Fungalpedia – Note 2690, Protounguicularia
Protounguicularia Raitv. & R. Galán.
Citation when using this data: Meng QF et al. – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Faceoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank.
Classification: Cordieritidaceae, Helotiales, Leotiomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi.
Protounguicularia was introduced by Raitviir et al. (1986) to include three species characterized by long, cylindrical, blunt, and septate hairs. Shortly after, Huhtinen (1987) transferred two of these species to Arachnopeziza due to the absence of glassy material in their excipular hairs. Protounguicularia is distinct for its septate ascomatal hairs with swollen bases and narrow, curved glassy apices, which may or may not contain a lumen. Baral (1993) transferred the type species P. brevicapitata Raitv. & R. Galán to Olla transiens (Höhn.) Baral. The remaining species are retained in Protounguicularia.
Initially, Lumbsch et al. (2007) tentatively placed Protounguicularia in Hyaloscyphaceae, although this placement was marked as uncertain. This assignment remained for several years until Flakus et al. (2019a) conducted a phylogenetic analysis, placing Protounguicularia within Cordieritidaceae (Helotiales). To date, eight species are recognized in this genus, four of which are lichenicolous fungi, though only P. nephromatis has available sequence data in GenBank.
Type species: Protounguicularia brevicapitata Raitv. & R. Galán.
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Protounguicularia.
References
Baral H. 1993 – Beitrage zur taxonomie der discomyceten III. Z. Mykol. 59, 3–22.
Lumbsch HT, Huhndorf SM. 2007 – Outline of Ascomycota—2007. Myconet 13, 1–58.
Entry by
Meng QF, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand and School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Guizhou 563000, China.
Published online 8 July 2026