19-04-2026 21:23
Steve ClementsBonjour, I found this anamorphic fungus on old pl
19-04-2026 20:46
Steve Clements1 mm diameter approx spherical conidiophores on pl
12-04-2026 17:56
Hardware Tony
Found on dead stems in February earlier this year
17-04-2026 19:16
Hi to everybodyI would appreciate any assistance r
14-04-2026 05:32
Ethan CrensonHi all, A few weeks back a friend pointed out som
17-04-2026 15:14
Bruno Coué
Bonjour.Récoltes du 16/04/2026, sur feuilles mort
12-04-2026 15:52
Gernot FriebesHi,I'm looking for help with this anamorph collect
14-04-2026 21:52
Gernot FriebesHi,found on dead leaves of Carex elata. Conidia: 4
16-04-2026 22:09
Buckwheat PeteHello, I'd like to ask about this older specimen:
15-04-2026 19:33
Fátima Durán ManzanequeHi!! I need help, I found this Ascomycete but I d
Calycellina spiraeae spores
Chris Yeates,
21-10-2021 13:26

Bonjour tous
While processing images of this delightful little fungus I noticed that some of the ascospores show a distinct hyaline "sheath". I dismissed the possibility that it was an artefact, largely because it does not show on all the spores photographed in exactly the same way. As you can see it is also evident in the spore seen "end on".
I can easily see that this might be missed by normal light microscopy but wondered whether any other members have noticed this phenomenon?
Cordialement, Chris
Hans-Otto Baral,
21-10-2021 17:13
Re : Calycellina spiraeae spores
Yes, this is a sheath, and it is also visible without DIC :-)
Perhaps the spore surface staines lilac in CRB, which is due to a gel below this sheath.
Enrique Rubio,
21-10-2021 17:37
Re : Calycellina spiraeae spores
I think that these ephemeral sheaths are very frequent in the ascopores just ejected from the ascus in many Helotiales. What happens is that unless they are very conspicuous they go unnoticed.
Chris Yeates,
21-10-2021 20:23
Re : Calycellina spiraeae spores
Thank you both for these comments.
Chris
Hans-Otto Baral,
21-10-2021 20:51
Re : Calycellina spiraeae spores
Strange is that they are no always seen in a species. Just in C. spiraeae I see them in ERD 4803 but not in ERD 5959. The mentioned lilac stain with CRB seems specific for Calycellina (and some distantly related genera), but absent, e.g. in Calycina. For C. spiraeae, however, I see I once tested CRB and it was negative. But whether this is a good Calycellina is not sure (no sequence).
Enrique Rubio,
21-10-2021 20:59
Re : Calycellina spiraeae spores
What concentration of CRB do you use to try to stain the sheaths?
Hans-Otto Baral,
21-10-2021 21:55
Re : Calycellina spiraeae spores
I cannot say. There is no high concentration necessary, The medium may look hyaline but the gel on typical Calycellina spores attracts the dye.
Enrique Rubio,
24-10-2021 09:30
Re : Calycellina spiraeae spores
Thanks, Zotto.
