Dendrosphaera Explained

Dendrosphaera is a monotypic genus of fungus in the family Aspergillaceae. It contains the single species Dendrosphaera eberhardtii.[1] [2]

Taxonomy

Dendrosphaera eberhardtii was described in 1907 by Narcisse Théophile Patouillard.[3]

Description

The fruiting body of D. eberhardtii is a stiff, brown, branching root like structure with a 10–15 cm long, 3-6mm thick stem terminating in multiple 2-6mm thick sporulating heads that start white before maturing to golden yellow.

Spores: 8-10 μm. Globose with a large central droplet. They are smooth when still attached to the asci before developing encrustrations that give them an echinulated appearance.

Etymology

The genus name Dendrosphaera derives from the Latin dendroides or Greek dendroid meaning tree or tree-like[4] [5] and the Latin sphaericus meaning sphere shaped.

The specific epithet eberhardtii is named for Mr. Eberhardt who collected the specimens and created notes and illustrations of them in the field.

Habitat and distribution

The specimens studied by Patouillard were collected in Tonkin, Vietnam where they were found growing from the ground in the Djirin forest at 1600 metres above sea level.

Similar species

Trichocoma paradoxa is similar but produces only one 'brush' like feature whilst Dendrosphaera eberhardtii has several.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Species fungorum - Dendrosphaera eberhardtii Pat. . 2022-07-19 . www.speciesfungorum.org.
  2. Web site: Mycobank Database - Dendrosphaera eberhardtii .
  3. Patouillard . N. . 1907 . Champignons nouveaux du Tonkin . Bulletin trimestriel de la Société mycologique de France . Paris . La Société . 23 . 69–70 . www.biodiversitylibrary.org.
  4. Book: Harrison, Lorraine . Latin for Gardeners . 2012 . University of Chicago Press . 978-0-226-00919-3 . 2023-03-17 . 2022-11-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221121135029/https://www.agrifs.ir/sites/default/files/Latin%20for%20Gardeners,%20Over%203,000%20Plant%20Names%20Explained%20and%20Explored%20%7BLorraine%20Harrison%7D%20%5B9780226009193%5D%20(2012)_0.pdf . dead .
  5. Web site: Botanical Latin (L) & Greek (G) .
  6. Web site: Eurotiales . 2023-03-17 . website.nbm-mnb.ca.