Neoroussoella J.K. Liu, Phookamsak & K.D. Hyde, 2014

Liu, Jian-Kui, Phookamsak, Rungtiwa, Dai, Dong-Qin, Tanaka, Kazuaki, Jones, Gareth, Xu, Jian-Chu, Chukeatirote, Ekachai & Hyde, Kevin D., 2014, Roussoellaceae, a new pleosporalean family to accommodate the genera Neoroussoella gen. nov., Roussoella and Roussoellopsis, Phytotaxa 181 (1), pp. 1-33 : 22-23

Neoroussoella J.K. Liu, Phookamsak & K.D. Hyde , gen. nov. FIG. 14

Index Fungorum : IF550668

Etymology. Similar to the genus Roussoella .

Type species. Neoroussoella bambusae Phookamsak, J.K. Liu & K.D. Hyde

Saprobic on decaying bamboo culms. Ascostromata immersed under a clypeus or epidermis, raised, visible as black dome-shaped or flattened ovoid areas on host surface, coriaceous, solitary to gregarious, black, centrally ostiolate. Peridium composed of 2–3 layers of light brown to brown, thin-walled cells of textura angularis, with flattened base. Hamathecium comprising numerous, anastomosing, cellular pseudoparaphyses, branching at the apex, often constricted at the septum, embedded in a gelatinous matrix. Asci 8-spored, bitunicate, cylindrical, short to long pedicellate, apically rounded with an ocular chamber. Ascospores uni-biseriate or overlapping, ellipsoidal to fusiform, 2-celled, constricted at the septum, pale brown to brown or yellowish brown, rough-walled, longitudinally ribbed, surrounded by mucilaginous sheath. Asexual morphs produced on bamboo pieces on WA cultures after 2 months. Conidiomata superficial to immersed, pycnidium, uni-multiloculate, globose to subglobose or irregular shape, scattered or clustered, solitary or gregarious, indistinctly ostiolate. Pycnidial wall composed of several layers of cells of textura angularis. Conidiophores arising from the basal cavity around conidiomata, unbranched, aseptate. Conidiogenous cells annellidic, unbranched, ampulliform or lageniform or cylindrical or cylindric-clavate, hyaline, aseptate, smooth-walled. Conidia oblong to ellipsoidal, hyaline, aseptate with two guttules, smooth-walled.

Notes: Neoroussoella is introduced as a monotypic genus in this study; it is characterized by a distinct asexual morph producing relatively smaller (3–4 × 1.5–2 μm), hyaline conidia with smooth walls. Phylogenetic analyses also indicate that this taxon is distinct from other taxa in this family.