Disco fungus found new to Great Britain and Ireland on the Isle of Muck

Post date: Jan 15, 2013 10:33:34 PM

A species of ascomycete fungus (one of the disc fungi) has been found on the Isle of Muck that appears to be the first ever record for Great Britain and Ireland. The little fungus, Heterosphaeria alpestris, is reasonably conspicuous, even though barely 1mm across, and grows on dead stems of Angelica sylvestris (and other herbaceous stems elsewhere in the world). The discovery was made by Dr Paul Cannon from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew while moonlighting from a British Lichen Society field meeting. Dr Cannon says "The fungus seems to be an arctic-alpine version of the common Heterosphaeria patella, which we find on many dead stems, especially on umbels, and may well be under-recorded". He urges field mycologists to keep an eye out for it in future forays and adds "A bit of microscope work is needed to identify it accurately because Heterosphaeria alpestris is similar to the common species Heterosphaeria patella, but with ascomata that tend to be larger and more strongly pigmented, and conidia that lack elongate appendages."

A full illustrated profile for Heterosphaeria alpestris can be viewed on the excellent site 'Fungi of Great Britain and Ireland', which can be accessed here.

Please pass on any records of this species to your local recording group and/or submit to Scottish Fungi using this online form.

Watch this space to hear about another first authenticated record for Britain, this time found on South Uist....