Ascovirgaria occulta J. D. Rogers & Y.-M. Ju

TELEOMORPH | CULTURES AND ANAMORPH | SPECIMENS EXAMINED | NOTES

NOTES

Virgaria nigra (Link) Nees is a commonly encountered hyphomycete and has been illustrated in numerous publications (e.g., Hughes 1978; Matsushima 1975). Its morphology is similar to that of Geniculosporium Chesters & Greenh., differing primarily in the brown color of the conidia and the general lack of geniculations. Comparison of our culture with ATCC 64768 shows them to be virtually identical. It is not known why the teleomorph of this cosmopolitan and long-recognized hyphomycete has not been discovered previously. The answer might lie in the fact that Ascovirgaria occulta is inconspicuous and can easily be mistaken macroscopically for a Eutypa. Alternatively, Virgaria nigra might commonly thrive in the absence of a teleomorph.

Ascovirgaria seems morphologically most related to Barrmaelia Rappaz (Rappaz 1995). Known anamorphs in Barrmaelia, however, are accommodated in the coelomycetous genus Libertella Desm. Moreover, asci of known taxa of Barrmaelia have iodine-negative ascus rings.