Botanical Studies (2007) 48: 91-96.
*
Corresponding author: E-mail: huil4951@ntu.edu.tw.
INTRODUCTION
The genera Perichaena and Trichia, belonging to
Arcyriaceae and Trichiaceae of Trichiales, respectively,
are characterized by having tubular capillitial threads.
While the capillitial threads of Perichaena are slightly
roughened or marked by warts or spines on the surface,
those of Trichia are of free elaters with acute or acuminate
ends and marked by 2-5 spiral bands on the surface. Their
spores are bright-colored and usually yellow in mass
(Martin and Alexopoulos, 1969). To date, five species
and one variety of Perichaena, and seven species and
three varieties of Trichia, have been recorded in Taiwan
(Nakazawa, 1929; Liu, 1980, 1982, 1983, 2005; Wang et
al., 1981; Chung and Liu, 1997; Chung et al., 1998; Chung
and Tzean, 1998; Liu et al., 2002a, 2002b). In this paper
two newly recorded species, P. pedata (A. & G. Lister)
G. Lister and T. papillata Adamonyte, and a new species,
P. papulosa Liu & Chang, are described and illustrated.
Voucher specimens were deposited at the herbarium of the
National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan
(TNM).
TAXONOMY
Key to species of Perichaena in Taiwan (inspired
by Martin and Alexopoulos, 1969)
1.
Fructifications predominantly plasmodiocarpous ........ 2
Fructifications predominantly sporangiate .................. 4
2.
Plasmodiocarps dull yellow-brown to dark-brown, long
slender, curved or net-like ........................................... 3
Plasmodiocarps dark reddish brown, often elongated
or ring-like, varying to sporangiate, rarely stipitate;
capillitium strongly spinulate, with long spines,
sometimes marked by reticulate ridges .........................
............................................................ P. chrysosperma
3.
Spores 10-14 £gm diam ...........................P. vermicularis
Spores 7.5-10 £gm diam .................................................
..................................P. vermicularis var. microsperma
4.
Sporangia flattened on a broad, continuous base,
usually densely aggregated and angular from pressure;
dehiscence circumscissile ............................P. depressa
Sporangia not flattened, often clustered but not angular;
dehiscence circumscissile or irregular
......................... 5
5. Sporangia mostly stalked ............................................. 6
Sporangia sessile, short-plasmodiocarpous or annulate
..................................................................................... 7
6. Peridium bearing one prominent wart on the top of
sporangium ................................................. P. papulosa
Peridium not as above .................................... P. pedata
7.
Sporangia dehiscing by a clearly preformed lid; the
line of dehiscence wavy; capillitium usually scanty,
minutely warted or spiny, rarely smooth
.....P. corticalis
Sporangia dehiscing irregularly; capillitium scanty, or
absent, smooth .............................................P. liceoides
Perichaena chrysosperma (Currey) A. Lister, Mycet.
196. 1894.
Description and illustration: Liu (1983).
Perichaena corticalis (Batsch) Rost., Mon. 293.1875.
Description and illustration: Liu (2005).
The fruiting bodies resemble those of P. tessellata in
having a dark outer peridium separated by a yellow and
membranous inner peridium to form a polygonal areolae
in outer appearance. The mostly plasmodiocarpous
Myxomycetous Genera Perichaena and Trichia in Taiwan
Chin-Hui LIU
1,
*, Jong-How CHANG
2
, and Fu-Hung YANG
3
1
Institute of Plant Science, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
2
2F, 72, Sec. 2, Pei-Hsin Rd., Hsin-Tien, Taipei County 231, Taiwan
3
Institute of Life Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
(Received February 3, 2006; Accepted August 23, 2006)
ABSTRACT.
Five species and one variety of the genus Perichaena, and seven species and three varieties of
Trichia have previously been reported from Taiwan. In this paper two newly recorded species, P. pedata and T.
papillata, and a new species, P. papulosa, are described and illustrated. Keys to the Perichaena and Trichia
species of Taiwan are also provided.
Keywords: Myxomycetes; Perichaena; Taiwan; Trichia; Trichiales; True slime molds.
MICROBIOLOGY