Strangospora pinicola

A lichen growing on the surface of a decorticated, fallen pine log, appearing on the underside in contact with the ground, with disc- or flattened grain-like ascomata, dark brown to black and only 0.2 to 0.4 mm in diameter.

Thallus very thin and evanescent, brownish-grey.

Hyphae of the outer peridial wall with a textura globosa-angularis, thick-walled, with abundant brown intracellular pigment, and those of the inner wall of similar morphology but more hyaline.

Asci clavate, scattered, containing multiple spores inside, apparently over 100 ascospores per ascus; while the asci do not appear to show any reaction in Melzer's reagent, an intense blue reaction of the surrounding interascal gel is observed in Lugol's solution (IKI).

Paraphyses filiform, septate, branched and anastomosing, 1.5 to 2.5 µm wide, with amorphous pigmented matter on their surface, not projecting above the level of the asci.

Ascospores completely spherical, hyaline, small, 2 to 3 µm in diameter, with homogeneous contents inside.

Herbarium material available: JTP2716/25.