Loxophyllum setigerum

Species Loxophyllum setigerum

Plasmodium pale pink, changing to pale buff prior to fruiting. Aethalia solitary or in clusters of 2-5 and then often joined, usually sessile and pulvinate , 2-4 cm diam. or occasionally much larger, silvery grey to ochraceous . Cortex without scales , almost smooth and ± glossy, thick and brittle. Pseudocapillitium of colourless, branched and anastomosed tubules , wrinkled and papillose or almost smooth, the main branches 25-60 µm diam., the smaller branches 10-25 µm diam., with rounded free ends. Spore-mass buff. Spores colourless, faintly reticulate , 5-6 µm diam. The occurrence of this sp. on living trees is due to its large plasmodium migrating from decaying tissue beneath the bark . Distinguished from all other Lycogala spp. by its very wide pseudocapillitial tubules.

Plasmodium probably pink or red. Aethalia scattered or gregarious , subglobose, (0.5-)2-4(-5) mm diam., usually appearing dark, almost black. Cortex yellow-brown, thickly covered with dark, purplish-brown or black scales, these pulvinate at first with homogeneous contents, tending to become divided internally into numerous chambers and finally appearing flat and tessellate. Dehiscence by an apical tear, soon becoming irregular. Pseudocapillitium composed of colourless or yellow branching tubules arising from the middle cortex layer, often smooth at the base , roughened or transversely wrinkled elsewhere, 2-10 µm diam. Spore-mass pink. Spores nearly colourless, marked by faint, irregular warts and lines , sometimes appearing nearly smooth, (4-)4.5-5.5(-6) µm diam.

Plasmodium carmine-red or carmine-pink developing into a grey-brown aethalium with grey spores. Aethalia usually dispersed or crowded, pulvinate, never taller than wide, 3-10 mm diam., dark grey; covered with (sometimes sunken into the wall) scales. Hypothallus inconspicuous. Cortex sturdy, persistent and consisting of several layers, the surface covered with sunken or superficial, irregularly shaped vesicles , filled with yellow fluid, drying into ± rounded scales, 0.05-0.3 mm diam. Dehiscence starts with an apical pore or crack which tears further later. Pseudocapillitium of tubules varying between 6 and 25 µm diam. with wrinkled surfaces which are smooth or minutely warted or spinulose . Spore-mass when fresh grey, later fading to beige. Spores almost colourless, 6.0-7.5 µm diam., covered with a fine reticulum of thin, low ridges , interrupted at the site of germination. Common on rotting wood , especially coniferous wood. Transitional forms between this taxon and L. epidendrum v. terrestre have not been found.

Plasmodium pink. Aethalia dispersed or in groups, conical or ovoid , 1.5-3 mm tall and 0.8-1.5 mm diam., beige, but darker above due to irregular, dark, ± branched scales which form a broken reticulum. Hypothallus inconspicuous. Cortex sturdy, the middle layer consisting of tubules, dehiscing irregularly at the apex, rather persistent. Pseudocapillitium consisting of irregularly shaped tubules 3-10 µm diam., smooth or minutely warted. Spore-mass bright pink, later yellowish-grey. Spores almost colourless, 5-7 µm diam., covered with a fine reticulum of narrow ridges interrupted at the germination area. An inconspicuous species appearing on rotten wood especially of deciduous trees. Distinguished by its subconical aethalia.