Sporomega degenerans  

Anamorph: not known.
Teleomorph: stromata formed under the epidermis which is raised but not discoloured, generally parallel to the long axis of the twig, often appearing in line on small twigs, 800-1100 x 400-600 µm, elongate, brownish-black, bordered by broken epidermal tissue, opening with an irregular ± longitudinal split but without lip cells or a preformed opening mechanism. In cross section, upper wall ca 50 µm thick in the central region, reducing to ca 15 µm at the edge next to the host periderm, composed of small dark brown to black thick-walled angular cells 3-4 µm in diam. The basal layer is composed of an irregular layer of dark hyphal tissue, with a subhymenial layer of entangled hyaline hyphae. Interascal tissue of simple filiform paraphyses 1.5-2 µm diam., hooked at the apex. Asci apparently maturing simultaneously, 95-130 µm in length and 8-12 µm  wide, clavate, the apex acute to conical-truncate, with a short tapering stipe and a wide truncate base, 8-spored. Ascospores 65-75 x 2-2.5 µm, filiform, the apex rounded and the base gradually tapered, hyaline, aseptate, with a conspicuous gelatinous sheath with a large capitate apical part.

Map of known distribution in Great Britain and Ireland.