Fulvophyton cerei Tehler comb. nov.

MycoBank No.: MB 817183

Enterostigma cerei Schiman-Czeika, Sydowia 17: 82 (1964).—Melampylidium cerei (Schiman-Czeika) Redon & Follmann, Philippia 1: 189 (1972) [as Melampydium].—Sclerophyton cerei (Schiman-Czeika) Sipman, Biblioth. Lichenol. 106: 304 (2011); type: Chile, Prov. Atacama, Sta. Barbara, Küste, an Cereus iquiquensis, 1962, Follmann 17728-R (W—holotype, not seen).

Schismatomma atacamense Dodge, Nova Hedwigia 12: 327 (1966); type: Chile, Atacama Province, Carrizal Bajo, 200 m, on Trichocereus, s. ann., Follmann 14926 (W—holotype, not seen); Follmann 16027 (M-isotype, (scripsit Follmann ISOTYPUS)); Follmann 16036 (S-L11132 isotype, (donated as isotype of Schismatomma atacamense by J. Redon to A. Tehler 1977)).

Melampylidium follmannii C. W. Dodge, Nova Hedwigia 12: 330 (1966) [as Melampidium]; type: Chile, Aconcagua Province, Zapallar, on bark of Pinus radiata, s. ann., Follmann 14926 (W—holotype, not seen).

(Figs 1 & 2)

Fig. 1

Fulvophyton cerei. Chile, Atacama Prov., Taltal, 30 km N of town, 25°20·203'S 70°26·740'W, 2009, Tehler 9909, (S-F206060). Scale=5 mm. In colour online.

Fig. 2

Parsimony jackknife tree showing the proposed phylogenetic relationships among 13 specimens representing 6 species of Fulvophyton based on nuLSU and RPB2 data analyzed in TNT (Goloboff et al. Reference Goloboff, Farris and Nixon2003, Reference Goloboff, Farris and Nixon2008). Parsimony jackknife frequencies are plotted at nodes. GenBank Accession numbers act as specimen and sequence identifiers indicating nuLSU and RPB2 respectively. New sequences for Fulvophyton cerei are in bold.

Redon & Follmann (Reference Redon and Follmann1972) point out that Melampylidium cerei and Schismatomma atacamense are synonymous but the types were not listed in a nomenclaturally conventional way to formally acknowledge this. Thus, even though the type material of the former taxon was not studied by the author (AT) for the purposes of this paper, there can be little doubt that it is indeed conspecific with the latter taxon since Follmann himself collected the type material for both.

In contrast to the other species in Fulvophyton (Ertz & Tehler Reference Ertz and Tehler2011), F. cerei does not develop aggregated, punctiform or shortly lirellate ascomata but rather entire, undulating or slightly elongated, sessile ascomata similar to those of, for example, Dirina or crustose Roccellina (Fig. 1). In other respects it agrees morphologically very well with Fulvophyton, most notably by the hyaline or pale hypothecium and the ascospores with a distinct gelatinous sheath. Furthermore, molecular data unambiguously place Fulvophyton cerei in the Fulvophyton clade (Ertz & Tehler Reference Ertz and Tehler2011) with significant support as sister species to F. klementii (recombined below) and successively with significant support as sister species to the generic type F. stalactinum (Fig. 2).

As pointed out by Sipman (Reference Sipman2011), two other species described as Melampylidium by Dodge (Reference Dodge1966) should probably be referred to the newly combined Fulvophyton cerei, formerly Sclerophyton cerei, viz. M. follmannii C. W. Dodge and M. chilenum C. W. Dodge. On the basis of the protologue this is most certainly correct for Melampylidium follmannii which is now synonymized with Fulvophyton. However, the protologue for M. chilenum indicates that it is not conspecific with F. cerei, most importantly because Dodge (Reference Dodge1966) refers to it as a terricolous species growing on soil, in contrast to Fulvophyton cerei which is known only as corticolous or lignicolous. Furthermore, the conidia of Melampylidium chilenum are described as short (6 µm) and bacilliform, whereas Fulvophyton cerei develops long (15–20 µm) filiform conidia.

See Sipman (Reference Sipman2011) for further nomenclatural and taxonomic notes on Fulvophyton cerei (Sclerophyton cerei).

Additional material examined. Chile: Prov. Coquimbo: La Serena, just north of La Serena at the tip of Bahia de Coquimbo, 1977, Tehler 2804 (S-L50987); 22 km N La Serena, on seaward slope, alt. 50 m, 29°43'S, 71°20'W, 2001, Tehler 8385 (S-L28662); 30 km N of La Serena, 3 km S Los Hornos, on seaward slope, alt. 160 m, 29°40'S, 71°19'W, 2001, Tehler 8401 (S-L28669); Los Hornos 3 km S town, c. 30 km N of La Serena, 29°37·942'S 71°17·570'W, 2009, Tehler 9891 (S-F206056). Prov. Atacama: Taltal 30 km N of town, 25°20·203'S 70°26·740'W, 2009, Tehler 9909 (S-F206060), Tehler 9910 (S-F206061).

Fulvophyton klementii (Follmann) Tehler comb. nov.

MycoBank No.: MB 817184

Chiodecton klementii Follmann, Nova Hedwigia 14: 227 (1967).—Sclerophyton klementii (Follmann) Sipman, Biblioth. Lichenol. 106: 304 (2011); type: Chile, Desertum Atacama, Mons Moreno prope Antofagasta, 450 m, SW-SO, ad truncos Eulychniae iquiquensis, s. ann. Follmann 14813 (W—holotype, not seen).

Sclerophyton desertorum Sparrius, Biblioth. Lichenol. 89: 69 (2004).—Fulvophyton desertorum (Sparrius) Ertz & Tehler, Fungal Diversity 49: 54 (2011); type: Chile, Antofagasta Prov., Cerro Moreno a few km W of Juan Lopez, on the southern part of Peninsula de Mejillones N of Antofagasta, alt. 250–700 m, 2001-11-27, Anders Tehler 8445 (holotype, S-L28713).

(Fig. 2)

See Sipman (Reference Sipman2011) for nomenclatural notes concerning the Follmann type specimens.