Fungalpedia – Note 2949, Leptosphaerioides
Leptosphaerioides J.F. Zhang, Jian K. Liu & K.D. Hyde.
Citation when using this data: Zhang JF et al. 2023 – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig 1.
Classification: Pleosporaceae, Pleosporales, Pleosporomycetidae, Dothideomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi.
Saprobic on dead branch of unidentified woody plant. Sexual morph: Ascomata semi-immersed to superficial, black, scattered, solitary or gregarious, globose to subglobose, glabrous. Ostiole central, broadly papillate. Peridium comprised of several layers of pale brown to hyaline cells of textura angularius. Hamathecium comprising numerous, non-septate, branched pseudoparaphyses anastomosing, between and above the asci, embedded in a gelatinous matrix. Asci 8-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate, broadly cylindrical to clavate, with a furcate pedicel, apically rounded to truncate, with a developed ocular chamber. Ascospores fusiform, hyaline, two-celled, guttulate and surrounded by an indistinctly mucilaginous sheath when young, verrucose at maturation. Asexual morph: Undetermined.
Notes: Leptosphaerioides is established as a monotypic genus with L. guihzouensis as the type species. Morphologically, it resembles to Leptosphaeria by semi-immersed to superficial, subglobose ascomata with a broadly conical papilla, cylindrical to clavate asci with a furcate pedicel (Ariyawansa et al. 2014). However, Leptosphaerioides has 1-septate, hyaline, fusoid ascospores, whereas Leptosphaeria species have 3-septate, narrowly fusoid, pigmented ascospores (Ariyawansa et al. 2014). These two genera are also phylogenetically distant (Zhang JF et al. 2023).
Type species: Leptosphaerioides guizhouensis J.F. Zhang, Jian K. Liu & K.D. Hyde.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Leptosphaerioides.
Figure 1 – Leptosphaerioides guizhouensis (GZAAS 19-4017, holotype): a, b Appearance of ascomata on the substrate. c Section of peridium. d Vertical section through ascoma. e Ostiolar canal with periphyses. f, g, i, j Ascospores. h Pseudoparaphyses. k–o Asci. Scale bars: c = 20 µm, d = 100 µm, e = 10 µm, f–j = 20 µm, k–o = 30 µm.
References
Entry by
Jinfeng Zhang, Guizhou Provincial Institute of Tea, Guiyang 550006, People’s Republic of China, Guizhou Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang 550006, People’s Republic of China, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand.
Published online 14 August 2026