Neotropical Ascomycetes 8. New species of Lasiosphaeriella

Lasiosphaeriella nitida sp. nov., L. pruinosa sp. nov., and L. pseudo-bomba rda comb. nov., are described and compared with the other two species in th e genus, L. noonae-daniae and L. dennissii. Lasiosphaeriella is characteriz ed within the Lasiosphaeriaceae by large, clustered, superficial ascomata, asci lacking an apical apparatus and ascospores with a gelatinous sheath. T he ascospores with age may become pale brown, multiseptate, often with long itudinal and oblique septa and may eventually germinate by forming phialide s directly. Lasiosphaeriella noonae-daniae and L. dennissii both have an as comatal wall with coarse tuberculate projections and L. pseudo-bombarda has an irregular outer surface giving it a roughened appearance, but without t uberculations. The outer wall layer of L. nitida is smooth and shiny and in L. pruinosa the outer layer is composed of hyaline gelatinized hyphae, app earing as a translucent mucus layer. The asci of the species are clavate wi th long stalks of varying lengths. Abundant, branched, filamentous paraphys es in a gelatinous matrix are present. All species have hyaline ascospores, somewhat curved when released from the asci with a few spores continuing d evelopment and becoming pale brown and septate. Ascospores of each species differ from the others in size, shape and septation.