Perichaena cornuvioides L.F. Čelakovský, (1893: 26)

Moreno, G., Castillo, A. & Thüs, H., 2022, Critical revision of Trichiales (Myxomycetes) at the Natural History Museum London (BM), Phytotaxa 567 (1), pp. 1-20 : 16

Perichaena cornuvioides L.F. Čelakovský, (1893: 26)

Type (as Hemitrichia karstenii ):—[ CZECK REPUBLIK]. Bohemia: Klatovy, Chudenice, in cortice Carpinus betulus , 6 August 1887, leg Celakovsky fil., B. M. 3004, [ BM 001247521 = box] ( BM!).

We have studied the type of Perichaena cornuvioides L.F. Celak. As the material is very scanty, we analyzed only a small portion and we were only able to study the spore ornamentation under SEM. This ornamentation seems similar to that of the Hemitrichia karstenii samples studied, although the latter shows less homogeneous ornamentation. We were unable to prepare the capillitium for LM and SEM, so we cannot confirm its morphology.

Lister (1911), indicates that “the type of P. cornuvioides appears to be an abnormal form of H. karstenii , in which the capillitium shows no trace of spirals, and is marked with many small bladder-like or cup-shaped expansions” and maintains the possibility that it could be a Perichaena corticalis (Batsch) Rostaf. based on the form of the fruiting body.

In an earlier study ( Moreno et al. 2000) we have observed a spore ornamentation very similar to P. corticalis formed by baculae. However, if we abide by the original description by Čelakovský (1893) in figure 6 of Plate 1, a capillitium without spirals was observed, more typical of Perichaena , so the proposed synonymity with Hemitrichia karstenii or with Trichia contorta appears doubtful to us.