SPORE WALL ONTOGENY IN PSEUDOPLECTANIA-NIGRELLA AND PLECTANIA-NANNFELDTII (ASCOMYCOTINA, PEZIZALES)

Pseudoplectania and Plectania currently belong to the Sarcosomataceae, tribe Sarcosomateae, a group with members lacking cyanophilic spore m arkings (absorbing a blue stain). The two genera are morphologically s imilar in having blackish discoid-shaped apothecia but differ in havin g globose and ellipsoid spores, respectively. Ultrastructural studies show that ascospores of Pseudoplectania nigrella (Pers. ex Fr.) Fuckel lack a secondary wall layer. On the contrary, Plectania nannfeldtii K orf has secondary spore wall ornamentation that is cyanophilic under a light microscope. The data suggest retention of Pseudoplectania nigre lla in the Sarcosomateae; however, the position of certain species of Plectania needs to be reevaluated.