Lentomitella crinigera (All Fungi)
Stromata absent, though ascomata are sometimes coalesced.
Ascomata perithecia, 400-600µm diam, the body ± superficial to immersed, ± globose but often distorted by surrounding wood tissue, black; neck 400-600µm long, ± cylindrical, black, sometimes slightly oblique, the lower half of ascoma covered in a dense mat of dark brown thick-walled hyphae. Peridium thick, almost carbonaceous, composed of several layers of dark brown thick-walled tissue intermediate between textura angularis and textura globulosa, with an inner layer of almost hyaline cells. Interascal tissue not seen. Asci 76-88 x 7-8µm, ± cylindrical, usually short-stalked, the apex obtuse, apparently without an apical ring, 8-spored. Ascospores arranged obliquely uniseriately, 10.5-12 x 4-4.5µm, ellipsoidal, often very slightly curved, relatively thick-walled, becoming ± equally 3-septate, hyaline, longitudinally striate, without a mucous sheath.
Only preliminary phylogenetic data are available, but it appears that the species is related to Rhamphoria and possibly to the Annulatascaceae.
On decaying wood of Pinus.
In GBI: Norfolk; only known from the type collection. Elsewhere, known from Czech Republic, Denmark, Sweden and New Zealand.