Geoglossum elongatum
Anamorph: unknown.
Teleomorph: ascomata to 50 mm long and 8–10 mm diam., robust, usually roughly cylindric-clavate to clavate, more rarely almost cylindrical, the apex obtuse, matt black (glossy when fully hydrated), not glutinous. Fertile part well differentiated from the stipe, occupying the upper part of the ascoma and extending to around half its length, smooth, fuliginous to black. Stipe terete or slightly compressed, mid to dark brown, scurfy and covered in persistent tufts of brown septate acute-tipped hairs. Interascal tissue composed of filiform paraphyses 2–3 µm diam., somewhat longer than the asci and adherent in distinct clusters within a dark brown mucous matrix, hyaline at the base, the upper part (roughly 10–15% of the length) pale brown, slightly thicker-walled, the apical part highly irregular and often strongly contorted and/or recurved. Asci 110–150 × 14–18 µm, cylindric-clavate to clavate, mostly slightly attenuated towards the rounded apex, fairly thick-walled but not fissitunicate, with a J+ apical pore, 8-spored. Ascospores arranged in parallel, (40–) 50–70 × (4–) 5–7 µm, narrowly cylindrical with a rounded apex and a tapered obtuse base, straight or slightly curved, becoming mid to dark brown late in development, 0- to 7-septate but in most specimens mostly 3-septate, thick- and smooth-walled, without a gelatinous sheath or appendages.
Assessed on a global scale as Data Deficient by Minter & Cannon (2015). Not formally assessed for GB&I, but there are few records and the species is likely to be threatened - with a combination of small populations and environmental degradation.
The species is difficult to define due especially to wide variation in spore size and septation, but can be recognized by a strongly scurfy stipe, paraphyses with very irregular apices immersed in an amorphous matrix, and ascospores that are 3- to 7-septate and which become pigmented late in their development.
Scattered throughout Great Britain, Northern Ireland and ROI; there are only around 15 records for the species.
In so-called unimproved grassland, in both upland and maritime localities.