.
Two other related and apparently non-lichenized species, more closely linked to their hosts, have been recorded in the Czech Republic. These are L. macrospora (Eitner) Voglmayr & Jaklitsch, occurring on oak bark, and L. muelleri (Duby) Voglmayr & Jaklitsch, occurring on bark of Acer pseudoplatanus (Voglmayr et al. 2019).
Literature: Aguirre-Hudson B. (2009): Cresporhaphis M.B. Aguirre (1991). – In: Smith C.W., Aptroot A., Coppins B.J., Fletcher A., Gilbert O.L., James P.W. & Wolseley P.A. [eds], The Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland, p. 791–791, London: The British Lichen Society. Pažoutová S., Šrůtka P., Holuša J., Chudíčková M., Kubátová A. & Kolařík M. (2012): Liberomyces gen. nov. with two new species of endophytic coelomycetes from broadleaf trees. – Mycologia 104: 198–210. Voglmayr H., Aguirre-Hudson M.B., Wagner H.G., Tello S. & Jaklitsch W.M. (2019): Lichens or endophytes? The enigmatic genus Leptosillia in the Leptosilliaceae fam. nov. (Xylariales), and Furfurella gen. nov. (Delonicicolaceae). – Persoonia 42: 228–260.
taxonomic classification:Ascomycota → Sordariomycetes → Xylariales → Leptosilliaceae → Leptosillia
most frequented synonyms:Leptorhaphis wienkampii, Cresporhaphis wienkampiiAll records: 2, confirmed 2. One click on a selected square displays particular record(s), including their source(s).