Irish lichens Lichenicolous fungi

Sclerococcum sphaerale
Incertae sedis

Species: Sclerococcum sphaerale

Lichenicolous fungus. Photos: On Pertusaria corallina. Killarney, Co. Kerry, SW Ireland. Identified by John Douglass

A lichenicolous hyphomycete forming small black tufts of clearly delimited sporodochia (0.1-0.5 mm diam.) on the host thallus and causing the hosts isidia to be suppressed. Conidia are light to dark brown, subglobose or spherical with thick walls, the individual cells (4-)6-10 µm in diameter and clustered in small groups of 2-6(-9). Only the anamorph is known.

Usually on Lepra corallina (was Pertusaria corallina) but occasionally recorded on Pertusaria pseudocorallina. Most frequent in upland areas.


Sclerococcum sphaerale

Sclerococcum sphaerale
Sclerococcum sphaerale. November 2010

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