Chlorencoelia olivacea (Rodway) P. R. Johnst. & Patejuk, 2025

Patejuk, Katarzyna, Johnston, Peter R., Park, Duckchul & Padamsee, Mahajabeen, 2025, Chlorencoelia (Leotiomycetes, Helotiales, Cenangiaceae) in New Zealand, MycoKeys 119, pp. 351-368 : 351-368

Chlorencoelia olivacea (Rodway) P. R. Johnst. & Patejuk , comb. nov.

Fig. 6

≡ Ciboria olivacea Rodway , Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania 1924: 105 (1925).

≡ Chlorociboria versiformis var. olivacea (Rodway) Dennis , Kew Bull. 13: 340 (1958).

≡ Chlorosplenium rodwayi Korf , Bulletin of the National Science Museum Tokyo 4: 391 (1959).

≡ Chlorosplenium versiforme var. olivacea (Rodway) G. W. Beaton & Weste , Victorian Naturalist 96: 248 (1979).

Description.

Apothecia up to 10.5 mm diam., short and broad stipitate, superficial, discoid to infundibuliform, gregarious, hymenium olive green to dark blue-green when fresh, becoming brown to black upon drying. Receptacle brown to dark brown, coarsely roughened, sometimes with a yellow cast when dry. Stipe rugose, blackish. In vertical section ectal excipulum 47–64 μm thick, comprising angular cells 8–10 µm diam., oriented nearly perpendicular to the flanks of the apothecium, walls pale brown, outer layer of globose to subclavate tomentum hyphae 8–17 × 5–10 μm, walls hyaline, slightly thickened, cells containing bright yellow vacuolar bodies in water. Medullary excipulum 60–400 μm thick, comprising hyaline to pale brown loose to compacted textura intricata, hyphae 1.5–2.5 µm diam., cell walls encrusted with dark brown granulations. Subhymenium 24–50 μm high, comprising pale brown, dense textura intricata. Asci 75–104 × 5–9 μm, cylindrical, long tapering basal stalks, flattened across thickened apex, apical pore faint to vivid blue in MLZ and IKI, croziers at base, 8 - spored. Ascospores (7 –) 8–10.5 (– 12) × 2–3.5 (– 4) μm (x – 9.5 × 3.2 µm), oblong-elliptical, often gently curved, symmetrical, ends broadly rounded, with 2 (– 3) large lipid bodies. Paraphyses 2.5–5 µm diam., cylindric to subfusoid, sometimes tapering towards rounded apex, bright yellow to dark green vacuolar bodies in water.

Specimens examined.

New Zealand • Otago Lakes: beech forest beside Glenorchy-Routeburn Road , 44.7824°S, 168.3551°E, on rotting wood of Fuscospora fusca , coll. J. A. Cooper (JAC 14068), 8 May 2016 ( PDD 106239 GenBank sequences: ITS MK 432798 ) . • Auckland: Manukau City, Wairere Road, Totara Park , 37.0039°S, 174.913°E, on rotting wood, collector, C. Shirley (CS AK 451), 1 Jun 2024 ( PDD 122841 ; GenBank ITS PQ 533030 ) . • Waikato: Awakino, Steuart Russell Awakino Beech Reserve , 38.6087°S, 174.669°E on decorticated wood Fuscospora fusca , coll. P. R. Johnston (D 1539), 25 May 2000 ( PDD 71942 ; culture ICMP 25721 ; GenBank ITS PQ 541256 ) ; • Awakino, Steuart Russell Awakino Beech Reserve , 38.576667°S, 174.677627°E, decaying wood of Fuscospora fusca , coll. B. C. Paulus and A. J. O’Donnell (AOD 161), 16 Apr 2007 ( PDD 93896 ; culture ICMP 25720 ; GenBank ITS PQ 541260 ) . • Bay of Plenty: Athenree Forest , 37.462°S, 175.915°E, on bark of fallen rotten wood, coll. P. K. C. Austwick, 8 May 2003 ( PDD 78394 ) . • King Country: Rangitoto Station , 38.3397°S, 175.4376°E, on decorticated wood, coll. P. R. Johnston (D 2050), B. C. Paulus, A. O’Donnell, 14 Apr 2007 (culture ICMP 24559 ; GenBank ITS PQ 541257 ) . • Taupo: vic. Kiko Rd , 38.8997°S, 176.122°E, on Nothofagaceae sp. decorticated wood, coll. P. R. Johnston (D 1605), S. Whitton, 4 May 2001 (culture ICMP 24001 , GenBank ITS PQ 541255 ) ; • Ohakune, Rangataua Forest & Ecological area , 39.0123°S, 175.661°E, on dead wood Fuscospora fusca , coll. D. P. Mahoney (AEB 909), 5 Apr 2005 ( PDD 83070 ) . • Rangitikei: Petersen Road , 39.959671°S, 176.010537°E, on wood of Fuscospora fusca , coll. J. A. Cooper (JAC 13914), 18 May 2015 ( PDD 106117 ; GenBank ITS OR 565293 ) . • Kaikoura: Mt Lyford, Crystal Lake Track , 42.478256°S, 173.148937°E, on wood of Fuscospora cliffortioides , coll. J. A. Cooper (JAC 17192), 29 Mar 2022 ( PDD 114302 ; GenBank ITS OR 565298 ) ; • Mt Lyford, Crystal Lake Track , 42.4783°S, 173.1489°E, on dead wood Fuscospora cliffortioides , coll. J. A. Cooper (JAC 17192), 29 Mar 2022 ( PDD 114302 ; GenBank ITS OR 565298 ) . • Westland: Haast Pass Summit , 44.1093°S, 169.352°E, on fallen wood, 16 th Fungal Foray of New Zealand, 9 May 2002 ( PDD 75507 ) . • Otago Lakes: Glenorchy, Paradise Road , 44.848043°S, 168.346777°E, on rotting stump of Fuscospora fusca , coll. J. A. Cooper (JAC 14135), 8 May 2016 ( PDD 106302 ; GenBank ITS MK 432802 ) ; • Glenorchy, Rees Road, Invincible Creek , 44.731°S, 168.456°E, on decorticated wood, coll. P. R. Johnston (D 2409), 7 May 2016 ( PDD 107569 ) . Fiordland: Te Anau, Kepler Track, Iris Burn Valley , on dead wood, coll. T. Atkinson, 12 Mar 2003 ( PDD 78392 ) . • Stewart Island : on dead wood Pterophylla racemosa , coll. J. M. Dingley, 18 Feb 1954 ( PDD 19026 ) .

Australia • Victoria: Lake Mountain Rd, Vic. Marysville , coll. G. A. Crichton, 24 Mar 1963 ( K (M) 159560 , Beaton Victorian Discomycetes No. 113) .

Notes.

Chlorencoelia olivacea has smaller ascospores than the other species treated in this study. The spores are often slightly curved and have two large lipid bodies. Chlorencoelia northlandica has only slightly larger ascospores but also differs in having paler VBs in the paraphyses and tomentum hyphae, as well as less well-differentiated tomentum hyphae.

Originally described from Tasmania, this species has also been found in Victoria in eastern Australia. Its occurrence in New Zealand is based on the morphological similarity of the New Zealand specimens to an Australian specimen from Victoria (K (M) 159560) and to the description of the type specimen provided by Dennis (1958) as Chlorociboria versiformis var. olivacea .

Chlorociboria olivacea is the most common species in New Zealand, found on decaying wood throughout the country, and many of the specimens are collected from the wood of Nothofagus species.

Figures

Figure 6. Chlorencoelia olivacea; A, B. Fresh specimen, hymenium dark green or bluish; C. Dried specimen, black hymenium; D. Dried specimen, detail of underside of receptacle; E. Ascoma in vertical section; F. Detail of tomentum hyphae showing clavate shape (3 % KOH). G. Detail of tomentum hyphae showing yellow VBs (water). H. Paraphyses with yellow VBs, asci with blue pore (water + IKI). I. Paraphyses with yellow VBs and tapering toward a rounded apex, asci lacking blue pore (water + IKI). J. Ascospores with 2–3 LBs (water + MLZ). K. Ascospores with two large LBs (water + MLZ). L. Croziers at ascus base (water). A. PDD 106117; B – C. PDD 106302; D, I, J. PDD 71942; E, G. PDD 93896; F. PDD 106177; H, K, L. PDD 122841. Scale bars: 1 mm (A – C); 0.1 mm (D); 10 µm (E – K).