Physarum bitectum G. Lister, 1911

Treviño-Zevallos, Italo, García-Cunchillos, Iván, Basanta, Diana Wrigley De & Lado, Carlos, 2023, Diversity of Myxomycetes from Peru Part III: The high Andes and the altiplano, Phytotaxa 624 (1), pp. 1-92 : 58-59

114. Physarum bitectum G. Lister , in Lister, Monogr. mycetozoa, ed. 2, 78 (1911)

Specimens examined. PERU. Ancash: Bolognesi, Aquia, Abra Yanashalla , Huascaran N.P., Ichic Potrero sector, 3 km Southeast Abra Yanashalla, 4845 m, 9º50′27.7”S, 77º06′14.7”W, 23 Apr 2013, leaves of Senecio comosus, Lado 23105a (MA-Fungi 95267). Conococha, route PE-16, km 117, 4019 m, 10º09′10.2”S, 77º18′48.0”W, 24 Apr 2013, leaves of grasses, Lado 23164 (MA-Fungi 95319). Carhuaz, route AN-107, km 28, Pampa de Ulta , 3817 m, 9º09′17”S, 77º34′07”W, 23 May 2014, wood and bark of Polylepis sp. , Lado 23835a (MA-Fungi 95488); Polylepis sp. leaf litter (mc, 30 Oct 2014, pH 6.81), dwb 3716, (mc, 24 Oct 2014, pH 6.72), dwb 3717, (mc, 14 Nov 2014, pH 6.98), dwb 3724. Huaraz, Cajamarquilla, 4233 m, 9º40′24.5”S, 77º41′46.0”W, 22 Apr 2013, leaves of Puya raimondii, Lado 23060 (MA-Fungi 95225), Lado 23067 (MA-Fungi 95231, USM). Pira, Abra Punta Challan, route AN-112 towards Ocros, km 1, 4300 m, 9º33′21”S, 77º37′12”W, 9 May 2018, branches of Baccharis sp. , Lado 26096 (MA-Fungi 96901). Independencia, Huaraz, trail to Llaca lagoon, km 1 at the juntion to route AN-139, km 15, 3826 m, 9º28′54”S, 77º28′01”W, 9 May 2018, leaves of Nordenstamia longystila, Lado 26140 (MA-Fungi 96945). Huari, Succha, route PE-14A towards Huantar, 3 km at the junction of route AN- 110, 3064 m, 9º27′01”S, 77º11′03”W, 13 May 2018, woody debris, Lado 26494 (MA-Fungi 97279), Lado 26495 ( MA-Fungi 97280 ). Recuay, Catac, route AN-110, km 18, Querococha lagoon, 4040 m, 9º43′27”S 77º20′02” W, 24 May 2014, Polylepis sp. leaf litter (mc, 24 Oct 2014, pH 5.18) dwb 3702. Ticapampa, Catac, route AN-110, km 22, 4150 m, 9º43′18”S, 77º19′19”W, 11 May 2018, leaf litter and bark of Polylepis sp. , Lado 26304 (MA-Fungi 97103), Lado 26307 (MA-Fungi 97106), Lado 26308 (MAFungi 97107), woody debris of Polylepis sp. , Lado 26320 (MA-Fungi 97118), leaf litter and bark of Polylepis sp. , Lado 26327 (MA-Fungi 97125) . Apurimac: Abancay, Curahuasi, detour to Choquequirao , Saywite , route PE-3S, Km 818, 3725 m, 13º32′19”S, 72º48′08”W, 21 Apr 2016, leaves and twigs of Baccharis sp. , Lado 24603 (MA-Fungi 95879), Lado 24606b (MA-Fungi 95884, USM) . Arequipa: Caylloma, San Antonio de Chuca, route PE-34A, km 157, 18 km west of Imata , 4444 m, 15º52′40.5”S, 71º08′54.9”W, 21 Apr 2016, branches and leaf litter of Parastrephia phylicaeformis, Lado 22242d (MA-Fungi 94785, USM). Tuti, Caylloma-Chivay community, route Chivay-Sibayo km 15, Tuti, 3750 m, 15º33′37”S, 71º34′18”W, 23 Apr 2016, leaf litter, Lado 24701 (MA-Fungi 95963), Lado 24702 (MAFungi 95964) . Ayacucho: Cangallo, Paras, route PE-28A, km 259, Niñobamba , 3902 m, 13º20′27”S, 74º34′11”W, 23 Apr 2016, bark of Polylepis sp. , Lado 24827a (MA-Fungi 96031), Lado 24828b (MA-Fungi 96034) . Cusco: Cusco, Pisac, Tambomachay , route PE-28G, Km 11, 3763 m, 13º28′53”S, 71º57′50”W, 16 Apr 2016, bark of Polylepis sp. , Lado 24335 (MA-Fungi 95679, USM). Espinar, Ocouro, route PE-42J, km 108, 4253 m, 15º01′25”S, 71º17′36”W, 13 Apr 2016, leaf of Festuca sp. , Lado 24255 (MA-Fungi 95599). Quispicanchi, Ccatca, Lahualahua, route PE-30C, Km 39.5, 3685 m, 13°38′57”S 71°27′34”W, 15 Apr 2016, Polylepis sp. litter, (mc, 2 Dec 2016, pH 5.94), dwb 3820 . Huancavelica: Angaraes, Julcamarca, Julcamarca , route PE-26B, km 150, 3400 m, 13°01′52”S, 74°25′56”W, 22 Apr 2017, on leaf litter of Puya sp. (mc, 28 May 2020, pH 6.51), Treviño Myx 630 (HSP). Huancavelica, Acoria, 4100 m, 12°40′29” S 74°54′18”W, 24 Sep 2012, Polylepis incana bark, (mc, 2 May 2013, pH 5.72) dwb 3575. (mc, 24 March 2013, pH 5.36), dwb 3579. Huaytara, Huaytara, route PE-28A, km 120, Jatunhuatas bridge, 3119 m, 13º36′27”S, 75º19′38”W, 19 Apr 2017, leaf of Puya sp. , Lado 24787X (MA-Fungi 95990). Pilpichaca, route PE-28A, km 170, Chaupi, 4347 m, 13º27′43”S, 75º01′59”W, 19 Apr 2017, leaves of Festuca sp. , Lado 24814 (MA-Fungi 96021). Tayacaja, Huando, 4 km at SE of Izcuchaca, 3035 m, 12º30′34.9”S, 74º58′42.8”W, 24 Sep 2012, leaves of Puya sp. , Lado 21789 (MA-Fungi 94554) . Junin: Yauli, Chacapalpa, route PE-3S, km 35, Chacapalca , 3623 m, 11º43′37”S, 75º45′18”W, 29 Apr 2017, leaves of Agave americana, Lado 25543 (MA-Fungi 96700). La Oroya route PE-3S, km 20, Huari, 3596 m, 11º37′49”S, 75º49′07”W, 29 Apr 2017, leaves of grasses, Lado 25581 ( MA-Fungi 96737 ) . Puno: Lampa, Santa Lucía, Lagunillas , Puente Cañuma , route PE-34A, km 208, 4190 m, 15º41′36.3”S, 70º48′50.3”W, 8 Oct 2012, leaves of Stipa ichu, Lado 22225 ( MA-Fungi 94769 ) .

Notes. Similar to Ph. bivalve Pers. and Ph. clavisporum G. Moreno, A. Sánchez, A. Castillo & Illana. The former differs by the shape of the sporotheca, uncompressed in Ph. bitectum , laterally compressed in Ph. bivalve , and the type of dehiscence, from irregular to fissural in Ph. bitectum vs by an apical, longitudinal fissure in Ph. bivalve . The latter differs by the spore ornamentation, evenly distributed spinules in Ph. bitectum , and prominent, irregularly distributed spinules in Ph. clavisporum . Additionally, spinules in Ph. clavisporum can reach up to 1 µm high and sometimes fuse to form crests .