Barbatosphaeria dryina
Stromata absent.
Ascomata perithecia, ca 0.5 mm diam, necks to 0.5 mm, black-brown with a trace of brown surface hyphae, arranged in small, lax, circular to oval groups of ca 6-12, lying laterally beneath bark, the necks converging, and hardly protruding. Peridium composed of outer rounded-angular cells with thick brown walls that merge with inner compressed-elongate thin-walled hyaline cells, neck cells compressed-elongate with brown walls. Interascal tissue lining the entire inner surface of the perithecial cavity, paraphysis-like ascogenous hyphae hyaline and tapering. Asci 45-55 x (4-)5-7 µm, clavate stipitate, tapering sharply towards the base in dislodged asci, thin-walled, J-, the apex rounded to truncate with a shallow apical ring, 8-spored. Ascospores 6.5-8 x 1.5-2 µm, strongly curved, usually appearing bent or shaped like a boomerang, mostly 1-septate.
Anamorph not known.
No fromal assessment has been made, but the species appears to be scarce and may be in need of conservation management. Apart from two records made in 1998 (which substantially increased its known range), the species had not been collected since the nineteen thirties.
in bark of dead branches of Quercus species.
In GBI, scattered throughout England (Devon, Durham, Herefordshire, Norfolk and Surrey).