runica

Type species:

Halographis runica Kohlm. & Volkm.-Kohlm., 1988. Can. J. Bot.., 66: 1138.

Sexual morph: saprobic, Association: crustose, endolithic, inconspicuous. Hyphae: 1.5-2.5 µm diam., forming a network in calcareous substrate, surrounding cyanobacterial cells without producing haustoria. Ascomata: 160-210 µm high, 140-200µ m wide, 1-1.5 µm long, lirellaeform, simple or irregularly branched, completely immersed in calcareous substrates, opening with a longitudinal slit, light coloured with a dark brown margin, without periphyses, single or gregarious, surrounded by cyanobacteria. Peridium: 25-35 mm thick on the sides and base, 45-75 mm around the ostiole, along the sides and base composed of loosely intertwined hyphae that are embedded in a gelatinous matrix, light brown, around the ostiolar slit forming a dark textura prismatica. Hamathecium: paraphysoid, 1-1.5 µm in diam., hyaline, branched and anastomosing, surrounded by gelatinous matrix, forming a network that tightly encloses the asci. Asci: 60-100 x 15-20 µm, 8-spored, clavate, thick-walled, bitunicate, pedunculate, nonamyloid, without apical apparatus, but with an ocular chamber, arise from an ascogenous tissue at the base of the locule. Ascospores: 17-29 x 6-9 µm, ellipsoidal to fusiform, one-septate, not constricted at the septum, hyaline. Asexual morph: Pycnidia: (spermogonia?): 95-140 µm high, 100-180 um in diam., subglobose or elongate, immersed with round or cleft-like ostiole, light brown, gregarious. Peridium:  like that of ascomata. Conidiogenous cells: 8-11 x 1-2 µm, cylindrical, phialidic, lining inside of the peridium. Conidia: 2-3 x 1-1.5 µm, ellipsoidal, one-celled, hyaline (Description: Based on Kohlm. & Volkm.-Kohlm. (1988)).

Key references:

Ananda K, Sridhar KR (2002) Diversity if filamentous fungi on decomposing leaf and woody litter of mangrove forests in Southwest coast of India. Current Science 10: 1431-1437.

Kohlmeyer, J.; Volkmann-Kohlmeyer, B. (1988) Halographis (Opegraphales), a new endolithic lichenoid from corals and snails. Canadian Journal of Botany. 66(6):1138-1141.