NAME Brefeldiellites fructiflabellus
AGE Early Eocene.   AGE span: 55.8...40.4 mya
K&J CLASSIFICATION (2000) Ascomycetes, Microthyriales.
FIGURE(S)
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FIGURE REFERENCE Dilcher DL. 1965. Epiphyllous fungi from Eocene deposits in Western Tennessee, U.S.A.; Palaeontographica, Abt. B, v. 116, p. 1-54.
SPECIES, AUTHORITY B. fructiflabellus Dilcher 1965, p. 25, pl. 13, fig. 108.
LOCATION Western Tennessee, USA.
ORIG DESCRIPTION* Radiate stroma composed of radiating rows of hyphae laterally united to each other and the upper epidermis of the host leaf. Stroma 300-675 µm in diameter, consists of cuboidal to rectangular cells 2-4 x 3-7.5 µm which radiate out from the central area and dichotomize, thereby increasing the radiating rows of the hyphae marginally. Margins of colonies fimbriate. Stroma hyaline except over the ascomata. Ascomata consist of hyphal cells 3-5 x 5-14 µm which dichotomize as they radiate out and thus increase the number of radiating rows. Ascomata formed near margins of stroma, 125-150 x 100-130 µm, dark, arch away from the surface of the leaf at maturity, fan shaped. A ring of dense cells 20-35 µm in diameter may be present appearing to form a definite ostiole. No spores found. Host leaf Chrysobalanus sp.
COMMENTS* The hyaline nature of the sterile hyphae is characteristic of this form and not the result of poor preservation or preparation of the fossil material since associated forms of other fungi and the fertile areas of this species have been subjected to identical conditions of preservation and preparation and are not transparent. The stroma of B. fructiflabellus is round and may be slightly lobed (pl. 13, fig. 104). However because of the hyaline nature of the stroma, often only occasional dark marginal fruiting areas are evident making this form appear to consist of isolated fan-shaped ascomata.
PUBLICATION REFERENCE Dilcher DL. 1965. Epiphyllous fungi from Eocene deposits in Western Tennessee, U.S.A.; Palaeontographica, Abt. B, v. 116, p. 1-54.
K&J REMARKS Although Dilcher did not designate a holotype, but syntypes (all resulting from a single collection), Kalgutkar and Jansonius (2000) consider that the name was validly published, in accordance with ICBN Art. 8.1, which states that: "for small herbaceous plants and most non-vascular plants, the type may consist of more than one individual ... conserved permanently on one ... microscope slide, or in one equivalent preparation, e.g. a box ...." Fossil plants are not excepted from this tolerant Rule.

Kalgutkar and Jansonius (2000) select a lectotype from these syntypes; it is permanently preserved in the paleobotanical collections of the Peabody Natural History Museum, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
TYPE
ALL NAMES (Including synonyms) Brefeldiellites fructiflabellus
SERIAL NUMBER 140
PUBLIC COMMENTS
 *For source, see Publication Reference.