New species of Stephanoascus with Sporothrix anamorphs

Abstract

Two new folicolous fungal epiphytes, Stephanoascus flocculosus and Stephanoascus rugulosus, with distinctive conidial anamorphs, Sporothrix flocculosa and Sporothrix rugulosa, respectively, are described and illustrated. Both Stephanoascus species have two-celled asci and galeate ascospores. These two species are distinguished from previously described Stephanoascus species by asci with long, cylindrical appendages. Their anamorphs can be distinguished by colony morphology and conidial characteristics. Sporothrix flocculosa produces powdery to somewhat tufted to plumose colonies on malt–yeast extract agar, while colonies of S. rugulosa are yeast-like and wrinkled. Sporothrix flocculosa produces subglobose to obovoid, rough-walled secondary conidia, while S. rugulosa produces ellipsoidal to narrowly obovoid secondary conidia that are smooth or rarely slightly warted. The conidiogenous cell of S. flocculosa is produced directly on the vegetative hypha; the conidiogenous cell of S. rugulosa is produced on a conical hyphal projection.