TIRISPORELLA GEN-NOV, AN ASCOMYCETE FROM THE MANGROVE PALM NYPA FRUTICANS

Tirisporella beccariana comb.nov. is redescribed from decomposing leaf petiole (or rachis) bases of Nypa fruticans recently collected in Mal aysia and the Philippines. The superficial ascomata bear bitunicate as ci with (3-)5(-7)-septate ascospores that are brown and verrucose, exc ept for the prominent hyaline basal cell, and furnished with a distinc tive apical appendage that arises from the spore wall. The ultrastruct ure of the fungus is contrasted with that of species of Corollospora a nd Corallicola, with particular reference to the mode of ascospore app endage formation. The species was originally described from a Sarawak collection as Sphaeria beccariana and later transferred to Melanomma a nd given the new name Melanomma cesatianum. Gibberidea nipae is a syno nym. The recent collections were compared with type specimens. The fun gus is not properly placed in Melanomma or Gibberidea or other known g enera and a new genus Tirisporella is described.