Fungalpedia – Note 2822, Narasimhella
Narasimhella. Thirumalachar & Mathur.
Citation when using this data: Kandemir H et al. 2022 – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank
Classification: Gymnoascaceae, Onygenales, Eurotiomycetidae, Eurotiomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi
The generic type species Narasimhella poonensis was described as having well-developed, stipitate fruitbodies. The sterile stipe is composed of upwards-growing hyphae and an irregularly globular, fertile head portion with groups of asci (Thirumalachar and Mathur 1966). It lacks a peridium and shows crozier formation similar to that of Pseudoarachniotus species. The optimum growth temperature is 28 °C (Thirumalachar and Mathur 1966). NRRL 2850 was listed as the type of P. marginisporus by Kuehn and Orr (1963). Several taxonomic rearrangements were followed.
Narasimhella has a peculiar ecology. All isolates of this species have been obtained from buried substrates, such as cables and fabrics buried in dung-enriched soil. Nutrient-rich soil is a common habitat for many Gymnoascaceae members, but none of them have been found to grow on hard underground substrates. The ITS similarity between Narasimhella poonensis (MH857260) and N. marginispora (MH860180) was found to be 99%, and the species were considered to be synonyms, confirming Thirumalachar and Mathur (1966), with N. marginispora as the oldest name.
The fungus is described with its habitat choice, thin- and smooth-walled ascospores with minute rims, and ochraceous to very pale-yellow colonies (Kuehn and Orr 1963).
Type species: Narasimhella poonensis Thirum. & Mathur—Sydowia 19(1–6): 185
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Narasimhella.
References
Thirumalachar MJ, Mathur PN 1966 – Narasimhella, a new genus of the Gymnoascaceae. Sydowia 19:184–186.
Entry by
Hazal Kandemir, Center of Expertise in Mycology, Radboud University Medical Center/Canisius Wilhelmina Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands, Division of Medical Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cukurova, Adana, Turkey
Published online 25 June 2026