Pseudotremella moriformis is a species of fungus in the family Bulleraceae. It produces dark purple, pustular, gelatinous basidiocarps (fruit bodies) and is parasitic on pyrenomycetous fungi (Diaporthe species) on dead herbaceous stems and wood. It was originally described from England.
| Pseudotremella moriformis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Tremellomycetes |
| Order: | Tremellales |
| Family: | Bulleraceae |
| Genus: | Pseudotremella |
| Species: | P. moriformis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Pseudotremella moriformis | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Tremella moriformis Sm. & Sowerby (1812) | |
Taxonomy and etymology
editAs Tremella moriformis, the species was originally described from Surrey in 1812 by English naturalists James Edward Smith and James Sowerby. It remained in Tremella until 2015 when molecular research, based on cladistic analysis of DNA sequences, showed that it was only distantly related to this genus and belonged instead to the newly proposed Pseudotremella in the family Bulleraceae.[1]
Tremella atroglobosa, described from Brazil, and T. colorata, described from the US, are widely considered synonyms of T. moriformis.[2][3]
The Latin epithet "moriformis" means "mulberry-shaped", with reference to both the shape and colour of typical fruit bodies.
Description
editFruit bodies are gelatinous, dark purple-black, pustular, up to 0.5 cm across, but sometimes becoming larger (up to 1.5 cm across) and cerebriform (brain-like) through confluence. They emerge from the perithecia of their host. Microscopically, the basidia are tremelloid (globose to ellipsoid, with vertical or oblique septa), 2 to 4-celled, 15 to 22 by 14 to 20 μm. The basidiospores are subglobose, smooth, 8 to 9 by 8.5 to 10 μm.[4]
Similar species
editSeveral species, such as Tremella globispora and Tremella exigua, produce similarly shaped, gelatinous fruit bodies on pyrenomycetous hosts, but are differently coloured, ranging from hyaline and white to brown or greenish black.[4]
Habitat and distribution
editPseudotremella moriformis is a parasite on Diaporthe species and possibly other ascomycetous hosts. It is found on dead, attached or fallen wood of deciduous trees.[4]
The species was described from England and has been reported elsewhere in the United Kingdom and from continental Europe in Belgium,[5] France,[6] Germany,[4] Italy,[7][8] Poland,[9] Portugal,[10] and Spain.[10] Outside Europe, the species has also been reported from Canada,[11] the US,[7][11] and Brazil.[3]
References
edit- ^ Liu XZ, Wang QM, Göker M, Groenewald M, Kachalkin AV, Lumbsch HT, Millanes AM, Wedin M, Yurkov AM, Boekhout T, Bai FY (2015). "Towards an integrated phylogenetic classification of the Tremellomycetes". Studies in Mycology. 81: 85–147. doi:10.1016/j.simyco.2015.12.001. PMC 4777781. PMID 26955199.
- ^ Donk MA. (1966). "Check list of European hymenomycetous heterobasidiae". Persoonia. 4: 145–335.
- ^ a b Lowy B. (1971). Flora Neotropica 6: Tremellales. New York: Hafner. ISBN 0-89327-220-5.
- ^ a b c d Chen C-J (1998). Morphological and molecular studies in the genus Tremella. Berlin: J. Cramer. p. 225. ISBN 978-3-443-59076-5.
- ^ Schoutteten J, van de Put K (2008). "Enkele Interessante heterobasidiomyceten uit België". Sterbeeckia. 28: 42–44.
- ^ Bourdot H, Galzin A (1928). Hyménomycètes de France. Sceaux.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^ a b Coker WC (1920). "Notes on the lower basidiomycetes of North Carolina". Journal of the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society. 35: 113–182.
- ^ Lonati G. (1997). "Heterobasidiomycetes in area Mediterranea". Micologia e Vegetazione Mediterranea. 12: 99–113.
- ^ Wojewoda W (2003). Biodiversity of Poland, Vol. 7: Checklist of Polish larger basidiomycetes. Kraków: Polish Academy of Sciences. p. 812.
- ^ a b Dueñas M (2002). Annotated list of heterobasidiomycetous fungi for the Iberian peninsula and Balearic Islands. Berlin: J. Cramer. p. 90. ISBN 9783443590987.
- ^ a b Hanson LC, Wells K (1991). "Compatibility and population studies of three species of Tremella". Mycologia. 83 (3): 273–287. doi:10.2307/3759987.