Phacidium lauri
Anamorph: conidiomata 600-900 µm diam., black, roughly circular in outline with a central ostiole, stromatic, containing 2-3 pycnidial locules within a pseudoparenchymatous stromatic matrix. Conidiophores 10-25 x 2-2.5 µm, often branched, developing from the inner conidiomatal wall, bearing cylindrical conidiogenous cells 5-12 x 2-2.5 µm in size, thin-walled, smooth, proliferating percurrently. Conidia 12.5-15.5 x 2.5-3 µm, ± cylindrical, the apex and base obtuse, septate, hyaline, thin-walled, surrounded by a narrow gelatinous sheath that breaks and becomes everted at maturity to form a funnel-shaped apical appendage.
Teleomorph: ascomata apothecial, immersed, 350-500 µm diam., scattered or in clusters, stromatic, angular in outline, opening by 3-6 irregular radial teeth to expose the hymenium; the upper wall subepidermal, dark brown, lined with hyaline periphysis-like hyphae. Interascal tissue of ± unbranched paraphyses, immersed in a gelatinous matrix. Asci 62-75 x 11-13 µm, cylindric-clavate, short-stalked, fairly thin-walled and not fissitunicate, the apex obtuse with a small apical ring that blues in iodine, 8-spored. Ascospores arranged biseriately, 11-13 x 4.5-5 µm, ellipsoidal to fusiform-ellipsoidal, sometimes inaequilateral, hyaline, aseptate, fairly thin-walled, without a perispore or appendages.
Species do not appear to be host-specific, but their taxonomy is still uncertain.
No formal assessment has been made, but the species is common and widespread, and is not in need of special conservation measures.
On dead leaves of various woody plants including Hedera helix, Ilex aquifolium and Prunus laurocerasus; presumably saprotrophic.
Widespread, throughout Britain and Ireland.