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Exidia purpureocinerea

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Exidia purpureocinerea
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Auriculariales
Family: Auriculariaceae
Genus: Exidia
Species:
E. purpureocinerea
Binomial name
Exidia purpureocinerea
MacOwan (1882)

Exidia purpureocinerea is a species of fungus in the family Auriculariaceae. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are gelatinous, densely covered in small spines, purple-grey, and cushioned-shaped at first, becoming effused. The species occurs in southern Africa on dead wood.

Taxonomy

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The species was originally described from Boschberg (in the Sneeuberge) in 1882 by Yorkshire-born, South African botanist and mycologist Peter MacOwan.[1]

Description

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Exidia purpureocinerea forms purple-grey, gelatinous fruit bodies that are cushion-shaped at first, later coalescing to become irregularly effused. The surface is densely covered in small spines. The spore print is white.[1][2]

Microscopic characters

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The microscopic characters are typical of the genus Exidia. The basidia are ellipsoid, septate, 14 to 18 by 10.5 to 12 μm. The spores are weakly allantoid (sausage-shaped), 14 to 18 by 4.5 to 5.5 μm.[2]

Similar species

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The original description notes that Exidia purpureocinerea is similar to E. glandulosa, but differs in its colour and denser smaller papillae (spines).[1][3] The densely spiny, coalescing fruit bodies are typical of the genus Tremellochaete and the South African species resembles the New Zealand species Tremellochaete novozealandica.

Habitat and distribution

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Exidia purpureocinerea is a wood-rotting species. It is currently only known from South Africa.[2][3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Kalchbrenner C (1882). "Fungi Macowaniani". Grevillea. 10 (55): 104–109.
  2. ^ a b c Reid DA. (1975). Type studies of the larger Basidiomycetes described from South Africa. Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium. Vol. 7. p. 118.
  3. ^ a b Lloyd, C.G. (1915). "Mycological Notes 39". Mycological Writings. 4 (39): 525–540.