Freshwater Ascomycetes: Jahnula purpurea (Jahnulales, Dothideomycetes), a new species on submerged wood from Martinique Island, Lesser Antilles

Abstract

Jahnula purpurea J.Fourn., Raja & Shearer, a new species in the Jahnulales (Dothideomycetes) collected from submerged wood in a freshwater river in Martinique Island, Lesser Antilles, is described and illustrated. The characteristic features of the new species are: globose to subglobose, brownish black ascomata with broad, golden brown, subtending hyphae which stain the underlying wood purple; a peridial wall composed of large pseudoparenchymatic cells, which are textura angularis to prismatica in surface view; sparsely septate pseudoparaphyses embedded in a gel matrix; clavate to obclavate asci with a short pedicel; brown, one-septate, ellipsoidal, rough-walled ascospores without a gelatinous sheath or appendages. Unfortunately, because limited material was available from the type collection, we were unable to obtain molecular data. Jahnula purpurea is distinct from all previously described species of Jahnula in its ability to stain the wood purple and in a combination of ascomal, ascus, and ascospore size and morphology.