Chaetopsina species from tropical forest litter

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491

CHAETOPSINA SPECIES FROM TROPICAL FOREST LITTER A. RAMBELLI AND D. LUNGHINI

Cattedra di Micologia, Istituto dell'Orto Botanico, Universitd di Roma, Italy The genus Chaetopsina was erected by Rambelli (1956) with a single species C.fulva. Subsequently three were added to the genus - C. rami/era Matsushima (1971), C. ivoriensis Rambelli & Lunghini (1976) and C. splendida Sutton & Hodges (1976). In mycological work on the forest litter of the Tal National Park, Ivory Coast, we have found three Chaetopsina species and two are morphologically different from those already published. They were found on forest litter vegetable remains but unfortunately we were not successful in isolating them on artificial media. For this reason the descriptions that follow are based only on material collected directly on leaf and bark fragments, now preserved in the Herbarium of the Botanical Garden of Rome.

Chaetopsina virtuosa sp.nov. Setae ereetae, reetae vel leviter flexuosae, numquam ramosae, dilute brunneae, cirea 18 cellulis cornpositae 223-300,um longae, basi usque ad 8'5,um latae, acutiusculae versus apicern. Structurae conidiogenae in media inferiori parte setarurn sitae. Conidiophorae micronematosae repetite ramosae, 3-5 ramis dilute brunneis, orientibus omnibus ab eadem parte setae, constitutae. Cellulae conidiogenae enteroblasticae, monophialidicae, discretae, determinatae, colla evidenti, 9'0-18'5 x 2'5-4'0 ,urn. Conidia in capitulum mucosum aggregata, hyalina 0-1 septata, falcata, extremitatibus acuminata, enodia, 34'S-20'S x 2'5-2'0 ,urn,

In foliis emortuis, Tai, Ivory Coast, D. Lunghini, 12 December 1916, Holotypus: Horto Bot. Roma 108 A. Setae erect, straight or slightly curved, Mars Brown in colour (Ridgway, 1912), composed of about 18 cells, 223-300 pm long, up to 8,5 pm wide at the base, tapered gradually towards the apex. Conidiogenous apparatus situated in the middle

lower part of the seta. Conidiophores micronematous, repeatedly branched, composed of three to five branches of different series, pale Mars Brown in colour, all arising from one side of the seta. Conidiogenous cells enteroblastic, monophialidic, discrete, determinate, with prominent collarette, 9'0-18'5 x 2'5-4'0 pm. Conidia aggregated in slimy masses, hyaline, 0-1 septate, falcate, both ends pointed, smooth, 34'5-20'5 x 2'5-2'0 pm.

Chaetopsina romantica sp.nov. Setae erectae, rectae vel flexuosae, singulae numquam ramosae, luteo-fulvae, 13-16 cellulis compositae, 184368,um longae, basi usque ad 10'5,um latae; apice fertiles, monophialides dilute luteo-fulvas, 9'0-25'5 x 2'0-2'5,um ferentes. Structurae conidiogenae in media inferiori parte setarum sitae. Micronematosae conidiophorae interdum breviter ramosae, ramo dilute luteo-fulvo 25-36,um constitutae. Cellulae conidiogenae enteroblasticae, monophialidicae, discretae, determinatae 8-13'8 x 2'0-2'5 ,urn, collo evidenti, Conidia in capitulum mucosum aggregata, hyalina, continua, cylindrica basi apiceque rotunda, 7'011'5 x 1'5-2'5 ust». In cortice deiecta, Tai, Ivory Coast, D. Lunghini, 12 December 1976.Holotypus: HortoBot. Roma 109 A. Setae erect, straight or slightly curved, yellowochre in colour (Ridgway, 1912), composed of 13-16 cells, 184-368 pm long and up to 10'5 pm wide in proximity of the base, with fertile apex supporting pale yellow monophialides 9'0-25'5 x 1'5-2'5 psi». Conidiogenous apparatus situated in the middle lower part of the seta. Conidiophores micronematous, sometime briefly branched, composed of a single branch, pale yellow-ochre in colour, 25-36pm long, Conidiogenous cells enteroblastic, monophialidic, discrete, determinate, 8-14'0 x 2-2'5 pm, with prominent collarette. Conidia hyaline, without septa, cylindrical, both ends rounded, smooth, 7'0-11'5 x 1'5-2'5 pm.

Fig, 1. Cleistocarps of Phyllactinia guttata deposited on an agar surface. (A-I) Single c1eistocarps with the sticky side in contact with the agar, and with the bulbous-based appendages radiating upwards and outwards. (J) Six cleistocarps. The three separate c1eistocarps to the right have attached normally, but the three to the left are disorientated, (K) Enlargement of the three clumped cleistocarps shown in 0). (L) Two c1eistocarps, one attached sticky side downwards, the other lying sideways. It is believed that the latter touched an appendage of the former and therefore failed to attach itself normally. Trans. Br, mycol, Soc, 72 (3) (1919)

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492

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CHAETOPSINA RAMIFERA Matsushima, Mi.,;rofungi of the Solomon Islands and Papua-New Guinea: 13 (1971). This species was described from leaves of Castanopsis in Papua-New Guinea, and subsequently Sutton & Hodges (1976) found it on leaves of Eucalyptusgrandis collected in Brazil. We have now found C. ramifera on dead wood fragments in forest litter of the Tal National Park. The species included in the present work, and those actually known, such as C. fulva Rambelli, type species, C. splendida Sutton & Hodges and C. ivoriensis Rambelli & Lunghini, have several morphological characters in common, such as the setiform structure, and the production of conidia Trans. Br. mycol. Soc. 72 (3) (1979)

from conidiogenous cells disposed in different ways in the middle lower part of the setae. Nevertheless other characters of these species do not correspond exactly to the original generic description. Since other species are likely to be found in the future, we think that the original generic diagnosis should be emended to include species with setae that are fertile at the apex, species with branched setae and species with septate conidia. Research carried out within Tal project: effects of increasing human activities on south western Ivory Coast tropical rain forest. UNESCO, Program MAB, Project n. 1. The Authors wish to thank the Minister of Scientific Research of Ivory Coast Professor J. Lourognon Guede for the assistance he has given. We also wish to thank

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Dr Antonella Bartoli and our colleagues of the Laboratory of Mycology of the Istituto dell'Orto Botanico of Rome for their collaboration and criticisms. REFERENCES MATSUSHlMA, T. (1971). Microfungi of the Solomon Islands and Papua-New Guinea, pp. 1-78. Japan: Kobe. RAMBELLI, A. (1956). Chaetopsina nuovo genere di IfaIi

Trans. Br. mycol. Soc. 72 (3) (1979)

Demaziacei. Aui Accademia Scienze dell'Istituto di Bologna 15, 1-6. RAMBELLI, A. & LUNGHlNI, D. (1976). Chaetopsina ivoriensis a new species of Dernatiaceous Hyphomycete. Giornale botanico italiano 110, 253-258. RIDGWAY, R. (1912). Color Standards and Color Nomenclature. Washington D.C. SUTTON, B. C. & HODGES, C. S. (1976). Eucalyptus microfungi: some setose Hyphomycetes with phial ides. Noua Hedzoigia 27, 343-352.

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Fig. 3. Chaetopsina virtuosa: (A) Conidiophore ( x 420) ; (B) conidiogenous apparatus ( x 830). Chaetopsina romantica: (C) Conidiophore (x 340); (D) conidiogenous apparatus (x 860).

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