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Possible Diplotomma pharcidium?

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  • December 28, 2024 at 9:08 pm #32966
    SylviaD
    Participant

      Hi,

      I found a tiny thallus on an Ash twig on the South Downs with two mature apothecia and three immature apothecia still within the thallus and I wondered if it could possibly be Diplotomma pharcidium. I have done as much a I can from just one of the apothecia – so got one spare for further tests!

      Spores – brown, 3-septate to sub-muriform and it appears that the pattern is longitudinal septa either side of the middle horizontal septa resulting in 6 cells. The spore size was 15-17.5 X 7.5-8.75 um. Several of the spores had a slight curve to them when out of the ascus making them look a bit like a jelly bean.

      Apothecia – black, the end of the paraphyses are brown

      Thallus – grey and all tests negative.

      Anyway any comments appreciated with further tests I could do or is this indeed D pharcidium. Or is this just something really common perhaps.

      Thank you

      Sylvia

      December 28, 2024 at 9:43 pm #46433
      maxieput901

        This is exactly like something I found recently as a small thallus on an ash twig in Devon. The spores like yours had few longitudinal septa which were restricted to the middle cells. I was uncertain about the true margin as is was not particularly well developed but I recorded it as D. pharcidium and kept the specimen. It’s not a commonly recorded species. I should be interested in Juliet’s thoughts on this one.

        December 28, 2024 at 10:59 pm #46434
        JennyS

          It looks like ones I found on an Ash twig in Co.Limerick, Ireland in August and recorded as Diplotomma pharcidium, the spores 3-septate becoming sub-muriform, 14-20 x 7-9.5 µm:

          l-575a2.jpg

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          l-m575a2.jpg

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          December 29, 2024 at 9:24 am #46435
          SylviaD
          Participant

            Thanks both,

            Your photos were very helpful Jenny as there aren’t many photos available it seems. I’ll record as D pharcidium for the moment and keep the specimen – although this amounts to one mature apothecia and a tiny bit of thallus! I might have another tiny bit on another twig though.

            Best wishes

            Sylvia

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