Hypoxylon papillatum Ellis & Everh.

TELEOMORPH | CULTURES AND ANAMORPH | SPECIMENS EXAMINED | NOTES

NOTES

In the protologue of H. papillatum, Ellis and Everhart (in Smith, 1893) listed specimens from various localities (with the collector in parenthesis): Kansas (Cragin), Canada (Dearness), Ohio (Morgan), Delaware (Commons), Louisiana (Langlois) and Nicaragua (C. L. Smith). These collections, in fact, include several different Hypoxylon taxa. Among them, Dearness', Morgan's, Commons' and one of Cragin's (no. 257) specimens fit Miller's concept of H. papillatum. For the purpose of nomenclatural stability, Miller's concept is followed. The Commons collection, unlike others which are more or less depauperate, is selected as the lectotype. Miller (1961) cited C. L. Smith's collections no. 28 [NICARAGUA: Castillo Veijo, 2-3.1893, wood (BPI 591032)] and no. 57 [NICARAGUA: decorticated wood (NY)] as the type materials. In these two collections, a vinaceous tone can barely be detected on the blackened stromatal surface. Perithecia are long tubular, 0.3-0.5 mm diam x 1.2-1.5 mm high. Ascospores are ellipsoid-inequilateral, dark brown, 14.5-17.5 x 7-8.5 mm, and have perispore dehiscent in 10% KOH. The Smith collections appear to be H. placentiforme and apparently conflict with Miller's concept of H. papillatum of which Miller (1961) stressed the "pale green pulverulent coat" on the stromatal surface. Furthermore, he gave the ascospore size range of H. papillatum 12-15 x 5-8 mm, smaller than that of Smith's collections. Ellis and Everhart (in Smith, 1893) stated that the stromata are "clothed at first with an olive-yellow conidial layer which becomes reddish-ferruginous and finally disappears, leaving the stroma black". They gave the ascospore size range 10-12 x 4.5-6 mm. The Langlois collection [U.S.A.: Louisiana, dead deciduous trees (BPI 591035)], one of the Smith collections [NICARAGUA: Indian River, near Greytown, 3.1896, Smith, C.L. 29, wood (BPI 591031)], and one of the Cragin collections [U.S.A.: Kansas, Topeka, Winter of 1884, Cragin, F.W. 140, decorticated wood (NY)] have the ascospore size range close to this; they are H. placentiforme.

Also see NOTES on H. dingleyae.