NAME Multicellites
AGE    AGE span:  mya
K&J CLASSIFICATION (2000) Fungi Imperfecti, Phragmosporae.
FIGURE(S)
FIGURE REFERENCE
SPECIES, AUTHORITY Multicellites Kalgutkar & Jansonius 2000
LOCATION
ORIG DESCRIPTION* DIAGNOSIS: Multicellate, uniserial, inaperturate fungal spores; number of cells three to many, terminal cells usually rounded; spore wall usually smooth, of medium thickness, usually thinner than the septa (or septal bases); septa generally perforate, or with septal folds.

Derivation of name: From the main diagnostic character, which is the presence of many (Latin multus) cells in each linear spore.
COMMENTS*
PUBLICATION REFERENCE Kalgutkar RM, Jansonius J. 2000. Synopsis Of Fossil Fungal Spores, Mycelia And Fructifications; American Association Stratigraphic Palynologists Foundation, Contributions Series Number 39, Dallas Texas, 423 p.
K&J REMARKS Inaperturate fungal spores of this general architecture so far have been included in the genera Multicellaesporites or Pluricellaesporites. Elsik, early on, recognized the basic difference in this broad grouping between hilate and inaperturate spores, and in his manuscripts (in part made available in workshops and short courses) lately referred to the inaperturate ones as "Multicellites."

Kalgutkar and Jansonius (2000) adopted this name because it has received wide cognizance, and in its simplicity can hardly be improved upon. It seems not warranted to try to invent a different name trying to express the morphological definition of these spores.

Nevertheless, Kalgutkar and Jansonius (2000) include in this genus some spores with as few as three cells, and also some that have distinct sculpture on the spore surface. Elsik (1992, unpublished) did segregate those; however, Kalgutkar and Jansonius (2000) felt that they lacked the knowledge to make meaningful splits in this complex. Nevertheless, the inaperturate forms here brought together were in urgent need of a validly published name.

Pluricellaesporites, as here emended, differs from Multicellites in having a proximal hilum. Multicellaesporites, as here emended, possesses a subtle, but distinct, longitudinal furrow.
TYPE TYPE: M. tener (Ke & Shi) Kalgutkar & Jansonius 2000
ALL NAMES (Including synonyms) Multicellaesporites tener Ke & Shi 1978, p. 39, pl. 2, fig. 13. [Orth. corr. pro M. tenerus Ke & Shi, l.c.]
Multicellaeites Elsik 1978 (nom. nud., in MS)
Multicellites Elsik 1992 (nom. nud., in MS). ; Multicellites;
SERIAL NUMBER 1097
PUBLIC COMMENTS
 *For source, see Publication Reference.