NAME Haplographites cateniger
AGE Eocene.   AGE span: 55.8...33.9 mya
K&J CLASSIFICATION (2000) Fungi Imperfecti, Amerosporae.
FIGURE(S)
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Pl.2fig.7.jpg
FIGURE REFERENCE Felix J. 1894. Studien über fossile Pilze; Zeitschrift der Deutschen Geologischen Gesellschaft, v. 46, p. 269-280.
SPECIES, AUTHORITY H. cateniger Felix 1894, p. 274, pl. 19, fig. 6.
LOCATION Perekeschkul, near Baku, USSR.
ORIG DESCRIPTION* The conidia, in part still attached to the hyphae, are connected together in chains, that are often still preserved in considerable length. The longest observed chain consists of 6 segments. The individual conidia invariably remain unicellular and are generally of barrel or ovoid shape with both ends usually slightly prolonged, in which case the outline is potbellied spindle-or lemon-shaped. The average length of the individual conidia is 15-17 µm, the width 9-11 µm; in exceptional cases the latter increases to 14 µm. Most conidia are of deep brown-red color, but also occasionally of paler shades; their wall is very thick. Mycelia and hyphae are well developed and often fill the lumina of the vascular system in particular with a dense, entangled network. The hyphae are quite distinct from the conidia and usually of brown coloration. They are septate; the septa are usually far apart, but in some branches the segments become very short, which occasionally results in the conspicuous phenomenon that individual segments alternately show paler and darker coloration (fig. 5a). The individual cells are sometimes well filled, sometimes empty. Fusions occur occasionally between two mycelial strands running alongside each other (fig. 5b), and the abstriction of conidial chains is plainly visible here and there. [Unedited translation from German; GSC Calgary Library, Translation No. 4047621.]
COMMENTS* In comparison with recent forms, this fossil fungus shows great resemblance to Haplographium and Dematium species. The group to which these two genera belong has been classified by Saccardo as Haplographieae; therefore, I establish the genus Haplographites to include those fungal forms whose close resemblance to recent representatives is such that their affiliation to this group is likely. The conidial chain of some Alysidium species are also very similar, e.g. Alysidium fuscum Bon. (=Torula fusca). But the mycelium and hyphae of Torula differ considerably and, therefore, a relationship between the described fossil form and the Haplographieae is more likely. Some species of the latter do live on decaying wood, such as Haplographium bicolor Grove and H. tenuissimum Corda. The latter lives on decaying beech wood. I designate the present species as Haplographites cateniger. It is preserved in a silicified wood which I named Taenioxylon porosum and which probably belongs to the legumes; it originates from the Eocene of Perekeschkul near Baku. [Unedited translation from German; GSC Calgary Library, Translation No. 4047621.]
PUBLICATION REFERENCE Felix J. 1894. Studien über fossile Pilze; Zeitschrift der Deutschen Geologischen Gesellschaft, v. 46, p. 269-280.
K&J REMARKS
TYPE H. cateniger Felix 1894, p. 274, pl. 19, fig. 6 [lectotype selected by Jansonius & Hills (1976), card no. 1218.].
ALL NAMES (Including synonyms) Haplographites cateniger
SERIAL NUMBER 670
PUBLIC COMMENTS
 *For source, see Publication Reference.