THE GENUS

Type species: E. callimorpha Syd.

The genus has the general characteristics of the two accepted species--E. callimorpha and E. mammata. Sydow speculated that Spirogramma Ferd. & Winge is related to Entoleuca, differing in having more numerous perithecia and in having spiral ascospore germ slits (Sydow and Petrak, 1922). He likewise believed that Hypoxylon leucocreas Berk. & Ravenel, known to him only from the description, is an Entoleuca. Cannon (1987) studied Spirogramma and concluded the type species, S. boergesenii Ferd. & Winge, is a penzigioid Xylaria, X. boergesenii (Ferd. & Winge) P. Cannon. He believed this fungus to be the same as Hypoxylon conostomum (Mont.) Mont. sensu J. H. Miller. We are presently undecided about the ultimate disposition of this fungus. Miller (1961) synonymized H. leucocreas with Xylaria frustulosa (Berk. & M. A. Curtis) Cooke. We have examined an isotype [U.S.A. SOUTH CAROLINA: Aiken, on blackened decorticated wood, date unknown, H. W. Ravenel 1706 (FH, as Sphaeria leucocreas Berk. & Ravenel, ined.)] and reaffirm Miller’s synonymy. Sydow also believed that Nummularia repandoides Fuckel, a synonym of Biscogniauxia mediterranea (De Not.) Kuntze, is an Entoleuca based upon a soft white part of the interior stroma (Sydow and Petrak, 1922). In our opinion, there is no close relationship of this fungus with Entoleuca.

Martin (1968a) reduced Entoleuca to a section of Hypoxylon which embraced a number of taxa mostly now considered to belong to Nemania or Rosellinia.