A revision of Achaetomium, Achaetomiella and Subramaniula, and some similar species of Chaetomium

• Published in: Transactions of the British Mycological Society Vol. 87; no. 1; pp. 45 - 76
• Main Author: Cannon, P.F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Cambridge University Press 01.08.1986
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungi; Plant cytology, morphology, systematics, chorology and evolution; Thallophyta; Fungi; Scanning electron microscopy; Ascomycetes; Taxonomy; Ultrastructure; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0007-1536
• DOI: 10.1016/S0007-1536(86)80004-3

The species included in Achaetomium, Achaetomiella and Subramaniula are studied, particularly with regard to their relationships with Chaetomium. Where available, living cultures have been examined, but inevitably much of the study has had to be based on dried material; this means that a number of the conclusions as to taxonomic relationships which are advanced are only tentative. Various specialized techniques have been employed during the research, including SEM examination, and measurement of growth rates under carefully controlled conditions. Achaetomium is restricted to three species, all having dark brown ascospores and apparently lacking periphyses; Achaetomiella is subsumed into Chaetomium in agreement with earlier authors; and the genus Subramaniula is expanded to include the new species S. irregularis P. Cannon & D. Hawksw. Three new combinations are proposed, Chaetomium luteum (Rai & Tewari) P. Cannon, C. strumarium (Rai et al.) P. Cannon and C. virescens var. thielavioideum (Chen) P. Cannon. Comparisons are made with taxa from related genera, and particularly with the species of Chaetomium which have reduced or inconspicuous ascomatal hairs. A key to those species in addition to the accepted ones of Achaetomium and Subramaniula, along with a number of other taxa with which they might be confused, is included.