77a). Peridium 45–60 μm wide, thicker at the apex, thinner at the base, 1-layered, composed Protein Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor of small pigmented thick-walled compressed cells, cells ca. 15 × 3 μm diam., cell wall 2–3.5 μm thick, apex cells larger, base composed of small pigmented thick-walled cells of textura angularis, ca. 5 μm diam. (Fig. 77b). Hamathecium
of dense, cellular pseudoparaphyses, 1–2 μm broad, embedded in mucilage, anastomosing or branching not observed. Asci 180–250 × 28–42 μm (\( \barx = 206.3 \times 36.8\mu m \), n = 10), 8-spored, bitunicate, fissitunicate, broadly cylindrical to broadly cylindro-clavate, with a short, thick pedicel, 15–45 μm long, with inconspicuous Selleck Pevonedistat ocular chamber (Fig. 77c and d). Ascospores 45–58 × 12.5–17.5 μm (\( \barx = 50.5 \times 14.8\mu m \), n = 10), biseriate, narrowly oblong with broadly to narrowly rounded ends, brown, muriform with 5–8 transverse septa and 1–2 vertical septa in some cells, smooth to verrucose, constricted at the septa, surrounded by a mucilaginous sheath (Fig. 77e, f and g). Anamorph: Prosthemium betulinum Kunze (Sivanesan PD0332991 manufacturer 1984). Conidia to 120 μm diam., with 3–5 arms, each arm 3–5-septate, 40–55 × 13–16 μm, connected to a central
cell (Fig. 77h, i and j). Material examined: UK, Wiltshire, Spye Park, on branch of Betulina with Hendersonia polycystis Berk., et Br. leg. C.E. Broome, 1850? (BR, type). Notes Morphology Pleomassaria as characterized by Barr (1982b) has medium- to large-sized, immersed ascomata,
cellular pseudoparaphyses, Methocarbamol clavate to oblong asci and large, muriform ascospores (Barr 1982b; Sivanesan 1984). The muriform and somewhat asymmetrical ascospores with a submedian primary septum distinguish Pleomassaria from Asteromassaria in the family Pleomassariaceae, while in Splanchnonema ascospores have distinct bipolar asymmetry. Barr (1982b) included five North American species in the genus, while Kirk et al. (2008) listed four species. Barr (1993a) treated Pleomassaria as a synonym of Splanchnonema based on a morphological cladistic analysis, but this proposal was not followed by later workers (Eriksson 2006; Lumbsch and Huhndorf 2007; Tanaka et al. 2005). Phylogenetic study Pleomassaria siparia forms a robust phylogenetic clade with Melanomma pulvis-pyrius (generic type) (Schoch et al. 2009; Zhang et al. 2009a), which might represent a phylogenetic family (or suborder?). Concluding remarks The genera Asteromassaria, Pleomassaria and Splanchnonema of Pleomassariaceae are considered to be closely related and difficult to separate (Barr 1982b; Crivelli 1983). They all have ascomata which are immersed in bark and are visible as slightly raised pustules with small ostioles, but may eventually become erumpent (e.g. Asteromassaria macrospora). Pseudoparaphyses are cellular, asci are bitunicate, while ascospores vary from 1-septate and pale brown (e.g.