I agree with Zotto - I think your species does resemble Pyrenopeziza 'ulicis', as well as 'Mollisia' dextrinospora when examined when living (my collection from near Chichester, UK, had an identical ITS sequence to the type). I'd guess it is fairly closely related to these species, if not conspecific to Pyrenoepziza 'ulicis' and Mollisia dextrinospora.

As Zotto said, the morphology when living is very similar, apart from a) the ascospore warts in your collection and in Pyrenopeziza 'ulicis', and b) the dextrinoid reaction in my collection and the type of Mollisia dextrinospora. I suspect these are probably good taxonomic differences, but I'm not totally sure without DNA sequencing. Your collection also seems to have the two polar lipid bodies in the non-warted ascospores (hidden in the warted ones because of DIC?), which seems to be a good character in most of the collections in this group. The paraphyses (if living) should also contain a few faintly visible globular vescicles that stain well with brilliant cresyl blue.

If your collection is close to Mollisia dextrinospora, then description from Tasmania may not be as unusual as it seems! Mollisia dextrinospora (originally described from Madeira) has been detected in Kiwi fruit vines in New Zealand, and members of the broader group are globally distributed under the names Cadophora fastigiata/Cadophora melinii, including in Australia. Mollisia dextrinospora and Pyrenopeziza ulicis seem to overlap with Ellis and Ellis's concept of Mollisia aquosa in Microfungi on Land Plants (which does not fully resemble the type description), so a UK presence would also not seem strange.

The Mollisia dextrinospora/Cadophora fastigiata/Cadophora melinii group appears to contain quite a few non-host-specific lignicolous species. It's placed basally to the core Pyrenopeziza clade at the moment, and I think it should be included in Pyrenopeziza, at least for now.

Mollisia subglobosa is an interesting potential earlier synonym. If anyone has a PDF/scan of Rodway's original description and Thind & Singh 1972:49 (Helotiales from India XVI), I would very much appreciate a copy!

Cheers,

Brian

I featured Mollisia subglobosa Rodway in my book 'Ascomycetes in Colour Found and Photographed in Mainland Britain'. The fresh fruit bodies were a dull green to brownish green and collected in the New Forest, Hampshire growing on dead wood of Ilex aquifolium.

As with the sample being discussed here, the spores of my sample had a reticulate pattern rather than warts. Also, some of mine were slightly longer, at up to 8um.

I accepted the identification from Brian Spooner, RBG Kew, but subsequently learnt that he made many mistakes identifying my discomycete samples. It seems that Rodway's description mentions smooth spores rather than warts or a reticulate pattern, so there is an inconsistency.

Fresh collections of Pyrenopeziza ulicis seem to be very pale, without green pigmentation and with warted spores. If it is restricted to Ulex, then the collection on Ilex presumably differs.

I believe that Mollisia aquosa has smooth spores, but again, they are of similar shape and size and previously found in Britain.  

I also wonder to what extent the geographical location of previous finds of ascomycetes is important in these days of fast travel between continents. In Britain, I have recently found fruit bodies which seem macroscopically and microscopically identical to Pseudohelotium haematoideum (originally New Zealand 1879), and Lachnum lunatum (originally China 1997).

With Best Wishes,
Peter.

Just to confirm - my collection with an identical ITS sequence to the type of Mollisia dextrinospora had an IKI blue reaction. I think the IKI negativie description in the protologue was due to examination of a dried specimen.

The dextrinoid reaction in my collection was generally confined to the ascospores, but most of the apothecia I examined were newly developed after incubation, so maybe a "whole ascus" reaction would be possible in mature or dried specimens?

My species also abundantly fruited after I inoculated a piece of my culture on a cut piece of wood that was infected by some other fungus (a coeleomycete contaminant). This may or may not be coincidental, but I thought I'd mention it since the condition can probably be easily reproduced.

I personally don't think these are placed anywhere but the Mollisia dextrinospora/ Cadophora fastigiata/melinii clade. The presence of warted ascospores is very striking, but I think DNA evidence is required to show if this deserves a distinct genus given the similarities in every other aspect of apothecial morphology.

If this species is in the Mollisia dextrinospora/Cadophora fastigiata clade, the matter of whether it should be in Pyrenopeziza is of course a matter for discussion - it is distinct but closely related to the core Pyrenopeziza clade. I think this group comprises the primarily lignicolous Pyrenopezizas, e.g. Mollisia dextrinospora, Pyrenopeziza laricina, etc. (see http://www.mycobank.org/BioloMICS.aspx?Link=T&TableKey=14682616000000063&Rec=28800&Fields=All , although the sequence isn't published).

I would very much like to sequence these collections, but at the moment I'm in a bit of a limbo between PhD, postdoc labwork, a proper job, unemployment, and writing up a handful of papers... So if someone else wants to sequence them first - let me know and I can help with the phylogenetics, and I've got a living culture of Mollisia dextrinospora available. If not, I'll try to arrange something involving all interested parties.

Cheers,

Brian