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Korfiomyces gelatinosum gen. et sp. nov., a new and enigmatic gelatinous discomycete from the Venezuelan Amazon with lecanoralean affinities

     Departamento Biología de Organismos, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Apartado 89000 Sartenejas, Baruta, Edo. Miranda, Venezuela

David L. Hawksworth ¹

     Departamento de Biología Vegetal II, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, Plaza Ramón y Cajal, Ciudad Universitaria, ES-28404 Madrid, Spain

Korfiomyces gelatinosum gen. et sp. nov. is described from resinous wood of an unidentified tree in the Venezuelan Amazon, part of the Guayana region; it is saprobic and not lichenized. The ascomata are apothecioid, arise on a brownish subiculum, are gelatinous and initially have a raised exciple. The asci are lecanoralean with a thin outer amyloid layer and occasionally a minute internal apical amyloid ring. The paraphyses are simple and capitate, and the as-cospores brownish and 1-septate. The possible affinities of the new genus are discussed; no family to accommodate it satisfactorily was found, and for the time being it is recommended that it be treated as Lecanoromycetes incertae sedis.

Key words: Amazonas, Ascomycota, Guianas, Helotiales, Lecanoromycetes, lichens, resinicolous fungi, tropical fungi