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Neofomitella hemitephra (Berk.) M.D. Barrett 2024

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Neofomitella hemitephra (Berk.) M.D. Barrett, Studies in Mycology 241 (2024)
Neofomitella hemitephra (Berk.) M.D. Barrett 2024

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Indigenous, non-endemic
Present
New Zealand
Political Region

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M.D. Barrett
Berk.
(Berk.) M.D. Barrett
2024
241
ICN
species
Neofomitella hemitephra

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hemitephra

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Resupinate form. On trunks. Coromandel (392).
Growing solitary upon bark or decorticated wood of standing or fallen trunks, associated with a white rot. Beilschmiedia tarairi (A.Cunn.) Benth. & Hook.f. Auckland. Mangatangi Valley, Hunua Range, April 1946, Joan Dingley. Beilschmiedia tawa (A.Cunn.) Hook.f. & Benth. Auckland. Mamaku Forest, 2,500 feet, Nov. 1947, G.H.C.; Mangatangi Valley, Hunua Range, April 1946, Joan Dingley. Dacrydium cupressinum Sol. Westland. Waiho, 300 feet., Nov. 1946, Joan Dingley. Nothofagus cliffortioides (Hook.f.) Oerst. Wellington. Day’s Bay, Feb. 1927, D.W.McKenzie; York Bay, April 1921, G.H.C.; Gable End Ridge, Mt. Waiopehu, 2,000 feet, Nov. 1930, E.E.Chamberlain. Otago. Flagstaff Hill, Dunedin, Jan. 1946, G.Simpson.Nothofagus fusca (Hook.f.) Oerst. Auckland. Mamaku Forest, 2,500 feet, Nov. 1947, G.B.Rawlings. Wellington. York Bay, Sept. 1921, E.H.Atkinson; Day’s Bay, Feb. 1927, D.W.McKenzie. Westland. Mt. Mantell, 3,500 feet, Feb. 1928, G.H.C. Nothofagus menziesii (Hook.f) Oerst. Auckland. Mamaku Forest, 2,500 feet, Nov. 1917, G.B.Rawlings. Southland. Longwood Range, Nov. 1924, J.C.Neill. Nothopanax arboretum (Forst.f.) Seem. Wellington. Near Wanganui, March 1946, Joan Dingley. Weinmannia racemosa L.f. Auckland. Mamaku Forest, 2,500 feet, Nov. 1947, G.H.C. Westland. Near Waiho Hostel, Nov. 1946, Joan Dingley; Near Fox Hostel, Dec. 1946, Joan Dingley.

Hymenophore perennial, solitary, dimidiate, hard and woody. Pileus applanate or ungulate, variable in size and shape, 3-20 cm. x 3-12 cm. x 1-10 cm.; surface at first ochraceous or fawn, even and finely tomentose, becoming bay brown banded with greyish zones, tobacco- or fuscous-brown and concolorous, umber or in old specimens sometimes black, strongly concentrically sulcate, often banded with zones of different shades of grey or brown, more numerous and narrower peripherally, cuticle to 1 mm. thick, firm, ligneous, brittle, chestnut brown with an orange zone in the context immediately beneath, composed of hyphae with chestnut brown walls, densely woven and firmly cemented in mucilage; margin bluntly rounded, or thickened and formed from numerous equal layers, then laterally sulcate; hymenial surface at first white or cream, even, with rounded sterile margin 2-3 mm. wide, plane, slightly concave or as often convex, drying isabelline, or darker, dissepiments not toothed. Context cream or isabelline, floccose, firm, to 15 mm. thick, often zoned; skeletal hyphae 3.5-4 μ thick, lumen 2 μ or less, long type, aseptate, sparsely branched and undulate near ends, staining blue; generative hyphae 2-3 μ thick, thin walled, sparsely branched, septate only in the subhymenium, not staining. Pores in many often obscure strata, sometimes with bands of context between layers, round or slightly angular, in section wood colour, 3-10 mm. deep in each layer, 50-150 μ diameter, or 6-7 per mm.; dissepiments 50-200 μ thick, commonly 75-100 μ, equal, apices even. Basidial type clavate, basidia clavate, 8-10 x 4-5 μ, soon collapsing. Spores elliptic-oblong, or subcylindrical, 1-6 x 2-2.5 μ, smooth, hyaline.

Australia; New Zealand.

As with many perennial species the hymenophore exhibits considerable diversity in form, size, and colour. Commonly applanate, specimens may also be ungulate, or even resupinate, though this last condition is rare. Each successive pore layer may grow to the edge of the preceding, when the margin becomes thick and banded with as many sulcate zones as there are pore layers. Or successive layers may recede, forming islands or producing irregular obconic hymenophores. Pores may be in definite strata, each defined by a differently coloured line, or by layers of context hyphae; in other specimens they may be obscurely stratose or appear to be continuous. Many stratose specimens possess a well developed ligneous cuticle; but in first year plants this is poorly developed or wanting, the surface often being finely tomentose and azonate. The basidial type is clavate, though in a former paper (1947) I erroneously stated that in both F. annosa and F. hemitephra it was of the honeycomb type. The hymenial laver (as in all species recorded herein) soon collapses after spores are shed and appears on walls of dissepiments as a formless mucilaginous film.

According to overseas workers the species resembles closely “Fomes” hormodermus Mont. Lloyd (1915, p. 215), in fact, recorded the latter from New Zealand, basing his record on specimens of F. hemitephra. The latter differs in the elliptic-oblong spores, smaller pores and presence of an orange zone in the context beneath the cuticle. Sometimes this last feature is absent, especially from young specimens; it may then be seen where the hymenophore junctions with the host. Occasionally the surface of the wood is stained orange.

Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand.

CUNONIACEAE. Weinmannia racemosa: Auckland, Lake Rotoehu, 450 m; Westland, Waiho, 200 m; Weheka, 180 m. Otago, Horse Shoe Bay, Stewart Island. FAGACEAE. Nothofagus cliffortioides: Wellington, Mt. Holdsworth, Tararua Ranges, 1,200 m; York Bay, 120 m. Nelson, Staircase Creek, Reefton, 700 m. Nothofagus cunninghamii: Victoria, Beenak. Nothofagus fusca.. Auckland, Mamaku Forest, 600 m. Wellington, Tauherenikau Valley, Tararua Ranges, 300 m; York Bay, 130 m; Days Bay, 80 m; Wiltons Bush, 100 m. Nelson, Mt. Mantell, 1,200 m; Little Wanganui River, 200 m; Marble Mountain, Maruia, 850 m. Nothofagus menziesii: Auckland, Mamaku Forest, 600 m. Wellington, Mt. Waiopehu, Tararua Ranges, 700 m. Nelson, Kakapo River, 300 m; Herbert Ranges, 230 m; Little Wanganui River 270 m. Otago, Flagstaff Hill, Dunedin, 700 m; Upper Pike River, 250 m; Lake Manapouri, 120 m; Longwood Ranges, 200 m. LAURACEAE. Beilschmiedia tarairi: Auckland, Mangatangi Valley, Hunua Ranges, 300 m. Beilschmiedia tawa: Auckland, Parahaki, Whangarei, 120 m; Mangatangi Valley, Hunua Ranges, 250 m; Earthquake Flat, Rotorua, 600 m; Whakamarama; Rangitaiki River, Bay of Plenty. MYRTACEAE. Eucalyptus spp: Victoria, Belgrave; Cumberland Valley. PODOCARPACEAE. Dacrydium cupressinum: Westland, Waiho, 200 m. PROTEACEAE. Knightia excelsa: Auckland, Rereatukahia Reserve, Katikati, 110 m. UNKNOWN HOSTS. Auckland, Waikaretu, 120 m; Whakarewarewa, 600 m; Lake Waikaremoana, 600 m. Wellington, Wanganui.

IN KEW HERBARIUM: Collections are the type ex "N.Z., Coromandel, Colenso", "N.Z., Colenso, b262, b375", "N.Z., Hokianga, Berggren", "N.Z., Napier, Colenso", "Q., Brisbane, Cheesman", "N.S.W., Moruya, Cheesman", "Vic., Miss Campbell", "Vic., D.F.P. 2806" filed under Fomes hemitephrus; "Q., Trinity Bay, W. A. Sayer" under the cover of Fomes exotephrus; "Q. Barron River" under Fomes fasciatus; "N.S.W., Richmond River, Mrs Hodgkinson" a resupinate specimen under Poria medulla panis; "N.S.W., Sydney, W. W. Froggatt" communicated by C. G. Lloyd as Fomes martius; and "Samoa, Lloyd" filed under Fomes ferreus.

Hymenophore perennial, solitary, hard and woody, attached by a broad lateral base. Pilei applanate or ungulate, 3-20 cm wide, 3-12 cm radius, 1-10 cm thick; pileus surface at first ochre or fawn, becoming bay banded with greyish zones, tobacco brown or fuscous and concolorous, umber in old specimens or sometimes black, strongly concentrically sulcate, often concentrically banded with different shades of brown, finely tomentose becoming glabrous; cortex to 1 mm thick, chestnut with an orange zone beneath, ligneous, brittle, composed of densely intertwined cemented hyphae with chestnut walls; margin bluntly rounded, or thickened and formed from numerous equal growth layers when concentrically sulcate; hymenial surface at first white or straw, drying isabelline, even, slightly concave or as often convex, with a narrow rounded sterile border 2-3 mm wide. Pores in many often obscure strata (2-18), sometimes with zones of context hyphae between, 3-10 mm deep in each layer, wood colour, round or slightly angular, 6-7 per mm, 50-150 µm diameter; dissepi-ments 50-200 µm thick, commonly 75-100 µm, equal, apices even. Context cream or isabelline, to 15 mm thick, often zoned, of densely intertwined hyphae; skeletal hyphae to 4 µm thick, lumena 1.5-2 µm diameter, aseptate, scantily branched and undulate near ends, staining; generative hyphae to 3 µm diameter, walls thin, not staining, sparsely branched, septate in the subhymenium. Hymenial layer to 20 µm deep, a loose palisade of basidia and paraphyses, soon collapsing. Basidia clavate, 8-10 x 4-5 µm bearing 4 spores; sterigmata erect, to 4 µm long. Paraphyses subclavate, 6-8 x 3.5-4 µm. Spores elliptic-oblong, 4-6 x 2-2.5 µm walls smooth, hyaline, 0.1 µm thick.
New Zealand, Australia, Samoa.
Bark or decorticated wood of standing or fallen trunks, associated with a white heart rot.

One of the most common species in New Zealand, which may be recognised by the usually dark colour of the strongly sulcate pileus surface, conspicuous cortex with an orange zone between it and the context, small pores, usually numerous pore layers, and small elliptical spores. Commonly applanate, pilei may be ungulate or resupinate; each successive pore layer may grow to the edge of the preceding when the margin becomes thick and banded with many concentric sulcate zones, or successive layers may recede, forming islands or irregular obconic fructifications. Pores may be in definite strata each defined by a differently coloured line, or by layers of context hyphae; or in other collections pores may be obscurely stratose, or even appear to be continuous. The hymenial layer soon collapses and appears on walls of dissepiments of mature plants as an amorphous mucilaginous film.

Lloyd (1915a, µm. 215) recorded the species from New Zealand as Fomes hormodermus and from Australia as F. martius. From these Heterobasidion hemitephrum may be separated by the different spores, smaller pores and presence of an orange zone in the context beneath the cortex. This last feature may be absent from young plants, but may be seen where fructifications are in contact with the substratum, and occasionally the surface of the wood is stained orange.

LOCALITY: Coromandel Peninsula, Auckland.

Type: Lignicolous Fungi; Description: Basidiomata perennial, solitary, hard, leathery or woody, attached by a broad lateral base. Pilei applanate or ungulate, 30–200 mm wide, 10–100 mm thick. Pileus surface tomentose, becoming glabrous, strongly concentrically sulcate, often banded in different shades of brown or grey, becoming deep brown to umber with age. Pore surface slightly convex, with a narrow sterile border 2–3 mm wide, white, pores in many strata, small, 6–7 per mm. Context cream, often zoned, up to 15 mm thick; in cross-section, a thin orange line is visible immediately beneath the pileus surface. Hyphal system dimitic. Basidiospores elliptic-oblong, 4–6 × 2–3 μm, smooth, hyaline.
Distribution: Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Taupo, Wanganui, Wellington, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Nelson, Buller, Westland, Fiordland, Marlborough, Mid Canterbury, Otago Lakes, Dunedin, Southland, Stewart Island.; 1st Record: Colenso (1887: as Fomes (Laevi) hemitephrus).
Significance: Causes a white heart rot with orange zone lines. It is one of the commonest perennial bracket fungi in indigenous forests.; Host(s): Agathis australis, Beilschmiedia tarairi, B. tawa, Dacrydium cupressinum, Knightia excelsa, Nothofagus fusca, N. menziesii, N. solandri var. solandri, N. solandri var. cliffortioides, N. truncata, Pseudopanax arboreus, Weinmannia racemosa.
[Notes from Kew Type specimen, PRJ 2010] Packet annotated as type appear to have the number Colenso 5257, whereas the sheet inside the packet is numbered 2633
CULTURE STUDIED: NEW ZEALAND, Westland, Westland National Park, Lake Matheson, M. Rajchenberg 10085, 7.V.89 (BAFC/cc 495; basidiome at BAFC).
MACROSCOPIC CHARACTERS (Fig. 1): Growth rapid, dishes covered in 3 weeks. Growing margin regular, felty-farinose. Mat first woolly with denser radial stripes near the inoculum. At week 6, mat white, tightly felty to plaster-like at the margin, with or without sunken areas. In the centre becoming loose felty to woolly. Around the inoculum it is tightly felty. Pale yellow areas are present in the subfelty and/or felty areas. Mat growing on the glass and then presenting orange-yellow tints. Reverse bleaching. Odour acidic or none.
OXIDASE REACTIONS: tannic acid: ++++, trace gallic acid: ++++, 0 mm tyrosinase: -, 12 mm
MICROSCOPIC CHARACTERS (Fig. 2): Marginal hyphae regularly clamped, 3-4(-5) µm diam., thin-walled and sparsely branched. Woolly, felty, and plaster-like areas with many aerial fibre hyphae, 1-1.5(-2.0) µm diam., branched, with hyaline, slightly thickened walls. Pale yellow subfelty areas with submerged mycelium differentiated into cuticular cells that form pseudoparenchymatous areas, with cell walls thickened up to 1-3.5 µm.
SEXUALITY: Seemingly tetrapolar. Ten single monospore cultures were distributed as: A1B1:1,2,3,4,6,8; A2B2: 9, 10; AXBX: 5, 7
NUCLEAR BEHAVIOUR: Normal.
CODE: 2.3c.8.10.32.36.37.40.43.54.60.61
REMARKS: Fomes hemitephrus is one of the most common polypores in New Zealand and Australia, and it damages several tree species. Nevertheless, no detailed study of its cultural features has been reported. Refshauge & Proctor (1935) only gave general features. Stalpers' (1978) report of this species in culture does not support the fact that the species causes a white rot in wood and was perhaps based on an old culture or a different taxon. Good basidiome descriptions may be found in Cunningham (1965) and Teixeira (1962).
Fomes hemitephrus has been included or accepted in Fomitopsis Karst. (Cunningham 1948; Ryvarden 1977), Heterobasidion Bref. (Cunningham 1965), and Trametes Fr. (Corner 1989). Teixeira (1962) supports the disposition of this species in Fomes (Fr.) Fr., a disposition with which I concur because of the following characteristics: perennial fruit body, trimitic hyphal system, smooth, hyaline, cylindric spores, pileus covered with a hard smooth crust, production of a white rot, tetrapolar sexuality, production of cuticular cells in culture, and normal nuclear behaviour.
Fomitopsis includes brown wood-rotting species with bipolar sexuality, and most of the species produce generative hyphae with irregularly thickened walls in culture (Carranza-Morse & Gilbertson 1989); hence, the species does not belong in Fomitopsis, as suggested by Hood (1992). Although currently known in New Zealand as Heterobasidion hemitephrus (Berk.) G.H. Cunn. due to Cunningham (1965), Fomes hemitephrus cannot be included in Heterobasidion Bref. Heterobasidion is restricted to fomitoid species with a dimitic hyphal system of simple-septate generative hyphae and skeletal hyphae, and with asperulate spores. Ryvarden (1977) stated that Cunningham's concept of Heterobasidion was too broad. Some support that Heterobasidion is related to the Bondarzewiaceae (Stalpers 1980; Gluchoff-Fiasson et al. 1983). The inclusion of F. hemitephrus in Trametes by Corner (1989) is also not accepted here. It is beyond the limits of that genus (Ryvarden 1991) which includes annual species, lacking a crust on the pileus.
Fomes hemitephrus differs from the type species of the genus, F. fomentarius (L.:Fr.) Kickx., in its creamy to light chestnut colouration of the context and dissepiments, and the lack of sclerids in the context (Gilbertson & Ryvarden 1986). Nevertheless, it shares all other morphological features. I note also that it develops cuticular cells in culture as does F. fomentarius. This character is rarely seen in cultures of trametoid and fomitoid species (Nobles 1965; Stalpers 1978).

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Fomes fraxineus sensu Lloyd (1913)
Fomes hemitephrus (Berk.) Cooke 1885
Fomitopsis hemitephra (Berk.) G. Cunn. 1948

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Neofomitella hemitephra (Berk.) M.D. Barrett 2024
[Not available]

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3702958c-74eb-4335-85ad-b99cd3a2995c
scientific name
Names_Fungi
8 July 2024
21 July 2024
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