Bull. Natn. Sci. Mus., Tokyo, Ser. B, 32(4), pp. 151–160, December 22, 2006

Some New Records of Loculoascomycetes from Yakushima Island,Southern Japan
Kazuaki Tanaka1 and Tsuyoshi Hosoya2
1

Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University,
Bunkyocho 3, Hirosaki, Aomori, 036–8561, Japan
E-mail: k-tanaka@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp
2
Department of Botany, National Science Museum, Tokyo,
Amakubo 4–1–1, Tsukuba, 305–0005, Japan
E-mail: hosoya@kahaku.go.jp

Abstract Six species belonging to Loculoascomycetes were described and the taxonomic notes
were provided based on collections from Yakushima Isl. Byssosphaeria schiedermayeriana, Glonium clavisporum, Herpotrichia macrotricha, Hysterographium fraxini, and Rhytidhysteron rufulum
were new to Japan. The teleomorph of Dendryphiopsis atra, K. incrustans was first found in Japan,
and the teleomorph anamorph relationship was confirmed by single ascospore isolation.
Key words : Dothideomycetes, Hysteriales, mycobiota, Patellariales, Pleosporales.

Introduction
In 1993, Yakushima Island in Southern Japanwas registered as the world heritage area, because of the geological and biological diversity.
The heavy precipitation about 5,000–8,000
mm/year and the geological diversity cause a variety of vegetation on the Island. Due to a potential biodiversity of fungi, the region has received
much attention from mycologists in the past(Morimoto, 1953; Hiratsuka et al., 1955; Katumoto, 1958, 1965, 1975; Katsuki, 1965; Otani
and Tubaki, 1976; Kobayashi, 1976, 1977), butlittle is known about the Loculoascomycetes mycobiota. For example, loculoascomycetous taxa
account for only 15% of 167 species listed asfungi on woody or vine plants in Yakushima(Kobayashi, 1977). Most of them are parasitic
species like sooty molds, with the exception of
Leptosphaeria buddlejae I. Hino & Katum. andTrematosphaeria yakushimensis Tak. Kobsay. belonging to Pleosporales, and there is no information about saprophytic members such as Hysteriales or Patellariales.
In the course of a research program in the Na-tional Science Museum (Taxonomic research forplants and fungi in areas with remarkable biodiversity in Japan), a survey of microfungi including loculoascomycetes was carried out. In thispaper, we present six Loculoascomycetes of Hysteriales, Pleosporales and Patellariales new toJapan with taxonomic notes.
Materials and Methods
Methods of microscopic observation and single ascospore isolation followed Tanaka andHarada (2003). Specimens cited in this paper
were kept at the Herbaria of the National Science
Museum (TNS) and Hirosaki University(HHUF). All culture strains were deposited at theculture collections of RIKEN BioResource Center (JCM).
Descriptions
1. Byssosphaeria schiedermayeriana (Fuckel)
M.E. Barr, Mycotaxon 20: 34, 1984.
(PLEOSPORALES)(Fig. 1)

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Ascomata 520–700500–780 m m, superficial on subiculum, turbinate, non papillate, withan orange to yellow ostiole, surrounded by numerous brown hyphae of 4–4.5 m m wide. Ascomatal wall 50–75 m m thick at sides, 85–100 m m
thick at base, composed of 2 zones; inner zone
composed of hyaline prismatic cells of 5–15
3.5–7.5 m m; outer zone 35–50 m m thick, composed of brown globose to rectangular cells.
Pseudoparaphyses 1–2 m m wide. Asci 159–184(–200)12.5–15 m m (mean 173.813.8 m m,n20), cylindrical to clavate, bitunicate, 8spored, with a long stipe of 43–68 m m. Ascospores 31.5–425.5–8 m m (mean 36.86.7
m m, n50), L/W 4.5–6.6 (mean 5.5, n50), narrowly fusiform, with a median (0.47–0.53; mean
0.50, n50) septum, hyaline, surrounded by asheath.
Materials examined: TNS-F-12462HHUF
29638 (KT 1947), Hirauchi, Isl. Yakushima,
Kagoshima Pref., 22-X-2005, on dead culms of
Rhapis excelsa; single ascospore culture (JCM
14417).
Known distribution: Cosmopolitan in warm regions (Barr, 1984).
Notes: This fungus is readily recognized by theascomata having orange to yellow ostiole andmany brown hyphae. It has a worldwide distribution in warm regions, particularly in the tropics(Barr, 1984; Hyde et al., 1999) and occurs on awide range of hosts, i.e., various woody plants(Bose, 1961; Sivanesan, 1972), bamboo (Chenand Hsieh, 2004a), and palms such as Cocos nucifera, Archontophoenix alexandrae, and Trachycarpus fortunei (Hyde et al., 1999). Rhapis excelsa (palmae) is a new host for this fungus.
In previous reports (Bose, 1961; Sivanesan,1972), the appendages of both ends of ascospores
were noted for this fungus. Chen and Hsieh(2004a) noted the extra cellular material as “mucilaginous sheath” surrounding ascospores andprotruding at ends as appendages. Our collection
agrees well with the opinion by Chen and Hsieh(2004a). Particularly, the entire sheath was observed in the ascospores in fresh condition (Fig.
1-E).

2. Glonium clavisporum Seaver, Mycologia
17: 4, 1925. (HYSTERIALES)(Fig. 2)
Ascomata 800–3800 m m long, 300–420 m mwide, 300–350 m m high, hysterothecioid, carbonaceous, ellipsoid, erumpent to superficial,straight to flexuous, mostly gregarious.
Pseudoparaphyses ca. 1 m m wide. Asci 98–
1289–11 m m (mean 114.510.0 m m, n20),
bitunicate, cylindrical, short-stalked (5–18 m mlong), with 8 uniseriate ascospores. Ascospores
22–276–7 m m (mean 24.56.5 m m, n30),
L/W 3.4–4.5 (mean 3.8, n30), caudate toclavate, rounded at the apex and slightly acute at
the base, mostly curved, with a primary septum
supramedian (0.43–0.49; mean 0.47, n30), constricted, hyaline.
Materials examined: TNS-F-12403HHUF
29639 (KT 1840), Shiratani-Unsuikyou, Isl.
Yakushima, Kagoshima Pref., 18-X-2005, onbark of Kalopanax pictus; TNS-F-12433
HHUF 29640 (KT 1893), Senpiro-waterfall, Isl.
Yakushima, Kagoshima Pref., 20-X-2005, on
dead wood; single ascospore culture isolated
from KT 1893 (JCM 14418).
Known distribution: Nicaragua (Seaver, 1925),
China (Teng, 1996).
Notes: We identified the above cited materials
as G. clavisporum based on the descriptions anddetailed illustrations provided by Teng (1996), although the size of ascospores was slightly larger
than that in the original description (vs. 20(–22)6–7 m m; Seaver, 1925).
3. Herpotrichia macrotricha (Berk. &Broome) Sacc., Syll. fung. 2: 213, 1883.
(PLEOSPORALES)(Fig. 3)
Ascomata 300–410280–420 m m, superficial on subiculum, subglobose, non-papillate,with numerous dark brown hyphae of 4–5 m m
wide. Ascomatal wall 30–35 m m thick at sides,
composed of 6–8 layers of polygonal cells of
5–225–7.5 m m. Pseudoparaphyses 1.5–2 m m
wide. Asci 115–14511–13 m m (mean 127.0
11.5 m m, n20), cylindrical to clavate, bitunicate, 8-spored, with a short stipe of 7–17 m mlong. Ascospores 31–374–6 m m (mean 34.0New Records of Loculoascomycetes from Yakushima

153

Fig. 1. Byssosphaeria schiedermayeriana (TNS-F-12462)
A, Ascomata on host. B, Close-up of ascoma with numerous hyphae. C–E, Ascospores. Note the expanded
sheath in E (arrowheads). F, Ascospores with appendage-like sheath elongated at both ends (arrowheads). G,
Pseudoparaphyses. H, Ascus with a long stipe. I, Longitudinal section of ascoma. J, Ascomal wall.
Scales. A, B, 500 m m; C–H, J, 20 m m; I, 100 m m

154Kazuaki Tanaka and Tsuyoshi Hosoya

Fig. 2. Glonium clavisporum (TNS-F-12433)
A, Ascomata on host. B, Longitudinal section of ascoma. C, Germinating ascospore. D–F, Ascospores. G.
Ascus, H, Ascus apex.
Scales. A, 500 m m; B, 100 m m; C–H, 20 m m

5.3 m m, n30), L/W (5.5–) 5.9–7.3 (mean 6.5,n30), fusiform, hyaline, with a septum nearly
median (0.49–0.54; mean 0.51, n30), surrounded by a sheath; sheath appendage-like, 7–11 m mlong at tips, 1–3 m m wide at sides.
Materials examined: TNS-F-12445HHUF
29642 (KT 1911), Forest path near Sarugawa
gajyumaru park, Isl. Yakushima, Kagoshima
Pref., 21-X-2005, on dead culm of gramineae;
single ascospore culture (JCM 14419).
Known distribution: Widely distributed in temperate regions (Barr, 1984).
Notes: One of the most striking features of
Herpotrichia macrotricha is the ostiole of ascomata noted as “cap-like apex (Barr, 1984)” or“conical ostiolar cavity (Chen and Hsieh,
2004a).” This feature was quite evident in thespecimen we examined (Fig. 3-J). Sivanesan(1972) noted that the ascospores of H.

macrotricha were 1-septate and hyaline at first,
but later becoming 3–5-septate and brown. However, Chen and Hsieh (2004a) mostly observed 1septate and hyaline ascospores in Taiwan materials and we also obtained a similar result. It canbe assumed that the pigmented ascospores withseveral septa are senescent spores.
4. Hysterographium fraxini (Pers.) De Not.,
Piren. Ister. 2 (7–8): 22, 1847. (HYSTERIALES)(Fig. 4)
Ascomata 500–1500 m m long, 150–250 m mwide, 200–250 m m high, hysterothecioid, carbonaceous, ellipsoid, erumpent to superficial.
Pseudoparaphyses 1–2 m m wide. Asci 96–120
28.5–37 m m, bitunicate, clavate, 8-spored. Ascospores (28.5–) 32–4112.5–16.5 m m (mean36.414.4 m m, n40), L/W 2.2–3.0 (mean 2.5,n40), ellipsoid to broadly fusiform, with 6–9

New Records of Loculoascomycetes from Yakushima

155

Fig. 3. Herpotrichia macrotricha (TNS-F-12445)
A, Ascomata on host. B, C, Asci. D–F, Ascospores with appendage-like sheath elongated at both ends (arrowheads). G, Pseudoparaphyses. H, Ascomal wall. I, Longitudinal section of ascoma. J. Neck of ascoma.
Note conical ostiolar cavity.
Scales. A, 500 m m; B–H, 20 m m; I, J, 100 m m(–10) transverse and 1–3 vertical septa, slightly
constricted at the submedian (0.50–0.57; mean
0.54, n38) primary septum, brown, smooth.
Materials examined: TNS-F-12416HHUF

29644 (KT 1867), Nunobiki waterfall park, Isl.
Yakushima, Kagoshima Pref., 19-X-2005, on
dead wood; single ascospore culture (JCM14420).

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Kazuaki Tanaka and Tsuyoshi Hosoya

Fig. 4. Hysterographium fraxini (TNS-F-12416)
A, Ascomata on host. B, Longitudinal section of ascoma. C, Germinating ascospore. D–F, Ascospores. G,
Ascus.
Scales. A, 500 m m; B, 100 m m; C–G, 20 m m

Known distribution: Cosmopolitan (Barr,
1990).
Notes: This fungus is a cosmopolitan species
and has been recorded from various woody
plants. The primary septum of the ascospores isnoted as “median” by Barr (1990) and Checa(2004), but our material showed slightly “submedian” septum. Amano (1979) reported H. fraxinion braches of broad-leaves trees in Japan, butlater he re-identified the material as Gloniopsis
macrospora Amano (Amano, 1983).
5. Kirschsteiniothelia incrustans (Ellis &Everh.) Chi Y. Chen & W.H. Hsieh, Sydowia 56:
232, 2004. (PLEOSPORALES)(Fig. 5)
Ascomata 210–300 m m diam, globose, superficial, scattered. Pseudoparaphyses 2 m m
wide. Asci 95–11016–17 m m, broadly cylindrical, bitunicate, 8-spored. Ascospores 22–26.5

8–12 m m (mean 24.89.5 m m, n30), L/W(2.1–) 2.5–2.9 (3.1) (mean 2.6, n30), ellipsoid to broadly fusiform, with a submedian(0.51–0.59; mean 0.56, n30) septum, slightly
constricted at the septum, mostly inequilateral in
the upper cell, brown, without sheath or appendages.
Materials examined: TNS-F-12439HHUF
29645 (KT 1901), Yudomari forest path, Isl.
Yakushima, Kagoshima Pref., 20-X-2005, on
dead wood; single ascospore culture (JCM
14421).
Known distribution: The anamorphic state has
been recorded from the temperate or tropical regions as follow; Europe, Kenya, New Zealand,
North America (Ellis, 1971), Solomon Islands(Matsushima, 1971), Japan (Otani and Tubaki,1976), Cuba (Mercado, 1984), and India (Subramanian and Sekar, 1987).

New Records of Loculoascomycetes from Yakushima

157

Fig. 5. Kirschsteiniothelia incrustans (A–F, TNS-F-12439; G–I, JCM 14421)
A, Ascomata on host (arrowheads). B, Longitudinal section of ascoma. C, Germinating ascospore. D, Ascus
and pseudoparaphyses. E, F, Ascospores. G, H, Conidia and conidiophores. I, Conidium.
Scales. A, 500 m m; B, 100 m m; C–F, H, I, 20 m m; G, 100 m m

Notes: The single asocospore isolate of thisfungus produced a dematiaceous hyphomycete
with (33–) 40–55.5(11.5–) 13–18.5 m m (mean47.814.8 m m, n30) and 3–4-septate poroconidia in culture, and the morphology of theanamorph agrees well with that of Dendryphiopsis atra (Corda) Hughes. The teleomorph of D.
atra has been recognized long time as K.
aethiops (Berk. & M.A. Curtis) D. Hawksw.
(Chen and Hsieh, 2003) based on the broad
species concept of K. aethiops provided by

Hawksworth (1985). Although Hawksworth(1985) treated K. incrustans as a synonym of K.
aethiops, Chen and Hsieh (2004b) restricted thespecies having equilateral ascospores as K.
aethiops, and retained the species having inequilateral ascospores and the Dendryphiopsis
anamorph as K. incrustans. According to this circumscription, our material is consistent with K.
incrustans.
In Japan, the anamorph of this species has
been recorded for several times (Tubaki, 1969;

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Kazuaki Tanaka and Tsuyoshi Hosoya

Matsushima, 1975; Otani and Tubaki, 1976), but
the teleomorph was firstly found in this study.
6. Rhytidhysteron rufulum (Spreng.) Speg.,
Boletín de la Academia Nacional de Ciencias deCórdoba 25: 79, 1921. (PATELLARIALES)(Fig. 6)
Ascomata 1.4–2.8 mm long, 0.5–1 mm
wide, 0.5–1 mm high, apothecioid, naviculate,erumpent to superficial, scattered to gregarious,
attached to substrate by hypostroma of ca.
200–300 m m high, with striate greenish lips. Paraphysoides 1.5–2.5 m m wide, slightly swollen(2–3.5 m m) and brownish at the tips. Asci
176–22013–15.5 m m, cylindrical, bitunicate,with 8 uniseriate ascospores. Ascospores
29–3510–12 m m (mean 31.710.8 m m, n30),
L/W 2.7–3.4 (mean 2.9, n30), broadly fusiform
to ellipsoid, 3-septate, dark brown.
Materials examined: TNS-F-12419HHUF
29657 (KT 1871), Tomarikawa Birou Park
(Kairou Park), Kamiyaku, Isl. Yakushima,
Kagoshima Pref., 19-X-2005; TNS-F-12434
HHUF 29658 (KT 1895), ibid, 20-X-2005; TNSF-12444HHUF 29660 (KT 1909), Forest pathnear Kurio river, Isl. Yakushima, Kagoshima

Fig. 6. Rhytidhysteron rufulum (TNS-F-12444)
A, Ascomata on host. B, Longitudinal section of ascomata. C, Close-up of hymenium. D, E, Ascospores. F,
Germinating ascospore. G, Ascus. H, Ascus apex with a sharow ocular chamber. I, Paraphysoides.
Scales. A, 500 m m; B, C, 200 m m; D–I, 20 m m

New Records of Loculoascomycetes from Yakushima

Pref., 21-X-2005; TNS-F-12449HHUF 29659(KT 1919), Forest path near Sarugawa gajyumaru
park, Isl. Yakushima, Kagoshima Pref., on deadwood; single ascospore culture isolated from KT
1909 (JCM 14423).
Known distribution: Worldwide in warm tropical and subtropical climates (Samuels andMüller, 1979).
Notes: This is a common species and occurs
on dead twigs of various woody plants in thetropics (Chen and Hsieh, 1996; Teng, 1996). In
this survey, we obtained it from three different
sites. Although the species in Rhytidhysteron
have not been reported from Japan so far, Amano(1983) suggested that Hysterium citricolum andH. photiniae, both described by Naito (1933),
may belong in Rhytidhysteron, based on the original descriptions and illustrations.
Acknowledgements
We thank Dr. Ken Katumoto for providing
valuable information on mycoflora in Japan. We
wish to express their gratitude to Dr. Yasuyuki
Hiratsuka for critically reviewing the manuscript.
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