Chaetomium venezuelense L.M.Ames

83. CHAETOMIUM VENEZUELENSE sp. nov.
Plate 25, Figs. 1—7	I
Peritheciis ostiolatis, Subglobosis, 150-200 x 12Chr
165/a, ad substratum cum rhizoideis tenellis affixis; ip
agar-agar medio pigmentium perpurpureum pro*
ducentibus; maturis et siccis pillis terminalibus expli-
cantibus ad rosam similibus. Pilis terminalibus
immaturis simplicibus, septatis, arcuatis, apicibus re-
i tusis, 120-135/a longo, 3.5-4/a latis, basi bulbosis, cum
! crystallis colaratis affixis ; maturis pilis terminalibus |
ramosis, nodolos septatos ramos producerftibus qui
facile commimient. Pilos lateralibus septatis, rectis,
simplicibus, spiculiformibus, diametro 2—3/a basi, apici
gradatim attenuatis. Ascis clavatis, octosporis. Asco-j
sporis ovatis vel lemoniiformibus, subapiculatis, pallide
brunneis, 7.5—9 x 3.75-4.8/a.____________________________ ™i;<
Perithecìa subglobose, ostiolate, 150-200 x 120-
165/a, lightly attached to the substratum with delicate
rhizoidg. The piycel/um secretes pigment causing fl
dark-purplish tinge to the agar-agar substratum. To
the naked eye the entire organism appears tangeripe;
in color; often ^pinkish liquid drops are formed when
grqwn in pure culture. When mature and drying the
terminal hairs often spread out from the center like !
the opening of a rose blossom, the center is darkened
with a mass of ascospores. Terminal hairs when young
Tare unbranched, septate, arcuate, blunt at the tips,
vO about 120-185/a long, 3.5^/a wide near the base, swol-
Hlen at the base, slightly roughened, encrusted with
.colored crystals; the ends of the hairs in age becoming
^branched with gnarled irregular, septate branches which
"^become numerous, interlace and fragment very easily.
¿Lateral hairs straight, septate, finely roughened arising
at an acute angle, tapering from the base to a narrow
o3 apex, typically unbranched, 2—3/a wide at base. Asci
® club-shaped, 8-spored, usually deliquescing before the
^ ascospores mature. Ascospores ovate or lemon-shaped,
fisub-apiculate at both ends, light ^rown in color 7.5-9
2 x 3.75-4.8/a.
® Type locality : Yenezuel a.
Jb Habitat : On soil and Vegetable detritus.
Distribution : Known only from type locality. Type
¿dpppsifed in the U.S. Nartpnal Herbarium, Washing-
©tpn, D,C.
<! This species was isolated from a mixture of soil and
ypgeta^Je detrifps which was sent to me by Dr. Julian
H.	Miller. 1958.
HERB
new
BOTA
HERBARIUM OF
THE NEW YC3RK BDTANICAL GARDEN
fungi of VENEZUELA
Chaetomium venezuelense Ames
from soil and vegetable detritus
[culture obtained from H.K.Seth, Univ. Wales, April
1966, who obtained it from Ames; a subculture of the
TYPEJ
Collected by
DETERMINED BY
01050456