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Notes on the saprobic ascomycetes from Papua New Guinea, with the new genus Papilionovela
Mycol. Res. 101 (3) : 266–268 (1997)
266
Printed in Great Britain
Notes on the saprobic ascomycetes from Papua New Guinea, with the new genus Papilionovela
A N D R E; A P T R O O T Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, P.O. Box 273, NL-3740 AG Baarn, The Netherlands
Saprobic fungi were identified among the material collected during the Benelux Lichenological Expedition to Papua New Guinea in 1992. These include many widespread species, especially those found on high altitude, some of which are reported here for the first time from the Southern Hemisphere. Papilionovela albothallina gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated. Xylopezia is referred to the Hyponectriaceae.
The mycological exploration of the tropics is still in the stage that many unexpected species can be found. During the Benelux Lichenological Expedition to Papua New Guinea in 1992 lichens and non-lichenized ascomycetes were collected. Some groups of saprobic ascomycetes, mainly Dothideales, Melanommatales, Ostropales and Patellariales, have been partially identified. Among these were two species for which no closely related groups could be identified. One is described below in a new genus. In addition, some new records for the country are mentioned, to give an impression of the saprobic ascomycota. None of these was recorded from Papua New Guinea by Shaw (1984) or mentioned from the country in pertinent monographs. Some additional saprobic ascomycete species from this expedition, including a new Astrosphaeriella, a new Parapyrenis and a species belonging to an apparently undescribed genus (sub Didymosphaeria minutelloides Rehm) have already been reported by Aptroot (1995 a, b). All specimens have been preserved as herbarium vouchers in herb. CBS, with some duplicates in ABL and B ; some cultures are also preserved in CBS.
8}ascus, colourless, 1(–3)-septate, ornamented with gelatinous wings. NEW SPECIES Papilionovela albothallina Aptroot sp. nov. (Figs 1–3) Etym. : After the white (alba) mycelium, which is immersed in the bark, but nevertheless visible from the outside (thallus). Papilionovela albothallina, ascosporis uniseptatis vel triseptatis, elongato-ellipsoidis, 8–12¬2±5–3 µm magnis. Type : Madang prov., Gogol valley, ca 30 km W of Madang. Tgubi logging site, alt. ca 125 m. 145° 28« E, 5° 08« S. Floodplain forest along Gogol river, 13 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 33014 (CBS, holotype ; ABL, isotype).
Mycelium immersed in the bark, but nevertheless visible from the outside, not lichenized, white, scurfy, up to 10 cm diam., surrounded by a black hypothallus. Apothecia erumpent, discoid, dark brown, 0±2–0±4 mm diam., margin concolourous, partly covering the disc, giving the impression of an irregularly opening pseudothecium. Epihymenium colourless. Hymenium colourless. Hypothecium colourless. Excipulum colourless, with a high margin, which
NEW GENUS Papilionovela Aptroot gen. nov. (Ascomycota, Hyponectriaceae). Etym. : After the butterfly-like (papilio) gelatinous sheath (velum) around the ascospores. Ascomycetes non lichenisati, Hyponectriacearum, corticoli, ascocarpis disciformis, periphysatis, asci unitunicati, ascosporis gelatino papilionoformo. Typus generis : Papilionovela albothallina Aptroot (see below). Mycelium not lichenized, immersed in bark.
Apothecia discoid. Excipulum existing of a high margin, which partly covers the disc. Periphyses present on the inner side of the margin. Paraphyses present, simple, septate. Asci unitunicate, cylindrical, tips without apical apparatus, IKInegative, also after pre-treatment with KOH. Ascospores
1
2
3
Figs 1–3 Papilionovela albothallina, type. Fig. 1. Ascospores. Fig. 2. Asci and paraphyses. Fig. 3. Periphyses. Bar, 10 µm.
A. Aptroot partly covers the disc. Periphyses present on the inner side of the margin, clavate. Paraphyses present, simple, septate, often slightly longer than the asci, tips slightly clavate. Asci unitunicate, cylindrical, tips thin, without apical apparatus, IKI-negative, also after pre-treatment with KOH. Ascospores 8}ascus, uniseriate to irregularly arranged, colourless, 1(–3)-septate, long ellipsoid, 8–12¬2±5–3 µm, ornamented with two colourless, up to 3 µm wide, gelatinous wings, which are sometimes coalescent at the lower end of the ascospore and which disappear in older (postmature) ascospores with more than one septum. On higher branches of a unidentified large tree with slightly aromatic bark (possibly Dipterocarpaceae) in lowland rain forest. This is a very unusual ascomycete, by the definitely nonlichenized, but nevertheless conspicuously white, corticolous thallus known otherwise only from pyrenocarpous ascomycetes. The present species shows some relations with the Ostropales by the presence of periphyses and the urceolate ascocarps. The ascus tip however is very thin and shows no apical apparatus. It has many characters in common with Xylopezia Ho$ hnel (see below), and could be classified together with it in the Hyponectriaceae. NEW RECORDS Astrosphaeriella tornata (Berk. & M. A. Curtis) D. Hawksw. & Boise Madang prov., near Bogia. Laing island in Hansa Bay, alt. 1 m. 144° 52« E, 4° 10« S. Coral island, 20–26 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30177. On wood on the beach. New to Australasia. So far known from Indonesia. Description available in Hawksworth & Boise (1985). Cryptodiscus pallidus (Pers.) Corda Simbu Province. Mount Wilhelm area, ca 16 km on new road under construction from Gembogl to Goroka, alt. ca 2800 m. 145° 11« E, 5° 56« S. Mossy mountain forest, 9 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 32842. On wood in mountain forest. New to the Southern Hemisphere. Apparently cosmopolitan. Description available in Sherwood (1977). Gloniopsis praelonga (Schwein.) H. Zogg Eastern Highlands Province. Mt Gahavisuka Provincial Park, 11 km N of Goroka. Along trail to Lookout, alt. ca 2300–2450 m. 145° 25« E, 6° 01« S. Little disturbed mossy mountain forest, 11 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 31133. On wood in mountain forest. New to Papua New Guinea. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Zogg (1962). Glonium lineare (Fr.) De Not. Madang prov. Madang city, along the coast near Coastwatchers Monument, alt. 1 m. 145° 45« E, 5° 15« S, 18 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30008 ; Madang prov. Madang city, on treetrunks in park, alt. 1 m. 145° 45« E, 5° 15« S. 18 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30155. On dead branches and bark of Mimosa sp. in coastal area.
267 New to Papua New Guinea. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Zogg (1962). Hysteriographium mori (Schwein.) Rehm Madang prov. Madang city, on treetrunks in park, alt. 1 m. 145° 45« E, 5° 15« S. 18 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30103. On bark of Samanea sp. in coastal park. New to Papua New Guinea. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Zogg (1962). Hysterium angustatum Alb. & Schwein. Madang prov. Madang city, on treetrunks in park, alt. 1 m. 145° 45« E, 5° 15« S. 18 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30109. On wood of Samanea sp. in coastal park. New to Papua New Guinea. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Zogg (1962). Javaria shimekii (Ellis & Everh.) M. E. Barr Madang prov., foothills of Finisterre range along road Madang-Lae. Km. 39, alt. ca 230 m. 145° 34« E, 5° 25« S. Rainforest on low hills, 14 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 33165 ; Brahman mission, Van der Gucht & De Meester 92-1234 (CBS, GENT) ; Awar, Van der Gucht & De Meester 92-1131 (CBS, GENT). On wood in virgin rain forest. New to Australasia. So far known from Nicaragua, Brazil and the Philippines. Description available in Barr (1990 b). The ascospores of this specimen measure 52–60¬7–9 µm, which agrees with the description by Barr (1990 b). It differs by the larger ascospores without appendages and by the terrestrial habitat from the related Astrosphaeriella aquatica K. D. Hyde, which has been described recently from Papua New Guinea (Hyde, 1994). The hamathecium of the specimen is conspicuously interspersed with elongated oil droplets in a gelatinous mass, identical to the hamathecium found in many Trypetheliaceae, to which family Javaria may be related. Julella vitrispora (Cooke & Harkn.) M. E. Barr. Madang prov., near Bogia. Coastal forest E of Boroi river mouth, alt. ca 1 m. 144° 48« E, 4° 06« S. Along the beach, 24 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30594 ; Madang prov., near Bogia. Along road Bogia–Josephstaal, near Tonga church, alt. ca 330 m. 144° 56« E, 4° 27« S. In small patch of secondary forest among gardens, 25 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30677. On trees, respectively Pandanus sp. and Intsia sp., in open lowland (1–330 m) areas. New to Australasia. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Barr (1990 a). Melanomma pulvis-pyrius (Pers. : Fr.) Fuckel Eastern Highlands Province. Mt Gahavisuka Provincial Park, 11 km N of Goroka. Along trail to Lookout, alt. ca 2300–2450 m. 145° 25« E, 6° 01« S. Little disturbed mossy mountain forest, 11 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 31235. On wood in mountain forest. New to the Australasia. A very common polyphagous species. Description available in Barr (1990 b). Navicella elegans Fabre Madang prov. Madang city, on treetrunks in park, alt. 1 m. 145° 45« E, 5° 15« S. 18 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30156.
Saprobic ascomycetes from Papua New Guinea On bark of Mimosa sp. in coastal park. New to the Southern Hemisphere. Description available in Barr (1990 b). Paraliomyces lentiferus Kohlm. Madang prov., near Bogia. Laing island in Hansa Bay, alt. 1 m. 144° 52« E, 4° 10« S. Coral island, 20–26 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30165 ; Madang prov., near Bogia. Mangrove island in mouth of Boroi river, N-point, alt. ca 1 m. 144° 47« E, 4° 04« S. 21 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30401a. On driftwood along the coast. New to Australasia. Pantropical. Description available in Kohlmeyer & Kohlmeyer (1979). Rhizodiscina lignyota (Fr.) Hafellner Simbu Province. Mount Wilhelm area, ca 16 km on new road under construction from Gembogl to Goroka, alt. ca 2800 m. 145° 11« E, 5° 56« S. Mossy mountain forest, 9 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 32858. On wood in mountain forest. New to Australasia. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Hafellner (1979). Stictis carnea Seaver & Waterston Madang Province. Huon Peninsula, Finisterre range, Yupna valley. Teptep village, deep valley in N direction, alt. ca 2300–2750 m. 146° 33« E, 5° 57« S. Mossy mountain forest, 31 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 29912, 30967 ; Simbu Province. Daulo Pass, on road from Kundiawa to Goroka, alt. ca 2400 m. 145° 14« E, 6° 02« S. Mossy roadbank with scrub, 10 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 31600. On branches and dead leaves of Cordyline sp. and Pandanus sp. Pantropical. New to Papua New Guinea. Description available in Sherwood (1977). Stictis serpentaria Ellis & Everh. Simbu Province, Mount Wilhelm area. Bundi Gap, on road Keglsugl-Bundi, alt. ca 2800 m. 145° 09« E, 5° 48« S. Subalpine forest remnants, 4 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 32176b. On dead leaves of Pandanus sp. Pantropical. New to Papua New Guinea. Description available in Sherwood (1977). Xylopezia excellens (Rehm ex Sacc.) Boise Simbu Province. Mount Wilhelm area, ca 16 km on new road under construction from Gembogl to Goroka, alt. ca 2800 m. 145° 11« E, 5° 56« S. Mossy mountain forest, 9 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 32869. On wood in mountain forest. New to the Southern Hemisphere, so far known only from Europe. Description available in Sherwood-Pike & Boise (1986). The ascus tips stains blue in IKI after pre-treatment with KOH, not without pre-treatment, proving that the genus belongs to the unitunicates. Xylopezia seems related to or identical with Exarmidium, and could be arranged with Papilionovela in the Hyponectriaceae. (Accepted 11 June 1996)
268 DISCUSSION Papua New Guinea shows a very diverse mycota, reflecting the variation in habitats, ranging from virgin lowland rain forest and coconut plantations to natural alpine grassland. From the relatively few ascomycete species identified or described to date, it cannot be concluded in which habitats within the country the fungal biodiversity is highest. The subalpine mountain forest is richest in endemic lichenized ascomycetes (Aptroot & Sipman, 1991). From this habitat relatively many species have been reported above, but this may be an artefact because many of the species encountered there are cosmopolitan and well-known, and therefore readily recognizable. The fungi from disturbed areas, including plantations, are relatively well known in Papua New Guinea. Of course, many additional species can still be recorded, especially on noncultivated plants. The virgin lowland rain forest is probably the area with both the highest species diversity and the highest degree of endemism. Collecting of ascomycetes is severely hampered by the rapid turn-over of organic material, due to the high humidity. Therefore often over-mature specimens with empty ascomata were collected, in contrast to the high altitude material, which keeps much longer in shape. Much more collecting by specialists is needed to estimate the species richness of the lowland rain forests.
REFERENCES Aptroot, A. (1995 a). Redisposition of some species excluded from Didymosphaeria (Ascomycotina). Nova Hedwigia 60, 325–379. Aptroot, A. (1995 b). A monograph of Didymosphaeria. Studies in Mycology 37, 1–160. Aptroot, A. & Sipman, H. (1991). New lichens and lichen records from New Guinea. Willdenowia 20, 221–256. Barr, M. E. (1990 a). Some dictyosporous genera and species of Pleosporales in North America. Memoirs of the New York Botanical Garden 62, 1–92. Barr, M. E. (1990 b). Melanommatales. North American Flora, series II, 13, 1–129. Hafellner, J. (1979). Karschia, Revision einer Sammelgattung an der Grenze von lichenisierten und nichtlichenisierten Ascomyceten. Beiheft zur Nova Hedwigia 62, 1–248. Hawksworth, D. L. & Boise, J. R. (1985). Some additional species of Astrosphaeriella, with a key to the members of the genus. Sydowia 38, 114–124. Hyde, K. D. (1994). Aquatic fungi on rachides of Livistona in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. Mycological Research 98, 719–725. Kohlmeyer, J. & Kohlmeyer, E. (1979). Marine Mycology. The Higher Fungi. Academic Press, New York. Shaw, D. E. (1984). Microorganisms in Papua New Guinea. Department of Primary Industry Research Bulletin 33, 1–344. Sherwood, M. A. (1977). The Ostropalean fungi. Mycotaxon 5, 1–277. Sherwood-Pike, M. & Boise, J. (1986). Studies in lignicolous ascomycetes : Xylopezia and Mycowinteria. Brittonia 38, 35–44. Zogg, H. (1962). Die Hysteriaceae s. str. und Lophiaceae. BeitraX ge zur Kryptogamen-Flora der Schweiz 11 (3), 1–190.
266
Printed in Great Britain
Notes on the saprobic ascomycetes from Papua New Guinea, with the new genus Papilionovela
A N D R E; A P T R O O T Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures, P.O. Box 273, NL-3740 AG Baarn, The Netherlands
Saprobic fungi were identified among the material collected during the Benelux Lichenological Expedition to Papua New Guinea in 1992. These include many widespread species, especially those found on high altitude, some of which are reported here for the first time from the Southern Hemisphere. Papilionovela albothallina gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated. Xylopezia is referred to the Hyponectriaceae.
The mycological exploration of the tropics is still in the stage that many unexpected species can be found. During the Benelux Lichenological Expedition to Papua New Guinea in 1992 lichens and non-lichenized ascomycetes were collected. Some groups of saprobic ascomycetes, mainly Dothideales, Melanommatales, Ostropales and Patellariales, have been partially identified. Among these were two species for which no closely related groups could be identified. One is described below in a new genus. In addition, some new records for the country are mentioned, to give an impression of the saprobic ascomycota. None of these was recorded from Papua New Guinea by Shaw (1984) or mentioned from the country in pertinent monographs. Some additional saprobic ascomycete species from this expedition, including a new Astrosphaeriella, a new Parapyrenis and a species belonging to an apparently undescribed genus (sub Didymosphaeria minutelloides Rehm) have already been reported by Aptroot (1995 a, b). All specimens have been preserved as herbarium vouchers in herb. CBS, with some duplicates in ABL and B ; some cultures are also preserved in CBS.
8}ascus, colourless, 1(–3)-septate, ornamented with gelatinous wings. NEW SPECIES Papilionovela albothallina Aptroot sp. nov. (Figs 1–3) Etym. : After the white (alba) mycelium, which is immersed in the bark, but nevertheless visible from the outside (thallus). Papilionovela albothallina, ascosporis uniseptatis vel triseptatis, elongato-ellipsoidis, 8–12¬2±5–3 µm magnis. Type : Madang prov., Gogol valley, ca 30 km W of Madang. Tgubi logging site, alt. ca 125 m. 145° 28« E, 5° 08« S. Floodplain forest along Gogol river, 13 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 33014 (CBS, holotype ; ABL, isotype).
Mycelium immersed in the bark, but nevertheless visible from the outside, not lichenized, white, scurfy, up to 10 cm diam., surrounded by a black hypothallus. Apothecia erumpent, discoid, dark brown, 0±2–0±4 mm diam., margin concolourous, partly covering the disc, giving the impression of an irregularly opening pseudothecium. Epihymenium colourless. Hymenium colourless. Hypothecium colourless. Excipulum colourless, with a high margin, which
NEW GENUS Papilionovela Aptroot gen. nov. (Ascomycota, Hyponectriaceae). Etym. : After the butterfly-like (papilio) gelatinous sheath (velum) around the ascospores. Ascomycetes non lichenisati, Hyponectriacearum, corticoli, ascocarpis disciformis, periphysatis, asci unitunicati, ascosporis gelatino papilionoformo. Typus generis : Papilionovela albothallina Aptroot (see below). Mycelium not lichenized, immersed in bark.
Apothecia discoid. Excipulum existing of a high margin, which partly covers the disc. Periphyses present on the inner side of the margin. Paraphyses present, simple, septate. Asci unitunicate, cylindrical, tips without apical apparatus, IKInegative, also after pre-treatment with KOH. Ascospores
1
2
3
Figs 1–3 Papilionovela albothallina, type. Fig. 1. Ascospores. Fig. 2. Asci and paraphyses. Fig. 3. Periphyses. Bar, 10 µm.
A. Aptroot partly covers the disc. Periphyses present on the inner side of the margin, clavate. Paraphyses present, simple, septate, often slightly longer than the asci, tips slightly clavate. Asci unitunicate, cylindrical, tips thin, without apical apparatus, IKI-negative, also after pre-treatment with KOH. Ascospores 8}ascus, uniseriate to irregularly arranged, colourless, 1(–3)-septate, long ellipsoid, 8–12¬2±5–3 µm, ornamented with two colourless, up to 3 µm wide, gelatinous wings, which are sometimes coalescent at the lower end of the ascospore and which disappear in older (postmature) ascospores with more than one septum. On higher branches of a unidentified large tree with slightly aromatic bark (possibly Dipterocarpaceae) in lowland rain forest. This is a very unusual ascomycete, by the definitely nonlichenized, but nevertheless conspicuously white, corticolous thallus known otherwise only from pyrenocarpous ascomycetes. The present species shows some relations with the Ostropales by the presence of periphyses and the urceolate ascocarps. The ascus tip however is very thin and shows no apical apparatus. It has many characters in common with Xylopezia Ho$ hnel (see below), and could be classified together with it in the Hyponectriaceae. NEW RECORDS Astrosphaeriella tornata (Berk. & M. A. Curtis) D. Hawksw. & Boise Madang prov., near Bogia. Laing island in Hansa Bay, alt. 1 m. 144° 52« E, 4° 10« S. Coral island, 20–26 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30177. On wood on the beach. New to Australasia. So far known from Indonesia. Description available in Hawksworth & Boise (1985). Cryptodiscus pallidus (Pers.) Corda Simbu Province. Mount Wilhelm area, ca 16 km on new road under construction from Gembogl to Goroka, alt. ca 2800 m. 145° 11« E, 5° 56« S. Mossy mountain forest, 9 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 32842. On wood in mountain forest. New to the Southern Hemisphere. Apparently cosmopolitan. Description available in Sherwood (1977). Gloniopsis praelonga (Schwein.) H. Zogg Eastern Highlands Province. Mt Gahavisuka Provincial Park, 11 km N of Goroka. Along trail to Lookout, alt. ca 2300–2450 m. 145° 25« E, 6° 01« S. Little disturbed mossy mountain forest, 11 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 31133. On wood in mountain forest. New to Papua New Guinea. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Zogg (1962). Glonium lineare (Fr.) De Not. Madang prov. Madang city, along the coast near Coastwatchers Monument, alt. 1 m. 145° 45« E, 5° 15« S, 18 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30008 ; Madang prov. Madang city, on treetrunks in park, alt. 1 m. 145° 45« E, 5° 15« S. 18 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30155. On dead branches and bark of Mimosa sp. in coastal area.
267 New to Papua New Guinea. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Zogg (1962). Hysteriographium mori (Schwein.) Rehm Madang prov. Madang city, on treetrunks in park, alt. 1 m. 145° 45« E, 5° 15« S. 18 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30103. On bark of Samanea sp. in coastal park. New to Papua New Guinea. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Zogg (1962). Hysterium angustatum Alb. & Schwein. Madang prov. Madang city, on treetrunks in park, alt. 1 m. 145° 45« E, 5° 15« S. 18 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30109. On wood of Samanea sp. in coastal park. New to Papua New Guinea. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Zogg (1962). Javaria shimekii (Ellis & Everh.) M. E. Barr Madang prov., foothills of Finisterre range along road Madang-Lae. Km. 39, alt. ca 230 m. 145° 34« E, 5° 25« S. Rainforest on low hills, 14 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 33165 ; Brahman mission, Van der Gucht & De Meester 92-1234 (CBS, GENT) ; Awar, Van der Gucht & De Meester 92-1131 (CBS, GENT). On wood in virgin rain forest. New to Australasia. So far known from Nicaragua, Brazil and the Philippines. Description available in Barr (1990 b). The ascospores of this specimen measure 52–60¬7–9 µm, which agrees with the description by Barr (1990 b). It differs by the larger ascospores without appendages and by the terrestrial habitat from the related Astrosphaeriella aquatica K. D. Hyde, which has been described recently from Papua New Guinea (Hyde, 1994). The hamathecium of the specimen is conspicuously interspersed with elongated oil droplets in a gelatinous mass, identical to the hamathecium found in many Trypetheliaceae, to which family Javaria may be related. Julella vitrispora (Cooke & Harkn.) M. E. Barr. Madang prov., near Bogia. Coastal forest E of Boroi river mouth, alt. ca 1 m. 144° 48« E, 4° 06« S. Along the beach, 24 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30594 ; Madang prov., near Bogia. Along road Bogia–Josephstaal, near Tonga church, alt. ca 330 m. 144° 56« E, 4° 27« S. In small patch of secondary forest among gardens, 25 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30677. On trees, respectively Pandanus sp. and Intsia sp., in open lowland (1–330 m) areas. New to Australasia. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Barr (1990 a). Melanomma pulvis-pyrius (Pers. : Fr.) Fuckel Eastern Highlands Province. Mt Gahavisuka Provincial Park, 11 km N of Goroka. Along trail to Lookout, alt. ca 2300–2450 m. 145° 25« E, 6° 01« S. Little disturbed mossy mountain forest, 11 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 31235. On wood in mountain forest. New to the Australasia. A very common polyphagous species. Description available in Barr (1990 b). Navicella elegans Fabre Madang prov. Madang city, on treetrunks in park, alt. 1 m. 145° 45« E, 5° 15« S. 18 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30156.
Saprobic ascomycetes from Papua New Guinea On bark of Mimosa sp. in coastal park. New to the Southern Hemisphere. Description available in Barr (1990 b). Paraliomyces lentiferus Kohlm. Madang prov., near Bogia. Laing island in Hansa Bay, alt. 1 m. 144° 52« E, 4° 10« S. Coral island, 20–26 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30165 ; Madang prov., near Bogia. Mangrove island in mouth of Boroi river, N-point, alt. ca 1 m. 144° 47« E, 4° 04« S. 21 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 30401a. On driftwood along the coast. New to Australasia. Pantropical. Description available in Kohlmeyer & Kohlmeyer (1979). Rhizodiscina lignyota (Fr.) Hafellner Simbu Province. Mount Wilhelm area, ca 16 km on new road under construction from Gembogl to Goroka, alt. ca 2800 m. 145° 11« E, 5° 56« S. Mossy mountain forest, 9 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 32858. On wood in mountain forest. New to Australasia. Cosmopolitan. Description available in Hafellner (1979). Stictis carnea Seaver & Waterston Madang Province. Huon Peninsula, Finisterre range, Yupna valley. Teptep village, deep valley in N direction, alt. ca 2300–2750 m. 146° 33« E, 5° 57« S. Mossy mountain forest, 31 Jul. 1992, Aptroot 29912, 30967 ; Simbu Province. Daulo Pass, on road from Kundiawa to Goroka, alt. ca 2400 m. 145° 14« E, 6° 02« S. Mossy roadbank with scrub, 10 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 31600. On branches and dead leaves of Cordyline sp. and Pandanus sp. Pantropical. New to Papua New Guinea. Description available in Sherwood (1977). Stictis serpentaria Ellis & Everh. Simbu Province, Mount Wilhelm area. Bundi Gap, on road Keglsugl-Bundi, alt. ca 2800 m. 145° 09« E, 5° 48« S. Subalpine forest remnants, 4 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 32176b. On dead leaves of Pandanus sp. Pantropical. New to Papua New Guinea. Description available in Sherwood (1977). Xylopezia excellens (Rehm ex Sacc.) Boise Simbu Province. Mount Wilhelm area, ca 16 km on new road under construction from Gembogl to Goroka, alt. ca 2800 m. 145° 11« E, 5° 56« S. Mossy mountain forest, 9 Aug. 1992, Aptroot 32869. On wood in mountain forest. New to the Southern Hemisphere, so far known only from Europe. Description available in Sherwood-Pike & Boise (1986). The ascus tips stains blue in IKI after pre-treatment with KOH, not without pre-treatment, proving that the genus belongs to the unitunicates. Xylopezia seems related to or identical with Exarmidium, and could be arranged with Papilionovela in the Hyponectriaceae. (Accepted 11 June 1996)
268 DISCUSSION Papua New Guinea shows a very diverse mycota, reflecting the variation in habitats, ranging from virgin lowland rain forest and coconut plantations to natural alpine grassland. From the relatively few ascomycete species identified or described to date, it cannot be concluded in which habitats within the country the fungal biodiversity is highest. The subalpine mountain forest is richest in endemic lichenized ascomycetes (Aptroot & Sipman, 1991). From this habitat relatively many species have been reported above, but this may be an artefact because many of the species encountered there are cosmopolitan and well-known, and therefore readily recognizable. The fungi from disturbed areas, including plantations, are relatively well known in Papua New Guinea. Of course, many additional species can still be recorded, especially on noncultivated plants. The virgin lowland rain forest is probably the area with both the highest species diversity and the highest degree of endemism. Collecting of ascomycetes is severely hampered by the rapid turn-over of organic material, due to the high humidity. Therefore often over-mature specimens with empty ascomata were collected, in contrast to the high altitude material, which keeps much longer in shape. Much more collecting by specialists is needed to estimate the species richness of the lowland rain forests.
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