53 2 Notes and brief articles AURICULOSCYPHA, A NEW GENUS OF AURICULARIALES (BASIDIOMYCETE S) FROM INDIA BY DEREK A. REID Herbarium, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew AND P. MANIMOHAN Mycology Research Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Calicut, Kerala 673-635, India Auriculoscypha gen .nov . is described with A . anacardiicola sp. nov . as the type species. Recently one of us (P.M) collected a remarkable fungus, which is apparently restricted in occurrence to the undersides of branches of living trees of Cashew (Anacardium occidentale) and Mango (Mangifera indica), both members of the Anacar- diaceae in the vicinity of Calicut. Because of its transversely septate basidia it has undoubtedly to be assigned either to Auriculariales or Septobasidi- ales, but due to an unusual combination of characters it cannot be referred to any existing genus. The unusual features are the dependent, woody, stipitate-cupulate fruit body in combination with brown fibrillose flesh and very large allantoid spores which become transversely septate or even muriform. Because of these features the fungus is described as a new species and the new genus Auriculoscypha is erected to accommodate it. Auriculoscypha gen.nov. Sporophora dependentia cupulata, stipite centraIi dorsali affixa, et textura Iignosa nunquam gelatinosa . Caro aureo-brunnea, gossypino-fibrosa nunquam gelatinosa. Hyphae contextus marginem versus fere hyalinae, ceterum pallide brunneae vel brunneae, septatae sine fibulis et muris incrassatis refractivis instructae. Basidia auricularioidea, clavata vel circinata. Sporae hyalinae, cylindricae vel a1lantoideae transverse septatae vel muriformes. Sp.typ.: Auriculoscypha anacardiicola sp. nov. Sporophores dependent, cupulate, with central, dorsally attached stipe and woody, non-gelatinous texture. Flesh golden-brown, cottony-fibrillose, and non-gelatinous. Hyphae of the context almost hyaline toward the margin, elsewhere pale brown to brown with thickened refractive walls, and septate but lacking clamp-connexions, Basidia auricularioid, clavate or circinate. Spores hyaline, cylindric or allantoid, septate or muriform. Auriculoscypha anacardiicola sp.nov. Sporophora dependentia cupulata, stipite centrali dorsali affixa, et textura Iignosa nunquam gelatinosa. Discus mm latus, primo albus dein cremeus griseotinctus e centro extendens, dein ardesiaco-griseus vel griseus ochraceo-tinctus, vel cinnamomeo-brunneus griseo-tinc- tus, laevis,pruinosus, saepe profunde umbilicatus. Superficies exterior cupulae praesertim marginem versus radialiter rugosa, dense zonata vel aliquantum sulcata, minute coacto-tomentosa vel stipitem versus saepe glabrescens, marginem versus alb ida, ceterum fusco- brunnea vel atra. Stipes 5-12 mm longus, 2-4 mm latus, teres, corneus, plus minusvetorulosus, minute tomentosus cinnamomeo-brunneus tandem atro-brunneus vel ater et minute pruinosus vel glaber. Caro fere 1 mm crassa, aureo-brunnea, gossypino-fibrosa nunquam gelatinosa. Hyphae contextus 4'4-{) '6 Jlm latae, marginem versus fere hyalinae, ceterum pallide brunneae, pauci ramosae, sep- tatae sine fibulis, et muris incrassatis refractivis instructae, Tomentum superficiei ex hyphis dimorphis, 4·5-{) ·6/lm latis, brunneis, pallide brunneis vel subhyalinis sistens (1) hyphae elongatae, plerumque non-ramosae, fere solidae et refractivae, apice obtusae, (2) hyphae conidiophoras in mentem revocantes itaque ad apicem ramis brevi bus plerwnque apice acute instructae, muris apicem versus in 10% KOH dissolutis. Basidia 7D--90 x 10-15 usn, hyalina, clavata vel circinata r-z-septata sed segmentis duobus solum fertilibus instructa, muris tenuibus. Sporae 22-43 x 9-10 (-12) utn, hyalinae, cylindricae vel allanto- ideae , usque 7-septatae vel raro muriformes, muris tenuibus instructae; germinationibus non visis. Fruit bodies dependent, cupulate with central, dorsally attached stipe, and of a woody non- gelatinous texture. Disc rom diam, at first white then creamy with grey tint from centre out, becoming either slate-grey, or grey with ochraceous tint, or cinnamon-brown with grey tint, smooth, pruinose, often deeply umbilicate. Outer surface radially wrinkled, especially toward the margin and densely zonate or somewhat sulcate, minutely feIty tomentose but often glabrescent towards the stipe; varying from whitish at the margin through ochre to dark brown or black. Stipe 5-12 mm long, 2-4 mm wide, terete, horny, more or less smooth to knobbly, minutely tomentose and cinnamon- brown, becoming very dark brown to black, and either minutely pruinose or glabrous, arising from a small tubercle which originates beneath the bark. Flesh approaching 1 mm in thickness, golden- brown and cottony-fibrous throughout with no dis- tinct cuticular layer; in no part gelatinous. Hyphae of context 4'4-6'6Ilm wide, almost hyaline near the Trans. Br. mycol , Soc. 85 (3), (1985) Printed in Great Britain