Hyaloscypha finlandica (C.J.K. Wang & H.E. Wilcox) Vohník, Fehrer & Réblová, root endophyte, strain PTEn-19, PTEn-11

Basionym: Phialophora finlandica C.J.K.Wang & H.E.Wilcox [as ‘finlandia’], Mycologia 77: 953. 1985. Synonyms: Cadophora finlandica (C.J.K.Wang & H.E.Wilcox) T.C.Harr. & McNew [as ‘finlandia’C], Mycotaxon 87: 147. 2003.

The colonies were lobate, olive to dark brown (Fig.2 /7, 2/8), convex, with a velvety surface and a feathery margin (Fig. 4). Their reverse-side was black and the aerial hyphae were brown to olive-brown and often covered by wart-like, distinctly paler blisters. In the peripheral part of the colony, numerous clusters of darker, thick-walled cells (Fig.4), which are similar to intracellular structures named ‘microsclerotia’ (Haselwandter, Read, 1980) or ‘sclerotial bodies’ (Wilcox, Wang, 1987), were formed. The strains were difficult to precisely determine because of the lack of conidia and conidiogenous cells. Some anamorphs of Leotiomycetes O.E. Erikss. & Winka have been suggested to be root endophytes but without possessing any clear teleomorph connections (Sutton, Hennebert, 1994). According to Day et al. (2011), Mollisia species with smaller asci would be expected to have Phialocephala anamorphs. However, the next molecular investigation of PTEn-19 (Wilczek, n.a.) indicated a 99% similarity with the Phialophora verrucosa Medlar strain WRCF-AB6. Identification of the Phialophora species using sequence data (Ko Ko et al., 2011) is difficult. Some of them, such as P. verrucosa, are known to commonly occur as plant roots endophytes. This taxon has been recognised to be part of a complex group, P. verrucosa / P. americana (Nannf.) S. Hughes (Yan et al., 1995). De Hoog et al. (1999) described two new Phialophora species from the Phialophora verrucosa complex: P. reptans de Hoog and P. sessilis de Hoog. Untereiner et al. (2008) also separated P. reptans, P. sessilis and P. europea de Hoog, Mayser & Haase from the P. verrucosa complex. Moreover, they separated P. verrucosa from P. americana. According to Su et al. (2010), most endophytic Phialophora strains have not yet been identified at a species level. My recent try of identification of this strain indicates 100% similarity with Cadophora finlandica (C.J.K. Wang & H.E. Wilcox) T.C. Harr. & McNew sequence ID KJ817298. Recently Fehrer et al. (2019) synonymised Phialophora finlandica (Cadophora finlandica) with the genus Hyaloscypha and species H. finlandica (C.J.K. Wang & H.E. Wilcox) Vohník, Fehrer & Reblova. The species is known as endophyte of Picea, Pinus (Fehrer et al. 2019) and Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. sequence ID KJ817298. Fungal mycelium of these strains PTEn-11 and PTEn-19 covered all parts of the roots. It is a very competitive strain.

Locality: The Tatra Mts., Mt. Małołączniak, in the roots of Juncus trifidus, (T-11, T-17b, T-18, T-19, T-24). coll. by A. Chlebicki, photograph: strain PTEn-19.