Fungalpedia – Note 3020, Leochalara
Leochalara. W.P. Wu.
Citation when using this data: Wenping Wu & Yongzhao Diao. 2023– Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1
Classification: Arachnopezizaceae, Helotiales, Leotiomycetidae, Leotiomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi
Etymology: Refers to its morphological similarity to Chalara in conidiophores, phialides and conidiogenesis, and phylogenetically also belong to Leotiales.
Colonies effuse, scattered, pale brown, minute. Mycelium partly immersed and partly superficial, composed of pale brown, septate and branched hyphae with smooth and thin wall. Anamorph: Stroma absent. Setae absent. Conidiophores arising from the superficial mycelium, solitary or rarely in groups, hyaline to subhyaline, smooth or slightly rough-walled, 0–2 septate, straight or slightly curved, composed of a 1(–2)-celled basal stalk and a terminal phialide. Conidiogenous cells integrated, determinate, phialidic, erect, straight, lageniform, hyaline to subhyaline, smooth- and thin-walled, consisting of a venter and a collarette, transition from venter to collarette gradual, venter cylindrical, collarette cylindrical, concolorous with venter, smooth. Conidia endogenous, extruded in long chains, cylindrical, both apex and base truncated or flattened, hyaline, aseptate, thin- and smooth-walled. Teleomorph: Unknown.
Ecology/substrate/host: Saprobe on dead leaves.
Geographical distribution: China.
Notes: The new genus Leochalara is established for a microfungus with hyaline to very pale brown conidiophores, chalara-like phialides, and hyaline, aseptate and cylindrical conidia. Morphologically hyaline phialides and hyaline, aseptate conidia in this genus resemble those of Pyxidiophora, but phylogenetically it belonged to Leotiomycetes.
Type species: Leochalara danxiashanensis W.P. Wu & Y.Z. Diao, Fungal Diversity 119: 436 (2023)
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Leochalara.
Figure 1 – Leochalara danxiashanensis (Wu17421, holotype). a–l conidiophores and phialides. m–u conidia. Scale bar 5 μm.
References
Entry by
Wenping Wu, R&D Center, Novozymes China, No. 14 Xin Xi Lu, Shangdi Zone, Haidian District, Beijing 100085, People’s Republic of China
Published online 7 September 2026