Notes made from living material were: hairs rather sparse, often curved and with basal lumen, up to 25-30µm long; asci apparently J- (Melzer); ascospores hyaline, fusiform-cylindric, often slightly curved, some becoming 1-septate (12)13.5-16.5 x 2.5-3µm

this seems very close to Enrique Rubio's Hyalopeziza raripila - http://www.ascofrance.com/search_recolte/2730

However Seppo Huhtinen in:
Five glassy-haired Hyaloscyphaceae
Karstenia 27: 8-14.1987(1988)

writes of H. raripila "Asci cylindrical-clavate, arising from croziers, 40-55(-65) x 6-8 um, eight- spored, pore wall I-, clearly amyloid after KOH pretreatment.

Ascospores ellipsoid, straight to slightly curved, 8-12 X 2-3 um, aseptate, prominently guttulate. Paraphyses cylindrical, 1.5-2.0 um broad, not exceeding the asci, terminal cells 15-25 um long".

the spore measurements of my fungus while matching Enrique's, clearly do not match the above description. Any helpful comments very welcome!

Chris

Hans-Otto Baral, 02-02-2012 22:51

Re : Hyalopeziza?

Hi Chris

I have here a nice drawing by Ted Batten, made on living material. It shows a high oil content of the spores, a bit unusual for H. raripila, but indeed only very gradually different from Enriques spores or those of my drawing HB 4092b. Seppos drawing shows rather short spores, but actually with not much oil inside.

Yes, I see your problem is mainly spore length. I do not know why Seppo found 8-12 µm. In 1985 I wrote 15-20 µm (!). In the type of U. raripila Raschle (1977) found the spores 11-15 x 2-3 µm, so alive they were perhaps 12-16 µm long.

What you can still do is to check in Lugol: you will perhaps get a more or less clear red reaction, and after treatment with KOH and removing with water you get a blue one as Seppo writes.

On the DVD this species is found under the Naevioideae, in dir. Iridinea, at least it is presently there in my files.?

Zotto

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Chris Yeates, 06-02-2012 22:17

Re : Hyalopeziza?

Many thanks for that Zotto - I have done some more examination. Despite careful watching, with the addition of IKI any reddening of the ascus apices was scarcely convincing; however, following KOH pre-treatment the reaction with Lugol did give a distinctive blue result (see images below). I am now happy that this is Hyalopeziza raripila. It is clearly overlooked in Britain (like so many small fungi!) the only two published previous records being Batten's - http://www.fieldmycology.net/FRDBI/FRDBIrecord.asp?intGBNum=50490? - both on the same day(!), for one of which you have supplied that image (above)

thanks again

Chris

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Hans-Otto Baral, 06-02-2012 23:27

Re : Hyalopeziza?

Yes, the red reaction in this species varies a bit between pale and distinct. The blue after KOH is always better to see.

Zotto