Fungalpedia – Note 3137, Varicosporella
Varicosporella Lechat & J. Fourn., Ascomycete.org 7(1): 2 (2015).
Citation when using this data: Perera RH et al. 2023 – Fungalpedia.
Index Fungorum, Facesoffungi, MycoBank, GenBank.
Classification: Nectriaceae, Hypocreales, Hypocreomycetidae, Sordariomycetes, Pezizomycotina, Ascomycota, Fungi.
Saprobic on submerged wood of Populus sp. Sexual morph: Ascomata 340–390 μm high × 250–300 μm diam., astromatic, solitary, superficial with base slightly immersed in substratum, uniloculate, obpyriform, laterally collapsing upon drying, greyish yellow to pale orange, with a translucent, broadly conical to rounded apex, KOH+ pale yellow, lactic acid+ pale yellow, soft-textured. Periphyses copious, embedded in gel matrix, simple or branched, septate. Basal hyphae sparse and short, hyaline, thick-walled. Peridium in vertical section composed of subglobose to angular thick-walled cells; cells forming a textura angularis in surface view. Paraphyses slightly moniliform, early deliquescing, hyaline, thin-walled. Asci 8-spored, unitunicate, cylindrical, short-stipitate, apically truncate to slightly rounded, with a conspicuous, refractive apical ring, discoid to wedge-shaped. Ascospores obliquely uniseriate, ellipsoid with narrowly to broadly rounded ends, equally 1-septate, slightly constricted at septum, with two large guttules in each cell, hyaline to pale yellowish brown, wall roughened by short, sinuous, brown, thick ribs, sometimes anastomosed. Asexual morph: Fusarium-like, hyphomycetous. Microconidia absent. Macroconidia cylindrical, slightly curved, acute at tip, truncate to rounded at base, 3–4 (–5)-septate (adapted from Lechat and Fournier 2015).
Known distribution: South of France: Ariège, Lozère (Lechat and Fournier 2015)
Notes: Lechat and Fournier (2015) erected the monotypic genus Varicosporella for V. aquatica collected from freshwater habitats. The fungus is related to Bionectriaceae in having KOH and lactic acid negative, pale orange ascomata (Rossman et al. 1999). However, it is typical of Nectriaceae in having a fusarium-like asexual morph, and the relationship was supported by phylogenetic analysis (Rossman et al. 1999; Lechat and Fournier 2015, This study).
Type species: Varicosporella aquatica Lechat & J. Fourn., Ascomycete.org 7(1): 2 (2015).
Other accepted species: Species Fungorum – search Varicosporella.
References
Rossman AY, Samuels GJ, Rogerson CT et al. 1999 — Genera of Bionectriaceae, Hypocreaceae and Nectriaceae (Hypocreales, Ascomycetes). Stud Mycol 42:1–248.
Entry by
Perera RH, Guizhou Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biotechnology, Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guiyang, Guizhou 550006, P. R. 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, Mushroom Research Foundation, 128 M.3 Ban Pa Deng T. Pa Pae, A. Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai 50150, Thailand.
Published online 11 September 2026