TYPE. UNITED KINGDOM. Wales, Llanelly, Stradey Woods, 7.VI.1946, Anonymous s.n. (IMI, holotype)

Description (translated and modified from Hafellner 1979). Life form. Allied, saprophytic fungus.

Thallus absent; photobiont absent. Ascomata lecideine apothecia, scattered (0.25-)0.5-0.7 mm, sessile; disk flat, blackish; margin prominent, dark brown. Exciple brown to dark brown, 30-40 μm wide, cells arranged radially, often indistinct, 8-12 μm, edge cells in distinct rows. Epihymenium reddish-brown, thin. Hymenium hyaline or yellowish, 60-75 μm high. Hypothecium light brownish, composed of twisted hyphae, cell walls very swollen. Paraphyses septate, simple or branched above, tips thickened and pigmented, 3-6 μm wide. Asci surrounded by gelatinous caps, clavate, usually 8-spored, 45-55 x 12-16 μm. Spores pale brown, 2-celled, 7.5-13 x 3.5-6 μm.

Chemistry. Hymenial gel and gelatinous hoods of asci I+ blue.

Substrate and Habitat. Saprophytic on rotting wood.

Distribution. Europe and eastern North America: in North Carolina only reported from the Piedmont ecoregion.

Literature

Hafellner, J. (1979) Karschia. Revision einer Sammelgattung an der Grenze von lichenisierten und nichtlichenisierten Ascomyceten. Beihefte zur Nova Hedwigia 62: 1-248 (description as Dactylospora lurida).