Cercophora coprophila  

Stroma absent.

Ascomata 450-700 µm diam, usually strongly aggregated, pyriform, superficial or semi-erumpent, the neck papillate to truncate, to 250 µm in height, periphysate; black, membranous, at first with a white to grey tomentum which darkens or degenerates, the ostiolar region more strongly pigmented. Peridium composed of three layers; the outer layer of mid brown angular cells to 15 µm diam, indistinctly areolate due to varying degrees of pigmentation, merging into an inner layer of hyaline compressed tissue. Interascal tissue composed of copious thin-walled simple paraphyses to 5 µm diam, without an obvious mucous coating. Asci 220-310 x 15-18 µm, cylindrical to narrowly clavate, rather long-stalked, thin-walled at all stages, the apex rounded to truncate with a conspicuous J- apical ring to 3.5 µm diam and ca 1.5 µm thick, 8-spored. Ascospores arranged biseriately, at first 46-64 x 5-6 µm, sigmoid or geniculate near the base, hyaline, thin-walled, aseptate and with two polar tapering gelatinous appendages 30-60 x 2-3 µm in size; eventually (often after leaving the ascus) becoming septate about at the upper third, the upper cell 17-25 x 8-13 µm, becoming ellipsoidal to fusiform-ellipsoidal and dark brown, with a subapical germ pore.

Anamorph: unknown.

A common species, but many old records should now be considered as doubtful due the the narrower species concepts now in place. Old specimens may be difficult to identify due to degeneration of the tomentum covering the ascomata, which is one of the diagnostic characters. Description taken partially from Lundqvist (1972).