Fungalpedia – Note 1946, Pseudomassariaceae

 

Pseudomassariaceae Senan., Maharachch. & K.D. Hyde

Citation when using this data: Hyde KD et al. 2020 – Fungalpedia, Ascomycota.

Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank.

Classification: Xylariales, Xylariomycetidae, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi

Saprobic on recently dead twigs attached to the trees, immersed below rounded, slightly elevated epidermis of the host. Sexual morph: Ascomata perithecial, scattered, solitary or aggregated, immersed, depressed globose to ellipsoid, coriaceous, black, ostiolate, papillate. Ostiolar papilla short, cylindrical, wide at the apex, periphysate. Peridium comprising strongly compressed, narrow, light to medium brown, thin-walled cells of textura angularis. Paraphyses numerous, apically narrow, basally wide, hyaline. Asci 8-spored, unitunicate, easily disintegrated when fresh, clavate to fusoid, short pedicellate, apically rounded, with J+, or J-, apical ring. Ascospores biseriate or partially uniseriate, hyaline, broadly ellipsoid, oblong or narrowly clavate, mostly apiosporous, with a rounded to subconical, small, lower cell or equally uniseptate, straight or curved, thick-walled, smooth-walled. Asexual morph: Hyphomycetous. Setae erect, dark brown, straight to flexuous, arising from superficial hyphae, branched at base, subcylindrical, tapering to obtuse apex, 3–7-septate, basal cell slightly swollen. Conidiophores subcylindrical to setiform, with radially lobed basal cells, pale brown, smooth, arising from superficial mycelium, straight to flexuous, 1–10 septate. Conidiogenous cells terminal or lateral, polyblastic, subcylindrical to somewhat clavate, pale brown, smooth, with 1–4 denticulate loci. Conidia lageniform, distal end free, truncate, rostrate at proximal end, pale brown, with a subhyaline transverse band at equatorial zone, smooth, guttulate, aseptate (adapted from Senanayake et al. 2015, Jaklitsch et al. 2016b).

Notes: Jaklitsch & Voglmayr (2012) showed a separate taxonomic clade that included Pseudomassaria and Leiosphaerella through separate analyses of ITS and LSU sequence data. With emphasis on combined ITS-LSU analyses and morphological similarities the clade was introduced as a family Pseudomassariaceae in Senanayake et al. (2015). Maharachchikumbura et al. (2016b) accepted Pseudomassaria with apiosporous ascospores and Leiosphaerella with elongate, bi-celled ascospores. Jaklitsch et al. (2016b) treated Leiosphaerella, Pseudomassaria, Pseudapiospora and Pseudomassariella in Pseudomassariaceae. However, Pseudomassariella has been treated in this family with no phylogenetic support. Pseudomassariaceae commonly appears with Apiosporaceae, Beltraniaceae, Hyponectriaceae and Melogrammataceae clades in Amphisphaeriales in various phylogenetic placements (Senanayake et al. 2015, Konta et al. 2016, Maharachchikumbura et al. 2016b, Samarakoon et al. 2016, Hongsanan et al. 2017, Wijayawardene et al. 2018a). In this study, we accept Pseudomassariaceae in Amphisphaeriales comprising four genera as Leiosphaerella, Pseudomassaria, Pseudapiospora and Pseudomassariella. Only ITS and LSU sequences are available and revisions are required.

Type genus: Pseudomassaria Jacz

 

References

Hongsanan S, Maharachchikumbura SSN, Hyde KD, Samarakoon MC et al. 2017 – An updated phylogeny of Sordariomycetes based on phylogenetic and molecular clock evidence. Fungal Diversity 84, 25–41.

Jaklitsch WM, Gardiennet A, Voglmayr H. 2016b – Resolution of morphology-based taxonomic delusions: Acrocordiella, Basiseptospora, Blogiascospora, Clypeosphaeria, Hymenopleella, Lepteutypa, Pseudapiospora, Requienella, Seiridium and Strickeria. Persoonia 37, 82–105.

Jaklitsch WM, Voglmayr H. 2012 – Phylogenetic relationships of five genera of Xylariales and Rosasphaeria gen. nov. (Hypocreales). Fungal Diversity 52, 75–98.

Konta S, Hongsanan S, Tibpromma S, Thongbai B et al. 2016 – An advance in the endophyte story: Oxydothidaceae fam. nov. with six new species of Oxydothis. Mycosphere 7, 1425–1446.

Maharachchikumbura SSN, Hyde KD, Jones EBG, McKenzie EHC et al. 2016b – Families of Sordariomycetes. Fungal Diversity 79, 1–317.

Samarakoon MC, Hyde KD, Promputtha I, Hongsanan S et al. 2016 – Evolution of Xylariomycetidae (Ascomycota: Sordariomycetes). Mycosphere 7, 1746–1761.

Senanayake IC, Maharachchikumbura SSN, Hyde KD, Bhat JD et al. 2015 – Towards unraveling relationships in Xylariomycetidae (Sordariomycetes). Fungal Diversity 73, 73–144.

Wijayawardene NN, Hyde KD, Lumbsch HT, Liu JK et al. 2018a – Outline of Ascomycota: 2017. Fungal Diversity 88, 167–263.

 

Entry by

Kevin David Hyde, Institute of Plant Health, Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering, Haizhu District, Guangzhou 510225, P.R. China, Center of Excellence in Fungal Research, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand, Mushroom Research Foundation, 128 M.3 Ban Pa Deng T. Pa Pae, A. Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai 50150, Thailand, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand, Key Laboratory for Plant Diversity and Biogeography of East Asia, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Science, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, P.R. China, School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai 57100, Thailand, World Agroforestry Centre, East and Central Asia, Kunming 650201, Yunnan, P.R. China

 

Published online 6 March 2026

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