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 Helicogloea alba
SynonymsSeptobasidium album
BiostatusPresent in region - Indigenous. Non endemic
Article: McNabb, R.F.R. (1964). New Zealand Tremellales - I. New Zealand Journal of Botany 2(4): 403-414 (http://www.rsnz.org/publish/abstracts.php).
Description: Fructifications arid, indeterminate, pallid
cream when fresh, changing little on drying, effused, forming irregular areas
up to 6 cm in extent, 0.5-l mm thick, surface pulverulent or pruinose, creviced
when old. In section composed of two poorly differentiated regions, lower region
coin-posed of ascending hyphae with slightly thickened walls, 4-5.5 µm diam.;
upper region composed of coiled, compactly arranged hyphae, 2-5-3.5 µm diam.,
spirally coiled apically; hyphae of both regions sparingly septate, clamp connections
present. Probasidia arising laterally from intercalary primordial cells, thin-walled,
clavate, straight or curved, often constricted in one to several places, 50-80
x 7-12 µm. Metabasidia arising from base of probasidia or from upper portion
of primordial cells, subclavate, transversely 3-septate, 35-55 x 8-10-5µm.;
sterigmata to 10 µm long. Basidiospores ovoid, slightly flattened on one side,
hyaline, apiculus truncated, 10-16 x 7-9.5 µm. Germination by repetition.
Habitat: Angiosperm bark and wood.
Notes: Helicogloea alba was first described by Burt as a species of Septobasidium but was excluded
from that genus by Couch (1938, p. 295) on the grounds that it was not associated
with scale insects on living plants.
As pointed out by Couch Helicogloea alba
agrees with the description of H. contorta Baker in many respects, but
the two species apparently differ in texture. H. contorta is described
as floccose whereas the texture of H. alba is corticioid. Macroscopically,
H. alba closely resembles Scytinostroma portentosum (Berk. & Curt.)
Donk.
Article: Burt, E.A. (1926). The Thelephoraceae of North America. XV. Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden 13: 173-354.
Description: Fructifications resupinate, effused, adnate, thick, fleshy, white, somewhat colliculose,
pulverulent, contracting in drying and forming a few large fissures at 2-3 mm. apart, the
margin somewhat tomentose; in structure 600-700 µ thick, not colored, composed of densely
interwoven and ascending, even-walled, hyaline hyphae 3-4 µ in diameter, occasionally
nodose-septate, not encrusted; no probasidia seen; spore-bearing organs straight, 3-septate,
75 x 6 µ, confined to the outer 150 µ of the hymenium, only rarely reaching the surface and
protruding; spores simple hyaline, even, 10-12-15 x 7-9 µ, borne singly on the outer 3 cells of
the spore-bearing organs so far as observed; surface of the hymenium composed of slender,
hyaline, matted and coiled paraphyses or hyphal branches 2 µ in diameter.
Fructifications 1-3 cm. long, 1-1½ cm. wide.
On bark of dead, fallen branches of Nothofagus. New Zealand. December.
Notes: S. album somewhat resembles Corticium portentosum and is exceptional, if there is no error
in the collector's data, by its occurrence on dead, fallen branches. The hymenial surface of
coiled paraphyses, absence of probasidia, and hyphae extending from all parts of the
substratum into the fructification without consolidation into supporting pillars are additional
characters for recognition of the species.
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