Microstructures

Quite clearly this species! You seem to do your microscopic work on the dried material?`Fresh looks very different! Again the hairs look strange on your drawing. I canot interpret.

Zotto

Thank you, Zotto,
Material was dried, than rehydrated, but not too old. This specimen has been collected two weeks ago. Irina

The next time please study fresh specimens, this is much more valuable, also under the microscope. It avoids a lot of artifacts.

Zotto

Ok, I'll try And how much time after collection the specimen can be treated as "fresh"?
Irina

You must know that there are two quite different ecological groups in ascomycetes: those who tolerate drying and those who don't.

The former you can dry and study some days or weeks or even months after collecting. They are usualy collected in the dry state because it is easier and nicer to collect during a nice weather. Simply rehydrate them and they are not only externally fresh but also fully alive concerning most of their cells.

The latter group is sensitive, and those must be kept in a moist box, where they survive a few days usually. I advice to put them in a cold room or even the refrigerator (ca. 8°C), where they can easily survive a week or more.

How to distinguish between the two groups? The former grow on exposed substrate, dead attached branches etc. Such fungi are only wet during rainfalls, or when it is cold and above ca. 95% air humidity. A well-known example of basidios is Exidia and Tremella.

Zotto

That is very important information for me. Actually I'm a beginner and this is my first year of discomycetes studying. Here, in Ukraine, this group remains almost unexplored. Also in my work I faced with a problem of lacking of modern literature concerning discomycetes.
I'll be very thankful if you could share some literature (possibly on DVD?) with me.

Irina

This is very important information to me. Actually, I'm a beginner and study discomycetes for the first year. Here, in Ukraine this group remains almost unexplored. Now I was faced with a lack of modern literature concerning discomycetes. I'll be thankful if you could share some literature (possibly on DVD?) with me.
Irina

Dear Irina

I can send you my DVD which contains some literature too, but lots of images of ascos. Other literature I can send you by mail from time to time.

If you don't have the DVD please tell me your postal address

Zotto

Thank you very much!!

My postal adress is
Irina I. Morozova,
Department of Mycology and Plant Resistance
Biological faculty
V.N. Karazin's National University
Svobody square, 4, 61077
Kharkiv, UKRAINE

And my email is irina_disco@yahoo.com
P.S. I looked at the specimen from the previous item, probably it is Dasiscyphella nivea:)

Irina

It will take some time I think, the postal way (it will be sent by Guy Marson from Luxembourg).

Zotto

Thank you, I'll be waiting with impatience!
Irina