Fungalpedia – Note 579, Polycyclus
Polycyclus Höhn.
Citation when using this data: Zhang et al. 2025 (in prep.) – Fungalpedia, Ascomycota.
Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank, Fig. 1
Classification: Parmulariaceae, Asterinales, Dothideomycetidae, Dothideomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi
von Höhnel (1909) established the genus Polycyclus without designating a type species, but Theissen and Sydow (1915) selected P. andinus as the type species. Currently, P. andinus and P. marginalis, two pathogenic species found on ferns, have been accepted under Polycyclus in Parmulariaceae (Parmulariales, Dothideomycetes, Ascomycota) without available molecular data (Inácio and Cannon 2008; Hongsanan et al. 2020b; Hyde et al. 2024c). However, Inácio and Cannon (2008) provided a morphological comparison between P. andinus and P. marginalis, indicating the likely conspecifics of these two species. Isolations with molecular data are needed to verify the phylogenetic affiliation of these two species. Polycyclus is known only from its sexual morph, and is characterized by black, roundish or elliptic, disc-like, epiphyllous stromata with 1–5 ascomatal locules arranged in concentric rings, cylindric-clavate; sessile or short stipitate, 8-spored, aparaphysate asci and lengthened-ellipsoid, uniseptate, irregularly distichous, hyaline to brown ascospores (Petrak 1950a; Batista and Vital 1960; Inácio and Cannon 2008).
Type species: Polycyclus andinus (Pat.) Theiss. & Syd., Annls mycol. 13(3/4): 210 (1915).
≡ Hysterostomella andina Pat., in Patouillard & Lagerheim, Bull. Herb. Boissier 3(1): 73 (1895).
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Polycyclus
Figure 1 – Polycyclus andinus. a Colonies on the host substratum. b The longitudinal section of an ascostroma, showing the central hypostroma and the locule. c The margins of the superior wall of the stromata. d Ascospores. e A Locule, showing peridium, asci and ascospores. Redrawn from Batista and Vital (1960).
References
Batista AC, Vital AF 1960 – A taxonomic study of some species of the genera Parmulina Theiss. & Syd., Pleiostomella Syd., Polycyclus Höhnel and Polyrhizon Theiss. & Syd. Atas de Instituto de Micologie Universidade do Recife 93–115.
Hyde KD, et al. 2024c – The 2024 outline of fungi and fungus-like taxa. Mycosphere (in press).
Inácio CA, Cannon PF 2008 – The genera of the Parmulariaceae. CBS Biodiversity Series vol 8 CBS Fungal Biodiversity Series vol. 8. Centre, Utrecht.
Petrak F 1950a – Beiträge zur Pilzflora von Ekuador. Sydowia 4:450–587.
von Höhnel F 1909 – Fragmente zur Mykologie. IX. Mitteilung (Nr. 407 bis 467). Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche 118:1461–1552.
Entry by
Jing-Yi Zhang, School of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang, 550025, People’s Republic of China, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand, School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand, Guizhou Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang, 550009, People’s Republic of China.
Published online 11 June 2025