Exidia purpureocinerea
| Exidia purpureocinerea | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Auriculariales |
| Family: | Auriculariaceae |
| Genus: | Exidia |
| Species: | E. purpureocinerea
|
| Binomial name | |
| Exidia purpureocinerea MacOwan (1882)
| |
Exidia purpureocinerea is a species of fungus in the family Auriculariaceae. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are gelatinous, densely covered in small spines, purple-grey, and cushioned-shaped at first, becoming effused. The species occurs in southern Africa on dead wood.
Taxonomy
[edit]The species was originally described from Boschberg (in the Sneeuberge) in 1882 by Yorkshire-born, South African botanist and mycologist Peter MacOwan.[1]
Description
[edit]Exidia purpureocinerea forms purple-grey, gelatinous fruit bodies that are cushion-shaped at first, later coalescing to become irregularly effused. The surface is densely covered in small spines. The spore print is white.[1][2]
Microscopic characters
[edit]The microscopic characters are typical of the genus Exidia. The basidia are ellipsoid, septate, 14 to 18 by 10.5 to 12 μm. The spores are weakly allantoid (sausage-shaped), 14 to 18 by 4.5 to 5.5 μm.[2]
Similar species
[edit]The original description notes that Exidia purpureocinerea is similar to E. glandulosa, but differs in its colour and denser smaller papillae (spines).[1][3] The densely spiny, coalescing fruit bodies are typical of the genus Tremellochaete and the South African species resembles the New Zealand species Tremellochaete novozealandica.
Habitat and distribution
[edit]Exidia purpureocinerea is a wood-rotting species. It is currently only known from South Africa.[2][3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Kalchbrenner C (1882). "Fungi Macowaniani". Grevillea. 10 (55): 104–109.
- ^ a b c Reid DA. (1975). Type studies of the larger Basidiomycetes described from South Africa. Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium. Vol. 7. p. 118.
- ^ a b Lloyd, C.G. (1915). "Mycological Notes 39". Mycological Writings. 4 (39): 525–540.