Paranectria alstrupii  

Anamorph: not known.
Teleomorph: ascomata perithecia, superficial, often sitting on a well-developed cottony white to pale pink subiculum to 1 mm thick, scattered or in small groups; ovoid to broadly pyriform, constricted at the base, 400-750 µm high and 250-600 µm diam., collapsing laterally when dried; the ostiole distinct, with a small non-setose papilla; peridium orange-pink throughout, coloration appearing pale except in the ostiolar area due to a dense white to pale pink tomentum which completely covers the perithecia; to 50 µm thick throughout, composed of an outer layer of hyaline thick-walled angular to elongate cells and an inner layer of thin-walled tissue. Interascal tissue of chains of very thin-walled ovoid to ellipsoidal cells filled with bright yellow lipid content, causing the whole centrum to appear bright yellow; also long filiform thin-walled apical paraphyses 1-2 µm diam. in the ostiolar region. Asci very variable in size, mostly 140-220 x 25-50 µm, broadly cylindrical, not obviously stalked, thin-walled throughout, not fissitunicate, the apex rounded to obtuse, without any distinct apical structures, (?2-) 4-spored. Ascospores arranged irregularly, 43-46 x 17-24 or 56-75 x 27-36.5 µm [perhaps the former are from 4-spored and the latter from 2-spored asci], ellipsoidal to fusiform, the ends attenuated with flexuose filiform appendages to 15 µm in length; thin-walled, hyaline to pale straw-coloured, becoming muriform with 5-20 transverse and 3-6 longitudinal septa, the internal walls very thin-walled and difficult to observe, smooth, without a gelatinous sheath.

Description partially adapted from Zhurbenko (2009). Ascospore measurements are rather uncertain; it appears that they increase in size very substantially at the point of maturity, and may also vary depending on whether they originate from 2- or 4-spored asci. More samples are needed.