ITS sequence from New Zealand material (GenBank MK432745 ex PDD 97008; numerous other matching unpublished sequences)) does not match other putative R. macrospora specimens from N America and China [PRJ, Aug 2022]

A recent publication based mostly on specimens from China (Li et al. 2024, DOI: 10.3897/mycokeys.102.112565), has allowed us to confirm that Tatraea macrospora has been incorrectly reported as present in New Zealand. This name has long been used for a discomycete fungus that is very common on fallen rotting wood in New Zealand forests. However, by incorporating previously unpublished DNA sequences from PDD specimens and ICMP cultures into the global dataset from the Chinese paper, we have shown that the New Zealand species is unnamed and possibly endemic. Similar discomycetes have been reported also from Australia but whether these are the same as the New Zealand species is as yet unknown. Our DNA sequencing showed that there are three additional less common Tatraea species in New Zealand, all unnamed.

SVRCEK. (1985) revised all those species described by VELENOVSKY in Helotium. He corrected the latter's ascospore measurements and placed H. dumbirense in synonymy with "Rutstroemia" macrospora (PECK) KANOUSE, a common species in North America, Australia and eastern Asia, which is now included in the genus Ciboria, as C. peckiana (COOKE) KORF (Sclerotiniaceae). SPOONER (1988) examined a specimen from Wales labelled as Rutstroemia macrospora, collected by S C PORTER, and two further collections from Slovakia made by R W G. DENNIS. He concluded that the European material is clearly different from the typical C. peckiana (although very close) and transferred Helotium dumbirense to the genus Ciboria as Ciboria dumbirensis. Here and in SPOONER (1987: 306) he considered both species as clearly belonging in the Sclerotiniaceae, with a most close relationship with the lignicolous Ciboria bolaris (BATSCH: FR.) FUCKEL. In 1993, SVRCEK reconsidered his concept of Rutstroemia macrospora based on the examination often collections from the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He also found the European collections to be distinct from the species of PECK. He did not adopt the placement in Ciboria (apparently he was unaware of SPOONER'S paper) but erected the new monotypic genus Tatraea, based on Helotium dumbirense. Although SVRCEK (1993) never discussed its exact taxonomical position, the genus Tatraea apparently belongs in the Leotiaceae (cf. HAWKSWORTH & al. 1995), considering that he placed it close to the genus Hymenoscyphus S F. GRAY (= Helotium ss auct.) („probabiliter ex affinitate generis Hymenoscyphus"). Ombrophila decolorans (BERK. & CURTIS) SACC. was restudied by HB from a ?syntype [K.(M) 59185, no date, USA, Alabama, no locality, on wood of Quercus, PETERS, Fig. 11]. This was filed in SEAVER (1961) as a later synonym of Ciboria peckiana, [as „Calycina macrospora (PECK) SEAVER"] The apical apparatus also clearly belongs to the Tatraea-type, differing from T. dumbirensis in being thinner, with the distinct amyloid zones occupying the complete dome. Ciboria peckiana is therefore considered to belong in Tatraea, and the new combination is here proposed. Very probably, the two Australasian taxa treated by SPOONER (1987) as forms of Ciboria peckiana also belong in Tatraea, although one is described with inamyloid asci. …. the complete section Lignicola (excluding C. bolaris which is related to the genus Rutstroemia P. KARST.) described by SPOONER within Ciboria must be considered a synonym of Tatraea. However, without studying especially the apical apparatus in detail, further new combinations seem to be premature. Furthermore, the described differences among the taxa are not always very clear.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED: New Zealand: AUCKLAND: Kawakawa Bay, Morehu Scenic Reserve, on decort. wood, G. J. Samuels, P. R. Johnston, R. H.Petersen, T. Matsushima, 5 May 1983, PDD 46274; Kawakawa Bay, Morehu Scenic Reserve, on Beilschmiedia tawa, G. J. Samuels, P. R. Johnston, R. H. Petersen, T. Matsushima, 5 May 1983, PDD 46270. COROMANDEL: Port Charles, Stony Bay-Fletcher Bay walkway, on decorticated wood, P. R.Johnston D526, E. M. Gibellini, 3 Jun 1990, PDD 57482; Thames, Kauaeranga Valley, on decort.wood, G. J. Samuels, R. H. Petersen, 1 May 1983, PDD 46260. NELSON: vic. Karamea, Umere Rd, Virgin Creek, on blackened decorticated wood, P.R. Johnston D1068, 12 May 1994, PDD 64245, ICMP 14145. NORTH CANTERBURY: Arthur's Pass National Park, on decorticated wood, G. J.Samuels 83-394, T. Matsushima, A. Y. Rossman, 18 May 1983, PDD 53564. NORTHLAND: North Kaipara Heads, vic. Pouto, Pretty Bush, on decorticated wood, P. R. Johnston D722, 24 May 1991, PDD 59158; Hokianga County, on decort. wood, G.J. Samuels 83-396, R. H. Petersen, 9 May 1983, PDD 45862; Hokianga County, on decort. wood, G.J. Samuels 83-394, R. H. Petersen, 9 May 1983, PDD 45860; Hokianga County, Waipoua Forest, between forest headquarters and a point about halfhour walk north along Yakas Track, on indet. wood,G. J. Samuels 82-212, P. R. Johnston, 30 May 1982, PDD 44401; vic. Mangamuka Bridge, Omahuta Forest, No. 3 Rd, Waikoropupu River, on decort. wood, G. J. Samuels 81-173, E. Horak, 15 May 1981, PDD 49485. TAUPO: Kaimananwa Forest Park, Tree Trunk Gorge, on decort. wood, P. R. Johnston D398, 19 May 1989, PDD 55547.WESTLAND: Okuku Scenic Reserve, on wood, G.J. Samuels, T. Matsushima, A. Y. Rossman, 20 May 1983, PDD 45999.

This species occurs over a wide geographic range in New Zealand. Spooner (1987, as Ciboria peckiana (Cooke) Korf) reported this species from south-east Australia, and provided a full description. The apothecia in the New Zealand collections are somewhat paler than those described by Spooner, but are typical in all other ways. Ciboria was lectotypified by C. caucus (Honey 1928), a species restricted to the decaying catkins of several species of deciduous tree of the Northern Hemisphere (Schumacher 1978). The genus is characterised by the excipular tissue comprising globose to angular cells arranged in elements oriented at a high angle to the surface of the receptacle. The genus was restricted by most authors to species occurring on fruits or catkins (e.g., Dennis 1962), but the generic concept was expanded by Korf (1973) to include anatomically similar wood-inhabiting species such as C. peckiana (Cooke) Korf. Spooner (1987) followed Korf (1973) but placed the wood-inhabiting species in a new subgeneric taxon Ciboria section Lignicola, while the fruit and catkin-inhabiting species were retained in Ciboria section Ciboria. Spooner (1987) included C. bolaris in Ciboria section Lignicola. Molecular data suggest that these wood-inhabiting species should be excluded from Ciboria (Holst-Jensen et al. 1997). If the wood-inhabiting species are to be excluded from Ciboria, their most appropriate generic position is then unclear. At present they are perhaps best left in Rutstroemia, where combinations exist for most of them. This is nomenclaturally the least disruptive course of action at a time of uncertainty and change in understanding of relationships amongst the discomycetes.