Fungalpedia – Note 1890, Leiosphaerella

 

Leiosphaerella Höhn.

Citation when using this data: Hyde KD et al. 2020 – Fungalpedia, Ascomycota.

Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1

Classification: Pseudomassariaceae, Xylariales, Xylariomycetidae, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi

Notes: Leiosphaerella species are characterized by immersed perithecial ascomata with apically free paraphyses, asci with J+, apical rings, and elongate, bicelled, hyaline ascospores. Barr (1990b) treated the genus in Hyponectriaceae. Jaklitsch & Voglmayr (2012) revisited the genus and placed it in Pseudomassariaceae. 

Leiosphaerella praeclara is typified Leiosphaerella previously placed in Xylariales genera incertae sedis and are associated with Vaccinium species (Ericaceae). Jaklitsch & Voglmayr (2012) provided an epitype with living culture and sequence data. Combined LSU-ITS phylogenetic analyses revealed that the Leiosphaerella belongs in Pseudomassariaceae (Senanayake et al. 2015, Jaklitsch et al. 2016b). Hyde (1993d) described the similar genera to Leiosphaerella with the shape of ascomata, asci, ascospores and J+/J- reactions of the apical ring. The genera Leiosphaerella, Marinospora and Oxydothis share similar characters of cylindic-clavate asci, J+, apical ring and 2- celled ascospores (Hyde 1993d). However, Marinospora is only known from marine habitats and phylogenetically placed in Halosphaeriaceae (Sakayaroj et al. 2011), while Konta et al. (2016) introduced Oxydothidaceae to accommodate Oxydothis. Leiosphaerella praeclara is illustrated in this entry (Fig. 1).

Type species: Leiosphaerella praeclara (Rehm) Höhn.

Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Leiosphaerella.

 

image

 

Figure 1 – Leiosphaerella praeclara (redrawn from Jaklitsch & Voglmayr 2012). a Ostioles and perithecial dots on bark surface. b Cross section of ascoma. c Peridium. d Apical ascus ring. e-g Ascospores. h Ascus. Scale bars: a = 150 μm, b = 300 μm, c = 10 μm, e-h = 10 μm.

 

References

Barr ME. 1990b – Prodromus to nonlichenized, pyrenomycetous members of class Hymenoascomycetes. Mycotaxon 39, 43–184.

Hyde KD. 1993d – Fungi from palms. VIII. The genus Myelosperma (Ascomycotina). Sydowia 45, 241–245.

Jaklitsch WM, Voglmayr H. 2012 – Phylogenetic relationships of five genera of Xylariales and Rosasphaeria gen. nov. (Hypocreales). Fungal Diversity 52, 75–98.

Jaklitsch WM, Gardiennet A, Voglmayr H. 2016b – Resolution of morphology-based taxonomic delusions: Acrocordiella, Basiseptospora, Blogiascospora, Clypeosphaeria, Hymenopleella, Lepteutypa, Pseudapiospora, Requienella, Seiridium and Strickeria. Persoonia 37, 82–105.

Konta S, Hongsanan S, Tibpromma S, Thongbai B et al. 2016 – An advance in the endophyte story: Oxydothidaceae fam. nov. with six new species of Oxydothis. Mycosphere 7, 1425–1446.

Sakayaroj J, Pang KL, Jones EBG. 2011 – Multi-gene phylogeny of the Halosphaeriaceae: its ordinal status, relationships between genera and morphological character evolution. Fungal Diversity 46, 87–109.

Senanayake IC, Maharachchikumbura SSN, Hyde KD, Bhat JD et al. 2015 – Towards unraveling relationships in Xylariomycetidae (Sordariomycetes). Fungal Diversity 73, 73–144.

 

Entry by

Kevin David Hyde, Institute of Plant Health, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510225, P.R. China, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand, Mushroom Research Foundation, 128 M.3 Ban Pa Deng T. Pa Pae, A. Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai 50150, Thailand, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, P.R. China, School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand, World Agroforestry Centre, East and Central Asia, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, P.R. China

 

Published online 5 March 2026

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