Cheilymenia sp.

[Doug]

Has anyone got a key to species of Cheilymenia.
I collected a sample from Steel Rigg on Saturday 17 10 15 growing densely on cow dung.
It has sparse hyaline hairs growing from the sides and especially the rim of the apothecia and were 187-220 um long and unbranched at the base where there were generally 2 septations at the point of tapering but not higher. Paraphyses septate moderately swollen at apex and brown walled. Asci 8 spored uniseriately arranged and 175-200 long x 20-30 wide although I may have flattened them out a bit in the squash. Spores 25 x 10-15. mounted in water.
Doug.

[John R]

Hi Doug

I’ve been working on the same one and ran into the same problem as you. I think it’s Cheilymenia pulcherrima (although the spores are a bit big. EDIT: they are OK in other sources). I collected it from sheep dung, so I think we both get a record according to Tom’s rules…

Ref:http://www.ascofrance.com/recolte/2545/pezizomycetes-pezizales-pyronemataceae-cheilymenia-pulcherrima#

However, there are 10 species in the UK but I don’t have access to this key http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0953756296801705

[John R]

Here is a key that might be useful

http://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/files/5513/3026/1433/Keys_to_Fungi_on_Dung-category%202%20%20Keys%20useful%20but%20not%20current..pdf

If link not working then Keys to Fungi on Dung on this page http://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/library/keys/index-phpcid951/

[Doug]

Thanks for the key John very helpful and my specimen ran straight down to Cheilymenia raripila a perfect fit with the wider asci 25-30 nothing less than these dimensions and many spores 25 x 13-15um The hairs on your specimen are septate almost to the apex whereas mine only seem to be septate near the base and don’t seem to be as densely distributed.
As mine is on cow dung I think we are pretty safe recording both species.
Doug.

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