Go to Landcare Research home page
 
Home About Mushrooms Simple key Genus (A-Z) Help

« Back

Go to the NZFungi website for more indepth information on Xylaria wellingtonensis. Xylaria wellingtonensis

Biostatus

Present in region - Indigenous. Endemic

Images (click to enlarge)

 

Caption: Fig. 7 Xylaria wellingtonensis A, Fertile head. B, Stroma. C, Ascal ring (Melzer's reagent). D, Ascospores (Melzer's reagent). E, Ascospore with germ slit (Melzer's reagent) (PDD 39920; Lines B = 1 cm; C, D, E = 10 µm).
 
Description: Stromata: Stromata upright (taller than broad) (several globose, fertile heads attached to flattened stipe); stipitate; 20-40 mm tall; 2-4 mm diam.; perithecia inconspicuous, or conspicuous; ostioles lower than or more or less equal to stromatal surface; stromatal surface wrinkled; dark brown (brown vinaceous), or blackish; KOH-extractable pigments lacking; tissue below perithecia conspicuous, essentially homogeneous, white.
Perithecia: Perithecia more or less globose; 0.5-1 mm diam.
Asci: Stipe short with spores filling about two-thirds of ascus; amyloid ring higher than broad.
Ascospores: Ascospores 20-25 µm long; 6-8 µm wide; brown; 0-septate; in side view inequilateral, flattened on one side, curved; in face view elliptic, or oblong-elliptic; ends narrowly rounded. Germ slit straight, less than spore-length; on flattened side of spore. Perispore indehiscent in 10% KOH.

Article: Rogers, J.D.; Samuels, G.J. (1987) [1986]. Ascomycetes of New Zealand 8. Xylaria. New Zealand Journal of Botany 24(4): 615-650 (http://www.rsnz.org/publish/abstracts.php).
Description: Stromata flattened, with terminal clusters of globose fertile heads, each head 2-4 mm diam., with several perithecia per head, with long pubescent stipes, the stromata in total 4 cm high x 1 cm broad. Fertile heads dull black, interior white, stipes blackish brown. Surface of fertile heads wrinkled and tuberculate; perithecial ostiolar papillae discoid. Perithecia 0.5-1 mm diam. Asci 8-spored, cylindrical, long-stipitate, 200-250 µm total length x 7.5-8 µm broad, the spore-bearing parts 150-170 µm long. Apical ring of ascus J+, urn-shaped, 4.5 µm high x 3.7 µm broad. Ascospores brown, smooth, one-celled, ellipsoid-inequilateral, 20-23(25) x (6-)7-8 µm, with straight germ slit slightly less than spore length.
Habitat: HABITAT: Decorticated wood.
Distribution: DISTRIBUTION: NORTH ISLAND: Wellington, known only from the type collection.
Notes: NOTES: This species is characterised by having globoid fertile heads attached to a flattened stipe. Ascospore shape and stromal surface indicates that it is related to X. polymorpha.