Four new species of Tremella (Tremellales: Basidiomycotina) from Costa Rica

Abstract

Very few studies have been carried out on tropical Tremellales. Four new taxa are described, as follows: Tremella armeniaca R. Bandoni & Carranza: basidiomata superficial, lobes single or of small clusters, surfaces smooth, glossy to waxy Warm Orange to Ripe Apricot (R); nodose septate hyphae 2-5 um; basidiospores 6-9(-10) x 3-6 (-7) um, ovoid, apiculate; conidia 3-5 x 1.5-2.5 um, obovoid, ellipsoid to subcylindric. T. lilacea R. Bandoni & Carranza: basidiomata aggregated, tuberculate, anastomosing and distinctly moriform, gelatinous, pale amethyst to Pansy Purple (R); hyphae with few septa 1.5-4 um; basidiospores mostly bullate 8.5-10 x 7-8 um. T. nigrifacta R. Bandoni & Carranza: basidiomata erumpens, gelatinous, tuberculate, first hyaline then reddish-brown, becoming smoky and drying black; hyphae 2-5 um with short lateral finger-like branches; gemmae present 6-8 x 5-6 um, globose to ovoid; basidiospores 10-14 x 9-12 um, bullate or globose and T. roseolutescens R. Bandoni & Carranza: basidiomata pulvinate to cerebriform, soft gelatinous, Rose Pink to near Flesh Color or Salmon Color (R) changing to orange; nodose-septate hyphae 2-5 um; scattered vesicles intermixed with basidia; basidiospores 11-15 x 9-11.5 um bullate to globose or ovoid. These new species were collected in La Selva, Sarapiquí, Heredia; in San José; Cachí and Turrialba, Cartago; La Garita, Alajuela, Costa Rica.