Coll. 2014-07-20 © W. Sturgeon

Coll. 2014-07-20 © W. Sturgeon

Wynnea americana Thaxt., Bot. Gaz., 39: 241 (1905).

Basionym Wynnea americana Thaxt., Bot. Gaz., 39: 241 (1905).

Diagnosis Sclerotium tough, subgelatinous, coriaceous on drying, irregularly lobed, variable in size, 50 × 40 mm more or less, brown. Main axis becoming variously divided above almost immediately after emerging from the ground, the short divisions giving rise at once to clusters of apothecia of variable size and number. Apothecia several to about twenty-five on a single plant, typically simple, rarely proliferous, erect, elongate ear-shaped, very variable in size; the longest seen 130 × 60 mm, the average about 80 mm, the margins somewhat involute on drying, the external surface rich blackish-brown, finely verruculose, the roughness due to projecting groups of irregular parenchyma-like cells becoming somewhat hair or chain-like toward the margins. Hymenium even, dark dull purplish-red, or brown. Asci elongate, about 500-540 µ long, the sporiferous part cylindrical, about 18 µ in diameter. Paraphyses septate, simple or irregularly branched, clavate, the slightly brownish terminal enlargement more abruptly and conspicuously distinguished in older specimens. Spores eight, subcymbiform, 32-40 × 15-16 µ, the extremities apiculate or papillate; marked when mature by about eight roughened areas running longitudinally and separated by a corresponding number of smooth slightly depressed areas, the spore when fresh completely filled by numerous small round refractive oily masses.

Type Thaxter no. 647 (FH) - lectotypus

Homotypic Midotis americana (Thaxt.) Sacc. & Traverso, Syll. fung., 20: 92 (1911).

MycoBank 191753

Classification: Wynneaceae, Wynnea

Created on 25/06/2015.

Updated on 02/08/2023.