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 Aleurodiscus australiensis
SynonymsAcanthophysium australiense
BiostatusAbsent from region
Article: Cunningham, G.H. (1963). The Thelephoraceae of Australia and New Zealand. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Bulletin 145: 359 p. Wellington:.
Description: Hymenophore annual, membranous, adherent, appearing first as numerous
small irregularly disciform colonies 2-5 mm across, which merge to form
irregular areas to 8 x 2 cm; margin free, lacerate, concolorous; hymenial
surface alutaceous or tan, velutinate, not creviced. Context isabelline, to 0.5
mm thick, basal layer a narrow partly cemented zone of parallel hyphae,
intermediate layer of erect hyphae partly cemented and compacted, embedding
masses of crystals; generative hyphae 4-5 µm diameter, walls 0.25-0.5 µm thick,
naked, with clamp connections. Acanthophyses subclavate when 28-32 x 6-8 µm,
clavate and 50-60 x 14-16 µm, or cylindrical when 4-6 µm diameter, bearing upon
the upper half crowded digitate processes which may attain a length of 4 µm.
Gloeocystidia crowded in the hymenial layer and in irregular rows through the
context, pyriform, fusiform, flexuous-cylindrical, or clavate, 35-86 x 6-22 µm,
walls commonly smooth, sometimes bearing a few spines on the apical region.
Hymenial layer to 80 µm deep, a compact palisade of basidia, paraphyses,
acanthophyses, gloeocystidia, and paraphysate hyphae. Basidia cylindrical, 55-70
x 12-16 µm, bearing 4 spores; sterigmata arcuate, stout, to 10 µm long.
Paraphyses clavate, 30-40 x 7-9 µm. Paraphysate hyphae cylindrical, moniliform,
sometimes branched, not or slightly projecting, to 6 µm diameter. Spores
obovate, elliptical, some compressed on one side, strongly apiculate, 20-26 x
14-18 µm, walls closely aculeate, hyaline, 0.2 µm thick, amyloid, spines to 4 µm
long.
Habitat: HABITAT: Scattered on bark of dead branches.
Distribution: DISTRIBUTION: Australia.
Notes: Specimens from which the description has been drawn match
the type ex "Queensland, Buderim Mt., 1912, C. T. White, No. 4" examined in Kew
herbarium. The species may be recognised by the acanthophyses of various shapes
and irregular gloeocystidia which together occupy the greater part of the
context and hymenium, large spores with aculeate spines, and cylindrical,
sometimes branched paraphysate hyphae. Basidia collapse when spores are about
two-thirds developed so that it is difficult to ascertain their size or length
of the sterigmata. Gloeocystidia when fresh are conspicuous, as contents stain
deeply. Acanthophyses are present both in the hymenial layer and scattered
through the context.
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