Octospora tucumanensis (Pezizales), a new bryophilous ascomycete on Dimerodontium balansae (Bryophyta) from Argentina

Abstract

Octospora tucumanensis, a new bryophilous ascomycete infecting rhizoids of the pleurocarpous moss Dimerodontium balansae (Fabroniaceae), is described and illustrated based on collections from Argentina. The new species has a unique set of morphological characters and is phylogenetically supported. Morphologically, O. tucumanensis is characterized by the globose to subglobose ascospores ornamented with warts of variable size and shape. Differences from other morphologically similar species of Octospora are discussed.