Ocala scalariformis
Ocala scalariformis Raja & Shearer
Index Fungorum number: IF 512704
Etymology: scalariformis L. = ladder-like, referring to the appearance of the multiseptated ascospores.
Holotype: ILL40594
Sexual morph: Ascomata on wood 165–195 × 130–138 µm, brown to dark brown, semi-transparent, superficial to immersed, scattered, globose to subglobose, membranous, ostiolate, with a short papilla; papilla 15–25 × 10–15 µm; aperiphysate. Peridium membranous, composed of cells forming a textura angularis to epidermoidea in surface view; cells 10–15 × 2– 5 µm. Pseudoparaphyses 25–35 × 5–8 µm, sparse, broad, hyaline, septate, slightly constricted at the septa, branched. Asci 140–200 × 18–26 µm (x̄ = 168 × 22 µm, n = 20), obclavate-fusoid, bitunicate, fissitunicate; ectoascus rupturing at the ascus apex, fasciculate, with a flattened apex, containing eight overlapping to obliquely biseriate ascospores, pedicellate; pedicel tapering to a fine point. Ascospores 38–45 × 9–10 µm (x̄ = 42 × 10 µm, n = 25), 9–12 septate, hyaline, narrowly ellipsoidal to fusiform, slightly curved, thick-walled, accumulating at the tip of the papilla to form a white mass on the substratum, with ephemeral, amorphous bipolar gelatinous appendages ca. 2–5 × 4–7 µm, staining blue in aqueous nigrosin, extending in water, not visible in glycerin and lactic acid. (Raja et al. 2009)
Material examined: UNITED STATES. FLORIDA: Ocala National Forest, Mary Lake, 29°4' 20.8"N,81°49'57.8"W, water temperature 30C, pH 5, on submerged decorticated woody debris, 16 July 2006, Huzefa A. Raja and J.L. Crane, F121-1 (HOLOTYPE, ILL40594).
Freshwater distribution: USA (Raja et al. 2009)
Fig 1 Ocala scalariformis (Material examined: USA, Florida, Ocala National Forest, Mary Lake, on submerged decorticated woody debris, 16 July 2006, H.A. Raja & J.L. Crane, F121-1, ILL40594, holotype). a Sqaush mount of ascoma. b Pseudoparaphyses. c, d Bitunicate asci. e Asci and ascospores. f Ascospore showing appendages. g Ascospores. Scale bars: a, c = 40 µm, b, d, e, g = 20 µm, f = 15 µm. Images were taken from the Freshwater Ascomycetes Database: http://fungi.life.illinois.edu (maintained by Carol A. Shearer and Huzefa A. Raja)
References
Recent Genus
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Neohelicomyces
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