Hyaloscypha finlandica (C.J.K. Wang & H.E. Wilcox) Vohník, Fehrer & Réblová

Chlebicki, Andrzej, 2023, Fungal endophytes of stems and roots of JUNCUS trifiDUS subsp. trifiDUS from Poland, Annales Universitatis Paedagogicae Cracoviensis Studia Naturae 8, pp. 9-30 : 13-17

Hyaloscypha finlandica (C.J.K. Wang & H.E. Wilcox) Vohník, Fehrer & Réblová , root endophyte, strain PTEn-19, PTEn-11

Basionym: Phialophora finlandica C.J.K.Wang & H.E.Wilcox [as ‘finlandia’], Mycologia 77: 953. 1985. Synonyms: Cadophora finlandica (C.J.K.Wang & H.E.Wilcox) T.C.Harr. & McNew [as ‘finlandia’C], Mycotaxon 87: 147. 2003.

The colonies were lobate, olive to dark brown ( Fig.2 /7, 2/8), convex, with a velvety surface and a feathery margin ( Fig. 4). Their reverse-side was black and the aerial hyphae were brown to olive-brown and often covered by wart-like, distinctly paler blisters. In the peripheral part of the colony, numerous clusters of darker, thick-walled cells ( Fig.4), which are similar to intracellular structures named ‘microsclerotia’ ( Haselwandter, Read, 1980) or ‘sclerotial bodies’ ( Wilcox, Wang, 1987), were formed. The strains were difficult to precisely determine because of the lack of conidia and conidiogenous cells. Some anamorphs of Leotiomycetes O.E. Erikss. & Winka have been suggested to be root endophytes but without possessing any clear teleomorph connections ( Sutton, Hennebert, 1994). According to Day et al. (2011), Mollisia species with smaller asci would be expected to have Phialocephala anamorphs. However, the next molecular investigation of PTEn-19 (Wilczek, n.a.) indicated a 99% similarity with the Phialophora verrucosa Medlar strain WRCF-AB6. Identification of the Phialophora species using sequence data ( Ko Ko et al., 2011) is difficult. Some of them, such as P. verrucosa , are known to commonly occur as plant roots endophytes. This taxon has been recognised to be part of a complex group, P. verrucosa / P. americana (Nannf.) S. Hughes ( Yan et al., 1995). De Hoog et al. (1999) described two new Phialophora species from the Phialophora verrucosa complex: P. reptans de Hoog and P. sessilis de Hoog. Untereiner et al. (2008) also separated P. reptans , P. sessilis and P. europea de Hoog, Mayser & Haase from the P. verrucosa complex. Moreover, they separated P. verrucosa from P. americana . According to Su et al. (2010), most endophytic Phialophora strains have not yet been identified at a species level. My recent try of identification of this strain indicates 100% similarity with Cadophora finlandica (C.J.K. Wang & H.E. Wilcox) T.C. Harr. & McNew sequence ID KJ817298 . Recently Fehrer et al. (2019) synonymised Phialophora finlandica ( Cadophora finlandica ) with the genus Hyaloscypha and species H. finlandica (C.J.K. Wang & H.E. Wilcox) Vohník, Fehrer & Reblova. The species is known as endophyte of Picea , Pinus ( Fehrer et al. 2019) and Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. sequence ID KJ817298 . Fungal mycelium of these strains PTEn-11 and PTEn-19 covered all parts of the roots. It is a very competitive strain.

Locality: The Tatra Mts., Mt. Małołączniak, in the roots of Juncus trifidus , (T-11, T-17b, T-18, T-19, T-24). coll. by A. Chlebicki, photograph: strain PTEn-19.

Other fungi noted in roots