BioImages: The Virtual Field-Guide (UK)

(Coelomycetes) (Stem- and Leaf-fungi)

Further Information

Notes (MWS) Coelomycetes are anamorphic ascomycetes - ie they are an asexual phase in the life-cycle. In some cases they precede the sexual stage, in others they persist in isolation and the sexual stage is rare or unknown. Some are even spermatia which produce the gametes which give rise to the sexual stage.

In the absence of the sexual stage they were named and classified, according to their asexual morphology, into the so-called "form genera". Nowadays these have no taxonomic significance, although they are still used as names for the asexual morphology.

This is a purely artificial classification (some would call it a "dumping ground") for anamorphic fungi (ie fungi where the stage that produces sexual spores is not formed or is unknown), and where the asexual spores (conidia) are formed inside a closed body, or one that is initially closed.

Coelomycetes are saprobes on dead plant material, or parasites which cause small infection spots on living leaves and stems. Many are species-specific, or at least have traditionally been treated as distinct species on different hosts.

Over the years, the members have been gradually removed as laboratory cultures have yielded the sexual states. More recently DNA sequencing has superseded this and the classification will eventually disappear. Nevertheless "coelomycete" remains a useful descriptive term for the asexual state of many ascomycetes.

Coelomycetes are divided into those which form pycnidia (closed structures from which the conidia issue through the ostiole, a small circular opening) and those which form acervuli (effectively everted pycnidia) with the conidia produced on the outside and termed "pustules".
Grove, W.B., 1935
Grove, W.B., 1937
How to find Most coelomycetes are plant-pathogens or grow on dead plant material, although a few attack lichens or rusts.

It is best to collect coelomycetes in damp periods when they have ripe conidia; often these are visible en masse either as a white or grey, sometimes orange whisker arising from the ostiole or as a waxy deposit on the surface of the pycnidium or substrate.
Lab. techniques Damp chamber culturing is useful. Often this just means leaving a few infected leaves in a sealed box in a cool place for a few days.

Following such culturing, a spore tendril often issues from the ostiole. This is useful in confirming which pycnidia are living and enables easy determination of spore colour.

Sets of Photographs

These relate to individual finds ("biological records") of the organism.

Taxon Summary # images # photos # macrophotos # microphotos Date Vice-county Country
Coelomycetes Imperfect stage 15 4 7 4 15 Oct 2008 Berks England
Coelomycetes? Imperfect stage 9 9 17 Apr 2007 Berks England
Coelomycetes Imperfect stage 6 3 3 22 Oct 2006 Carmarthen Wales
Coelomycetes Imperfect stage 4 1 3 11 Oct 2009 South Wiltshire England
Coelomycetes Imperfect stage 3 3 8 Oct 2009 Berks England

Subtaxa

Rank Taxon #subtaxa #photos #macrophotos #microphotos #refs
Form genus Aposphaeria Berk., 1880 (a form genus of coelomycetes)     8 13  
Form genus Amerosporium Speg., 1882 (a form genus of excipulate coelomycetes)   7   14  
Form genus Lichenoconium Petr. & Syd., 1927 (a form genus of lichenicolous coelomycetes) 1 10      
Form genus Sphaeropsis Sacc., 1880 (a form genus of coelomycetes) 2        
Anamorphic Species Sphaeropsis sapinea (Fr.) Dyko & B. Sutton, 1980 (a coelomycete)         1
Anamorphic Species Sphaeropsis visci (Alb. & Schwein.) Sacc., 1880 (a coelomycete)   13 19 13  
Form genus Phyllosticta Pers., 1818 (a form genus of coelomycetous leaf-spot fungi) 1 6 8 3 1
Form genus Ascochyta Lib., 1830 (a form genus of coelomycetous leaf-spot fungi) 3        
Anamorphic Species Ascochyta allii-cepae Punith., Gladders & McKeown, 1985 (a coelomycete)         1
Anamorphic Species Ascochyta philadelphi Sacc. & Speg., 1878 (a coelomycete)   2   4  
Anamorphic Species Ascochyta pteridis Bres., 1894 (a coelomycete)         1
Form genus Septoria Sacc., 1884 (a form genus of coelomycetous leaf-spot fungi) 11        
Anamorphic Species Septoria aquilina (a leaf-spot fungus)         1
Anamorphic Species Septoria betulae (a coelomycete)         1
Anamorphic Species Septoria chamaecysti Vestergr., 1896 (a leaf-spot fungus)         1
Anamorphic Species Septoria convolvuli Desm., 1842 (a leaf-spot fungus)   2 6 8  
Anamorphic Species Septoria hydrocotyles Speg., 1842 (a leaf-spot fungus)   3   4  
Anamorphic Species Septoria lycopersici Speg., 1881 (Tomato Leaf Spot - causative organism)         1
Anamorphic Species Septoria polemonii Thüm., 1880 (a leaf-spot fungus)   10 12 14  
Anamorphic Species Septoria quercicola Sacc., 1878 (a leaf-spot fungus)   16 6 5  
Anamorphic Species Septoria saponariae (DC.) Savi & Becc., 1862 (a leaf-spot fungus)   14 7    
Anamorphic Species Septoria scabiosicola Desm., 1853 (a leaf-spot fungus)   6   11  
Anamorphic Species Septoria sp. nov. (Escallonia Leaf-spot - causative organism)   7 3 5  
Form genus Marssonina Magnus, 1906 (a form genus of coelomycetes) 1        
Anamorphic Species Marssonina betulae (Lib.) Magnus, 1906 (a coelomycete)         1
Form genus Leptostroma Fr., 1815 (a form genus of coelomycetes)     5 4  
Form genus Phoma Sacc., 1880 (a form genus of coelomycetes) 8 24 18 10 8
Anamorphic Species Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii Bubák, 1914 (Rhizosphaera Needle Cast - causative organism)         1
Form genus Phomopsis (Sacc.) Bubák, 1905 (a form genus of coelomycetes) 2 15 14 26  
Form genus Colletotrichum Corda, 1831 (a form genus of coelomycetes) 1       3
Form genus Seimatosporium Corda, 1833 (a form genus of coelomycetes) 1        
Anamorphic Species Seimatosporium hypericinum (Ces.) B. Sutton, 1975 (a coelomycete)         1

Suggested Literature

Identification Works

Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1998 Microfungi on Miscellaneous Substrates: An Identification Handbook
Grove, W.B., 1935 British Stem- and Leaf- Fungi: Coelomycetes Vol. I … Sphaeropsidales with hyaline conidia
Grove, W.B., 1937 British Stem- and Leaf- Fungi: Coelomycetes Vol. II ... Sphaeropsidales (rest) + Melanconiales
Sutton, B.C., 1980 The Coelomycetes: Fungi Imperfecti with Pycnidia, Acervuli and Stromata

Plant pathology

Ellis, M.B. & J.P., 1997 (Not well-covered - Grove's 2-volume work remains very useful, despite being 70 years old.) Microfungi on Land Plants: An Identification Handbook
Moore, W.C., 1959 British Parasitic Fungi

BioInfo BioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 3 general literature references to (Coelomycetes) (Stem- and Leaf-fungi)

(Coelomycetes) may also be covered by literature listed under:

BIOTA
(living things)
Eukaryota
(eukaryotes)
FUNGI SS.
(true fungi)
Anamorphic fungi
(mitosporic fungi)
Fungi sl.

BioInfo BioInfo (www.bioinfo.org.uk) has 2271 feeding and other relationships of (Coelomycetes) (Stem- and Leaf-fungi)

References

Grove, W.B., 1935 British Stem- and Leaf- Fungi: Coelomycetes Vol. I … Sphaeropsidales with hyaline conidia
Grove, W.B., 1937 British Stem- and Leaf- Fungi: Coelomycetes Vol. II ... Sphaeropsidales (rest) + Melanconiales
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