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 Calicioids of Temperate Regions
0.01 (development)
Eric B. Peterson
 

Phaeocalicium

Phaeocalicium is anatomically close to Stenocybe.  About the only distinction that has been maintained in the literature is the spore size: Less than 20 μm for Phaeocalicium, mostly geater than 20 μm for Stenocybe (except for S. pullatula and the smaller spores of S. procrastinata - although the later almost always has plenty that are greater than 20 μm; see Peterson 2021).  Distinguishing genera only by spore size seems artificial and I suggest spore shape and spore wall characters may be of greater use. Most species of Stenocybe are more pointed than in Phaeocalicium (although the type species for Stenocybe has spores with rounded ends in my experience).  Stenocybe spores also tend to have pale apices and perhaps different wall structure. It is possible that there ought to be three: spores with dark, rounded end; spores with pale, rounded ends, and spores with distinctly pointed ends. These need to be carefully examined along with phylogenetic analysis in order to sort these genera out.

Taxa covered (22):

Key to Species

Validation script believes the following taxa are missing from the keys:

  1. Phaeocalicium "parvispora"
  2. Phaeocalicium acadiae
  3. Phaeocalicium ahtii
  4. Phaeocalicium fuegensis Tibell
  5. Phaeocalicium gracile
  6. Phaeocalicium matthewsianum
  7. Phaeocalicium minutissimum
  8. Phaeocalicium ornicolum
  9. Phaeocalicium pinaceum


  1. 1a. Spores non-septate.
    1. 2a. Capitula strongly flattened (two-dimensional).
      1. 3a. Excipulum with an outer layer of small, isodiametric cells, spores pale brown, smooth.Phaeocalicium betulinum
      2. 3b. Excipulum consisting of periclinally arranged hyphae, without isodiametric cells. Spores dark brown, with a minute ornamentation.Phaeocalicium compressulum
    2. 2b. Capitula not strongly flattened, though possibly with some flat areas resulting in a ca. 5-7 sided polygon in cross section.
      1. 4a. Excipulum rim distinctly thickened, ascomata 0.3 - 0.4mm high. Growing on Fraxinus, Populus, and Salix.Phaeocalicium interruptum
      2. 4b. Excipular rim not distinctly thickened.
        1. 5a. Spores reliably < 10μm long. Ascomata < 0.25mm tall. Known only from a single collection on Alnus in western North America.Phaeocalicium "parvisporum"
        2. 5b. Not as above.
          1. 6a. On Populus, ascomata 0.6- 0.9mm high, often K+G.Phaeocalicium praecedens
          2. 6b. On Fraxinus (+Quercus?), ascomata less than 0.5 mm high, K reaction various - may represent several spp., though still being studies - it may also represent variation within P. interruptum.Phaeocalicium "fraxinea"
  2. 1b. Spores 1-3 septate.
    1. 7a. Capitula strongly flattened (two-dimensional).
      1. 8a. Spores 3 septate.Phaeocalicium fuegensis
      2. 8b. Spores 1 septate.
        1. 9a. Stalk brownish when sectioned, excipulum 11 - 13μm thick, known only from Betula in northern Sweden.Phaeocalicium flabelliforme
        2. 9b. Stalk in section aeruginose (greenish), excipulum 20 - 25μm thick, known only from decaying branches of Coprosma in New Zealand.Phaeocalicium asciiforme
    2. 7b. Capitula not strongly flattened, though possibly with some flat areas resulting in a ca. 5-7 sided polygon in cross section.
      1. 10a. On polypore (note: Chaenotheca brunneola and Chaenothecopsis caespitosa have also been found on polypores).Phaeocalicium polyporaeum
      2. 10b. On bark of vascular plant.
        1. 11a. On stems and large branches of Rhus typhina.Phaeocalicium curtisii
        2. 11b. Phorophyte other than Rhus.
          1. 12a. Ascomata 0.4-0.7 mm high, excipulum consisting of periclinally arranged hyphae, on Populus.
            1. 13a. Ascospores 12 - 21μm long.Phaeocalicium tibetanicum
            2. 13b. Ascospores shorter.Phaeocalicium populneum
          2. 12b. Ascomata 0.3-0.4 mm high, excipulum consisting of isodiametric or periclinally arranged cells, on various hardwoods.
            1. 14a. Excipulum edge strongly thickened, spores 9-11 X 4-4.5 μm.Phaeocalicium interruptum
            2. 14b. Excipulum edge not strongly thickened, spores 11-17 X 4-6 μm.
              1. 15a. Excipulum and stalk reddish in section, K+ intensified reddish, stalk finally dark reddish grey.Phaeocalicium boreale
              2. 15b. Excipulum and stalk pale, brownish or greenish brown in section, K-.
                1. 16a. Excipulum and stalk pale, brownish or greenish brown in section, K-.Phaeocalicium "fraxinea"
                2. 16b. Mature spores always septate.
                  1. 17a. Mature spores with heavily pigmented septa, excipulum consisting of a single layer of isodiametric cells with thick walls 5-6 μm wide.Phaeocalicium tremulicola
                  2. 17b. Mature spores with poorly pigmented septa, excipulum consisting of 2-3 layers of sclerotized, periclinally arranged hyphae.Stenocybe pullatula

Species Details

Phaeocalicium "fraxinea"
ID=162
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may be P. interruptum ? needs further study
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Phaeocalicium "parvispora"
ID=169
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Phaeocalicium acadiae Selva & Tibell
ID=153
Type(s): listed in Tibell?s checklist (?99), ?NAm?
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Phaeocalicium ahtii (Titov & Baibul.) Titov
ID=189
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= Stenocybe ahtii Titov & Baibul.
Unspecified collections:
Phaeocalicium ahtii. Abdulla Abbas #30010133,  China: Xinjiang Prov. Farlow Herbarium.
Phaeocalicium ahtii. Abdulla Abbas #30010133,  China: Xinjiang Prov. Farlow Herbarium.
Phaeocalicium ahtii. Abdulla Abbas #30010133,  China: Xinjiang Prov. Farlow Herbarium.
Phaeocalicium ahtii. Abdulla Abbas #30010133,  China: Xinjiang Prov. Farlow Herbarium.

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Phaeocalicium asciiforme Tibell
ID=155
Type(s): -1987
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Phaeocalicium betulinum (Nyl.) Tibell
ID=156
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Phaeocalicium boreale Tibell
ID=157
Type(s): -1996
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Phaeocalicium compressulum (Nyl. ex Szatala) A.F.W. Schmidt
ID=159
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Phaeocalicium curtisii (Tuck.) Tibell
ID=160
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Phaeocalicium flabelliforme Tibell
ID=161
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-1996
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Phaeocalicium fuegensis Tibell : (1998)
ID=163
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Phaeocalicium gracile Titov
ID=164
Type(s): (2006): Titov 2006
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Phaeocalicium interruptum (Nyl.) Tibell
ID=165
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Phaeocalicium matthewsianum Selva & Tibell
ID=166
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Phaeocalicium minutissimum (G. Merr.) Selva
ID=167
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(still under Stenocybe in my key)
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Phaeocalicium ornicolum (Steiner ex Zahlbr.) Titov
ID=168
Type(s): Titov 2006
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Phaeocalicium pinaceum Titov
ID=170
Type(s): (1986): Titov 2006
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Phaeocalicium polyporaeum (Nyl.) Tibell
ID=171
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Phaeocalicium populneum (Brond. ex Duby) A.F.W. Schmidt
ID=172
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Phaeocalicium populneum
Phaeocalicium populneum
Phaeocalicium populneum

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Phaeocalicium praecedens (Nyl.) A.F.W. Schmidt
ID=173
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Phaeocalicium tibetanicum Titov
ID=174
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Phaeocalicium tremulicola (Norrl. ex Nyl.) Tibell
ID=175
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Count of taxa = 22
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