Apiospora sasae  

Anamorph: conidiomata superficially resembling ascomata, developing singly or in lines parallel to the venation of the host, opening by longitudinal splitting of the epidermis to reveal a black conidial mass. Setae lacking. Conidiogenous cells arising from a reduced layer of pale brown pseudoparenchymatous tissue. Conidiophore mother cells ampulliform, ovoid to subglobose, pale brown, with superficial granular depositions, opening widely at the apex and appearing cupulate, producing a single conidiophore. Conidiophores cylindrical, straight or flexuous, unbranched, hyaline to pale brown, with granular depositions near the apex; septate, the septa not markedly thickened or pigmented. Conidia borne singly, apically and laterally, the oldest at the top of the conidiophore; 10-12 x 9-11.5, angular in face view, the apex ± flat with a pale horizontal germ slit just below the top and a circular abscission scar 2-3 µm diam. at the base, dark brown, thick-walled, smooth, without a gelatinous sheath or appendages.
Teleomorph: stromata reduced, consisting of a basal cushion of dark thick-walled cells on which the ascoma develop. Ascomata forming in groups of 2-5, forming irregular black spots 0.5-1.0 mm diam.; subepidermal, covered with a thin black stroma that opens by a slit in the epidermis at maturity. Ascomata 250-450 µm diam. and 200-400 µm tall, black, subglobose to globose with a somewhat flattened base, minutely papillate. Peridium 10-15 µm thick, slightly thinner basally, composed of thin-walled, pale brown angular elongate cells ca 10-15 x 5 µm in size. Periphyses present, ca 2 µm diam., thick-walled. Interascal tissue of simple rarely branched thin-walled paraphyses 3-4 µm diam. and slightly longer than the asci, without a mucous matrix. Asci 85-110 x 20-24 µm, broadly clavate to cylindric-clavate, thin-walled and not fissitunicate, the basal part fairly short and tapering, the apex rounded with a minute J- apical ring ca 2.5 µm diam. and 1 µm thick sometimes visible, 8-spored. Ascospores biseriately arranged, 24.5-27.5 x 7.5-9 µm overall, ovoid-fusiform, apiosporous, sometimes curved or naviculate, 1-septate, the apex rounded to obtuse; the lower cell 3.5-4 µm long and in diam., not or slightly constricted at the septum, the base rounded; hyaline, thin- and smooth-walled, when immature with a uniform gelatinous sheath 3-4 µm thick.