Hello Tony,

English language is fine on Ascofrance. I always write in English on the site.

We need more information:
Is the host substrate likely to be Lonicera = honeysuckle?
Micro photos of the hairs, particularly their tips, would be very useful. Also, are the hairs on the flanks straight or twisted?
Are the paraphyses lanceolate or rounded at the tips?
Do the tips of the asci react in Lugol = IKI (not Melzers)? If so, what colour is the reaction?
A photo of the cells of the excipulum would be useful.

There are more than four British records in the CATE2 national fungus database alone, though this is a rare species, if you have identified it correctly.

With Best Wishes,
Peter Thompson.

Hello Peter/Hans-Otto,

Thank you for your prompt reply. Tried again to see if I had some answers here, inc spores in water showing oil drops, some 4 per spore. Not great but had an issue with oil at 1000x. The substrate was unknown but around Fagus woodland but also where various flowers and shrubs were or had been growing as by open water, so I will need to go back to check for Honeysuckle. The twig I found it on was thornless, featureless, leafless and isolated so could be anything.

Added hair tips here and paras. All at 1000x. The hairs appear straight to me virtually all the way around the margin. The paras seem pointed at the tips so lanceolate perhaps. Not great pics of the tissue but few added here in case helps. The key pattern of the 'fan' didn't appear in the older material I used. Didn't use Lugol as still trying to get some, so back to Melzers. No bluing as you can see.

Many thanks for your input both, been looking at your comments for a couple of years now and great to have been involved in such a responsive forum. Peter: the three other only records were from BMS, so looks like the CATE2 database is ahead of the rest. 

Tony Hardware

Hello Tony,

I think that there is some faint bluing of the ascus tips in Melzers on two of your photos. A negative reaction would be very unusual in the Lachnaceae. Lugol would show a red reaction in some species, including Trichopezizella barbata, but Melzers will not show this.

The reason why I asked about whether there were straight or twisted hairs specifically on the flanks was to determine whether the genus of your sample is Lasiobelonium. Hairs at the margin will be straight in any case, as you say.

I think that both Zotto and I believe that you have a Lasiobelonium - probably L. lonicerae (as Zotto has already suggested.)The 1-septate spores and guttules would be correct for this species.

We will see what Zotto says when he replies.

With Best Wishes,
Peter.

Hi Otto/Peter,
You are correct Otto in that the samples did dry out more than expected and added too much pressure. However, I did take other pics with the original samples and knowing you may need this info then attach this pic showing the sepate appearing along the spore within the ascus.

Many thanks for both your help been much apprecaited. Learnt a lot already and hopefully will be more experineced next time. Still sounds like an unusual find for Cornwall for sure.

Thanks again Tony

PS: Peter - I assume your sign off last time is a German translation for Exit, or something?! :-)

Hello Tony,

I assume you are wondering about "Zotto" as a German word?  For those of us who have been using Ascofrance for a while, Zotto = Hans-Otto Baral. Probably the same as you shortening Anthony to Tony, I guess.

There are only six records of Lasiobelonium lonicerae in CATE2, three of which are mine. None from Cornwall, so yours will be the first Cornish record. The FRDBI seems to have been unavailable for some time, so can't check for records there these days.

Microfungi from the ascomycota are rarely studied in Britain, with only a small number of competent mycologists looking at them regularly. Generally, there are 'hot spots' for the 'difficult' ascos in the areas where each of us does fieldwork.

With Best Wishes,
Peter.