Tuckermannopsis ramalinae
Description : Lichenicolous. Basidiomata pulvinate, discoid, subspherical-applanate, becoming tuberculate at maturity, with a constricted base, firm, gelatinous, yellowish to reddish brown, 0.4–3 mm diam., context hyphae 1.7 μm in diam., thin-walled, clamp connections not seen; haustorial branches present, mother cell ellipsoidal, 2–4 × 1–2 μm. Hymenium colourless, containing numerous probasidia; probasidial initials clavate to obpyriform, proliferations occurring through basal clamp; hyphidia and cystidia absent. Basidia at maturity, obpyriform with 2 transverse septa, the upper third with one longitudinal septum, constricted at septa, 23–34 × 8–14 μm, the lower cell elongate, with an attenuated stalk-like base, 10–15(–18) μm long and 5–7 μm wide; epibasidia 2–4 μm thick, 25–35 μm long. Basidiospores subglobose, with a large apiculus, 5–6.5 × 4–6 μm. Anamorph unknown.
S: Otago. Known also from Sweden and Mexico (Diederich 1996).
?Cosmopolitan
Hosts : (NZ): Ramalina australiensis, R. celastri, R. inflexa. Known also and elsewhere (Sweden, Mexico, United States) from R. fraxinea (L.) Ach. and R. lacera (With.) J.R.Laundon (Diederich 1996: 154; 2003: 85; 2004j).
Illustrations : Diederich (1996: 152, fig. 101; 153, fig. 102).
* Tremella ramalinae is characterised by: the lichenicolous habit; the yellowish to reddish brown basidiomata growing on species of Ramalina; the transversely septate, 4-celled basidia; and the subglobose basidiospores, with a large apiculus, 5–6.5 × 4–6 μm.
