Phyllactinia guttata

A species of Phyllactinia

The mycelium may be abundant and persistent, or scant and short-lived (evanescent). The cleistothecia can become large (216–245 µm), with soft wall tissue, and obscure cellular structure and cracks and wrinkles (reticulations).The cleistothecia typically develop 8–12 easily detachable hyaline appendages that vary in length from 191–290 µm long. The asci are 4 to 5 to 20 or more, ovate, supported by small stalk-like structures (pedicellate), with dimensions of 72–83 by 32–40 µm. There are typically 2 spores per ascus, sometimes 3 or 4, and they are 31–36 by 21–25 µm. The cells attached to the upper part of the ascomata that resemble hairs are known as penicillate cells; they are made of foots and filaments. The filaments can gelatinize by absorbing water and are thought to function in helping the ascomata adhere to the surface on which they grow, like the underside of leaves. In P. guttata, the foots are cylindrical, irregular in width, 32–72 by 7.5–25 µm, and divided into 2–10 branchlets in the upper part. Each branchlet is short, bulbous, with filaments being 20–42 µm, somewhat shorter than the foots, which are 2–4 µm wide. The short, bulbous branchlets on the multi-branched upper part of the foots are unique among the Phyllactinia and are a distinguishing taxonomic characteristic of this species.