Orbilia succulenticola L. Quijada, Baral & Beltrán-Tej., 2014

Quijada, Luis, Baral, Hans-Otto, Jaen-Molina, Ruth, Weiss, Michael, Castells, Juli Caujapé- & Beltrán-Tejera, Esperanza, 2014, Phylogenetic and morphological circumscription of the Orbilia aurantiorubra group, Phytotaxa 175 (1), pp. 1-18 : 13-14

Orbilia succulenticola L. Quijada, Baral & Beltrán-Tej. , spec. nov. (Fig. 8) MycoBank MB 805598

Similis Orbiliae xanthoguttulatae sed ascosporis brevioribus, processis vitreis longioribus. Habitat ad ramos putridos siccos Euphorbiae spp . in zona semi-arida subtropica in Macaronesia.

Type:— EUROPE. SPAIN. Canary Islands. Tenerife: Punta Hidalgo-Chinamada , on Euphorbia canariensis , 350 m, 20 October 2008, L. Quijada & E. Rodriguez 20335 (holotype TFC Mic!, isotype herb. Baral!) .

Apothecia rehydrated (0.3–)0.6–1(–1.2) mm diam., (0.18–)0.23–0.3(–0.37) mm high (receptacle 0.14–0.15 -> 0.1– 0.12 mm), light yellowish-ochraceous, slightly translucent, ± round, scattered to gregarious in small groups; disc flat to slightly convex, margin thin, not protruding, very finely crenulate; sessile on an obconical stipe up to 0.07 × 0.35 mm, superficial; dry slightly concave, deep ochraceous-brownish(-orange). Asci *(51–)57–60(–67) × (4–)4.1–4.3(–4.8) µm {6}, †(41–)48–51(–57) × (3.1–)3.4–3.7(–4) µm {10}, 8-spored, spores *3–4-seriate, (2–)3–4(5) lower spores inverted {6} (partly slightly mixed), pars sporifera *20–22 µm long; apex (†) strongly truncate. Ascospores *(9–)9.5–11(–12) × (1–)1.2–1.4(–1.6) µm {6}, †(8.3–)9.1–9.6(–10.4) × (0.9)–1–1.3 µm {10}, fusiform-clavate, apex acute, base medium to strongly attenuated in a ± distinct tail ca. ¼–⅓ of spore length, inequilateral to slightly curved in upper part, medium (to strongly) curved in region of tail, slightly helicoid; SBs *(1.7–)2–2.4(–2.6) × 0.8–1.2 µm {8}, tear-shaped, with a short, hardly visible filum. Paraphyses apically slightly to medium (to strongly) clavate-spathulate, terminal cell *(16.5–)21.4–24.5(–28) × (2.4)3–3.5(–4.3) µm {6}, (†) 1–8 µm longer than asci, lower cells *(5–)9.1–11(–14) × 1.5–2 µm {6}; rarely branched at upper septum, hymenium pale yellowish-ochraceous on surface and in lower part. Medullary excipulum hyaline, 70–124 µm thick, of dense textura intricata, horizontally oriented t. porrecta on flanks, with ± many inflated cells, sharply delimited from ectal excipulum mainly on flanks. Ectal excipulum hyaline, of (†) thin-walled, vertically oriented t. prismatica–angularis at base and flanks, 50–77 µm thick near base, cells *(8.4–)13.4–16.4(–28) × (6.6–)9–12(–18.5) µm {6}; 10–22 µm thick near margin, of light yellowis-ochraceous t. prismatica oriented at a 30– 60° angle to the surface, marginal cortical cells *(7.7–)9.3–12(–13) ×(3.6–)4–4.6(–6) µm {6}; glassy processes 8–17.6 × 3–5 µm {6}, on flanks 2–10 × 4–6 µm, medium refractive, indistinctly stratified, consistently curved downwards, covered by yellowish exudate. SCBs in paraphyses and ectal excipulum absent, sometimes indistinct small globose SCBs seen in paraphyses. LBs bright to deep golden yellow(-orange), near apex and in lower half of paraphyses 0.4–0.7 µm diam., usually scattered {>10}; in medullary excipulum sparse more abundant near subhymenium; in ectal excipulum abundant near margin; exudate over paraphyses (0.3–)1.1–1.5(–2.1) µm thick, granular-cloddy, sometimes cap-like, pale yellowish-ochraceous, firmly attached, over margin and flanks 1.5–3.5 µm thick, cloddy.

Etymology:— The name refers to the succulent substrates on which the apothecia grows, Euphorbia spp . and Opuntia maxima .

Distribution and ecology:— In arid-semiarid succulent vegetation of the Canary Islands, Euphorbia scrubs, always on decorticated and dead branches near the ground, never on bark. Phenology: VIII–I. Desiccation tolerance: ectal and medullary excipulum, also some paraphyses and mature asci viable after 1 month.

Other material examined:— EUROPE. SPAIN. Canary Islands: Tenerife, Abades, Montaña Centinela, on Euphorbia canariensis , 167 m, 23 January 2010, L. Quijada (TFC Mic 22771!, 22779!); ibid., Abades, Barranco la Vera , on Euphorbia balsamifera , 39 m, 17 October 2009, L. Quijada ( TFC Mic 22437!, 22438!) ; ibid., El Escobonal, Barranco de Erques , on Euphorbia atropurpurea , 216 m, 5 February 2010, L. Quijada ( TFC Mic 22837!, 22822!) ; ibid., La Matanza, Puntillo del Sol , on Euphorbia canariensis , 44 m, 21 November 2009, L. Quijada ( TFC Mic 22562!) ; ibid., Mesa del Mar , Hoya las Higueras, on Euphorbia canariensis , 74 m, 26 November 2009, L. Quijada ( TFC Mic 22632!) ; ibid., Punta Hidalgo, sendero a Chinamada, on Euphorbia canariensis , 402 m, 21 August 2011, L. Quijada ( TFC Mic 23272!, 23273!) ; ibid., on Euphorbia lamarckii , 402 m, 21 August 2011, L. Quijada ( TFC Mic 23274!) ; ibid., on Opuntia maxima , 362 m, 11 October 2009, L. Quijada ( TFC Mic 22370!) ; ibid., Teno, el Tosconito, on Euphorbia lamarckii , 216 m, 8 November 2009, L. Quijada ( TFC Mic 22497!) ; ibid., Teno, Cuchillo el Balo, on Euphorbia balsamifera , 111 m, 16 November 2009, L. Quijada ( TFC Mic 22115!, 22118!, 22119!) .