An emendation of the genus Hyaloscypha to include Fuscoscypha (Hyaloscyphaceae, Helotiales, Ascomycotina)

Abstract

The monotypic genus Fuscoscypha possesses hairs similar as in the genus Hyaloscy- pha but differs by grey-olivaceous-brown apothecia with short dark stipes. Molecular data proves that the pigmentation does not permit delimitation of a separate genus, as white and brown taxa do not form separate clades. Followingly, Fuscoscypha is here considered to be a synonym of Hyaloscypha. Three of the here treated four species have an olivaceous-brown excipulum. Two are saprophytes on decaying leaves and fruits of angiosperms: F. acicularum, the type species of Fuscoscypha, and Hyaloscypha fus- costipitata comb. nov. (formerly placed in Betulina). Two are biotrophic parasites on Bryophyta: Hyaloscypha hepaticola comb. nov. (formerly placed in Trichopeziza) and the hyaline-excipled Hyaloscypha albocarpa spec. nov. which is otherwise very similar to H. hepaticola. The type species of the genus Betulina, B. hirta, is found to be an earli- er synonym of Urceolella salicicola (= U. graddonii). The new combination Urceolella hirta is therefore proposed, hence Betulina is considered a synonym of Urceolella.