Journal of Threatened
Taxa | www.threatenedtaxa.org | 26 March 2026 | 18(3): 28510–28523
ISSN 0974-7907 (Online) | ISSN 0974-7893 (Print)
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9728.18.3.28510-28523
#9728 | Received 04 April 2025 | Final received 22 January 2026| Finally
accepted 20 February 2026
New distribution records and
taxonomic studies of ascomycetous fungi Xylaria and Daldinia
(Ascomycota: Xylariales: Xylariaceae) in Karnataka, India
S. Bharath Kumar 1 , A. Muthu Kumar 2
& Praveen Kumar Nagadesi
3
1,3 Department of Botany, School of
Life Science, St. Joseph’s University, Lalbagh Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka
560027, India.
1,3 Mycology and Plant Pathology
Lab, St. Joseph’s Research Innovation
Centre, St. Joseph’s University, Lalbagh
Road, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560027, India.
2 Forest
Protection Division, Institute of Wood Science and Technology. P.O.
Malleshwaram, 18th Cross, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560080, India.
1 bharath.kumar@sju.edu.in, 2 iwst.muthukumar@gmail.com,
3 nagadesipraveenkumar@yahoo.com (corresponding author)
Abstract: The family Xylariaceae represents
a diverse assemblage of ascomycetous fungi, widely recognised for their
prolific production of secondary metabolites with potent bioactive properties,
including antimicrobial, anticancer, and immunomodulatory compounds. A
mycological survey was conducted from June 2023 to August 2024 across various
ecological niches in Karnataka, India, to document the diversity of
Xylariaceae. Extensive morphological, anatomical, and taxonomic investigations
led to the identification of 16 fungal taxa distributed across two genera: Daldinia
(3 species), Xylaria (12 species) and Sphaeria (1 species). The
species of Daldinia were confirmed as D. childiae J.D.Rogers
& Y.M.Ju, D. concentrica (Bolton) Ces. & De Not., and D.
eschscholtzii (Ehrenb.) Rehm, while the Xylaria taxa included X.
curta Fr., X. carpophila (Pers.) Fr., X. castorea Berk., X.
cornu-damae (Schwein.) Berk., X. apiculata Cooke, X. ellisii Tanney,
Seifert & Y.M.Ju, X. frustulosa (Berk. & M.A.Curtis)
Cooke, X. hypoxylon (L.) Grev., Sphaeria kegeliana Lév., X.
longipes Nitschke, X. nigripes (Klotzsch) Cooke, X. polymorpha
(Pers.) Grev., X. telfairii (Berk.) Sacc., These species were
predominantly found colonizing decayed wood, lignified stumps, and decomposing
leaf litter. Notably, D. childiae, X. curta, X. ellisii, X.
frustulosa, X. kegeliana are reported for the first time in Karnataka,
whereas X. telfairii and X. cornu-damae constitute new records
for India. This study significantly enhances our understanding of the taxonomy,
systematics, and biogeography of Xylariaceae in the Indian subcontinent,
providing valuable insights into their classification, substrate preferences,
and ecological distribution.
Keywords: Fungal diversity, morphological
survey, morphological taxonomy, secondary metabolites, substrate specificity,
wood decay fungi.
Editor: Avneet Pal Singh,
Punjabi University, Patiala, India. Date of publication: 26 March 2026 (online & print)
Citation: Kumar, S.B., A.M. Kumar & P.K. Nagadesi (2026). New
distribution records and taxonomic studies of ascomycetous fungi Xylaria
and Daldinia (Ascomycota: Xylariales: Xylariaceae) in Karnataka, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa 18(3): 28510–28523. https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.9728.18.3.28510-28523
Copyright: © Kumar
et al. 2026. Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. JoTT allows unrestricted use,
reproduction, and distribution of this article in any medium by providing
adequate credit to the author(s) and the source of publication.
Funding: This research received no external funding.
Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.
Author details: Mr Bharath Kumar S is a research scholar specialising
in fungal diversity and taxonomy of wood-rotting fungi from the Western Ghats,
Karnataka, India. His work includes studies on morpho-molecular systematics,
anatomy of wood decay, and biocontrol of wood-rotting pathogens. He has reported new wood-rotting pathogens from the Western Ghats. This
contributes to the taxonomy and understanding of macrofungal diversity. Dr A. Muthu Kumar is a scientist-F at the Institute
of Wood Science and Technology under ICFRE, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. He has 18 years of research experience in forest pathology
and microbial ecology. His research focuses on tree health assessment, fungal
diversity, and disease management of forest plants such as sandalwood, bamboo,
neem, and teak, and he serves as an expert member of the Tree
Expert Committee, which contributed to urban tree management policies, forest
disease management strategies, and climate-related forestry guidelines in
India. Dr N. Praveen Kumar is a mycologist and plant
pathologist focusing on fungal diversity of Andhra
Pradesh and Gujarat, encompassing timber-degrading fungi and their biocontrol.
He has published more than 70 research articles and 10 book chapters, focusing
on fungal diversity, aerobiology, plant pathology, mycochemicals, bioactive compounds, and mycotechnology. He is a life member of the
Mycological Society of India and serves on the editorial board of the SCIREA
Journal of Forestry and Plant Science Today.
Author contributions: BKS: Conceptualised, filed survey, investigated,
developed data, analysed, and wrote the manuscript. NPK: Revised and edited the
manuscript, analysed and validated the data, instructed and supervised the
whole process. AMK: Filed survey, host identification, manuscript reviewed and
validated.
Acknowledgements: The authors are thankful to the
management, especially Late. rev. fr. Swebert ‘D’ Silva SJ, pro chancellor,
rev., fr. Dr. Victor Lobo SJ, vice chancellor, rev. Dr. Roshan Castelino SJ,
research director, St. Joseph’s University, Bengaluru, and
Dr. Neelam Mishra, HOD, Department of Botany, St. Joseph’s University
Bengaluru, for providing all the necessary facilities, encouragement, and
congenial environment for research. The authors are also grateful to Mrs Sushma
DRFO, Bannerugatta Biological Park, Bengaluru, for helping in
field studies.
Introduction
Ascomycota, a large taxonomic
group of fungi, encompasses numerous genera that play crucial roles in forest
ecosystems. Xylariaceae is a diverse and ecologically important family within
the Ascomycota (Suwannasai et al. 2023). The family Xylariaceae, belonging to
the phylum Ascomycota, includes approximately 85 genera and over 1,300 species
worldwide (Patel & Krishnappa 2017). Among these, Xylaria and
Daldinia species are particularly significant, as they contribute to the
decomposition of wood and organic matter (Rogers 1979). Most representatives of
the genus Xylaria are considered saprophytes, though they may exhibit
varying degrees of parasitism, typically associated with stems and leaves and
less frequently with fruits (Canon et al. 2019). Xylaria species
associated with termite nests are predominantly found in Africa and Asia,
particularly in regions dominated by the termite species from the subfamily
Macrotermitinae (Wangsawat et al. 2021). Despite their ecological importance,
many xylariaceous fungi remain poorly understood, especially in the
underexplored Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot, despite known ascomycete
numbers having nearly doubled in recent years (Karun & Sridhar 2015). The
present study focuses on the diversity, distribution, taxonomy, and substrate
specificity of Xylaria and Daldinia within the eco-regions,
including the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India.
Materials
and Methods
Sample collection
Fieldwork was conducted from June
2023 to August 2024 across a range of forest ecosystems with diverse climatic
conditions, including moist and dry deciduous forests, scrublands, wetlands,
and arid to semi-arid regions in the districts of Davanagere, Bengaluru,
Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Chikkamagaluru in Karnataka (Figure 1). Fungal
specimens were collected in sterile, zip-lock bags and transported to the
laboratory for analysis. The morphological features of Xylariaceae members were
carefully examined and documented, followed by the drying and preservation of
each specimen individually in plastic bags.
Morphological characterization
Transverse sections of fungal
specimens were prepared and mounted in lactophenol, cotton blue, and stained
with iodine reagent to observe the features of perithecia, asci, and
ascospores. A 5–10% potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution was used to soften the fungal
tissues; after rinsing with water using a dropper or pipette, the KOH was
replaced with the appropriate stains. Morphological characteristics of all
specimens were examined under a light microscope equipped with a Canon EOS 600D
camera (Nagadesi 2018; Bharath et al. 2025). Measurements were recorded, and
species were identified using standard taxonomic literature. (Dennis 1956,
1957, 1958; Thind & Waraitch 1969; Martin 1970; Thind & Dargan 1975,
1978, 1979; Kar & Gupta 1978; Dargan 1980; Rogers et al. 1987, 1988).
Results
A total of 144 fungal samples
were collected from various eco-regions and biodiversity hotspots of Karnataka,
among which 16 fungal taxa were identified, including three species of Daldinia,
one species of Sphaeria and twelve species of Xylaria.
Comprehensive morphological and anatomical analyses confirmed the identity of
three Daldinia species as D. childiae D. concentrica, and D.
eschscholtzii. The 12 Xylaria species were identified as X. curta,
X. carpophila, X. castorea, X. cornu-damae, X. apiculata,
X. ellisii, X. frustulosa, X. hypoxylon, X. longipes,
X. nigripes, X. polymorpha, X. telfairii, and one
S. kegeliana. These taxa were found inhabiting various substrates,
including living trees, decayed wood, stumps, organic-matter-rich soil, and
leaf litter, across different locations in Karnataka (Table 1). Significantly,
this study reports D. childiae, X. curta, X. ellisii, X.
frustulosa, and S. kegeliana for the first time from Karnataka,
whereas X. telfairii and X. cornu-damae are documented as new
records for India. These findings provide new insights into the diversity and
distribution of Xylariaceae in the region, contributing to the broader
understanding of their taxonomy and systematics.
The collected specimens have been
submitted to the Museum, Department of Botany in St. Joseph’s University,
Bengaluru, with accession numbers such as SJCCBOT031, SJCCB032, SJCCB033,
SJCCB034, SJCCB038, SJCCB039, SJCCB041, SJCCB042, SJCCB043, SJCCB044, SJCCB048,
SJCCB049, SJCCB053, SJCCB065, SJCCB055, and SJCCB066 accordingly. These sixteen
species have been described and illustrated based on their morphological and
anatomical features, along with their substrate records.
Taxonomy
Daldinia
concentrica (Bolton) Ces. & De Not., 1863
The fruit bodies are 3–7 cm in diameter; brown, turn black and dense as
they mature; sessile, broadly attached to the host, smooth, hard, and solitary,
with a cushion-shaped, rounded appearance. Surface becomes cracked over time,
revealing reddish-brown granules beneath. Spore-bearing surface consists of
tiny perithecia embedded within the outer layer of the fruiting body. Flesh
arranged in concentric layers, with slightly papillate ostioles. Asci
cylindrical; ascospores dark brown to black, elliptical to fusiform,
unicellular, with rounded ends, approximately 5–7 × 11–16 µm
Specimens examined: India, Karnataka, Lalbagh, Bengaluru, forest
area, on dead and decayed wood of Eucalyptus tree, leaf
litter, decayed twigs, decayed stumps, and stumps near humus-rich soil, heavily
covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 12.948 °N & 77.588 °E, 5
August 2024, Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no.SJCCB065.
Daldinia
childiae J.D. Rogers & Y.M. Ju, 1999 (Image 1)
Fruit bodies about 0.8–2.5 cm wide, found in clusters on the dead wood
of the Eucalyptus tree; nearly globose to hemispherical to irregularly shaped;
greyish-white to pinkish-brown in colour, become greyish to blackish in colour.
Conidia may appear as a whitish mass. The surface of a mature carbon ball
appears finely dotted, with minute bumps. Perithecia are present just below the
surface of the fruiting body. Alternating light and darker-coloured concentric
zones are present when cut vertically. Ascospores are brown to black,
unicellular, ellipsoid, with rounded ends, approximately 8.5–9 × 4.5–5 µm in
diameter.
Specimens
examined: India, Karnataka, Bannerugatta, Bengaluru, forest area, on decayed dead
and decayed wood of Eucalyptus tree, leaf litter, decayed twigs, decayed
stumps, leaf litter, and stumps near humus-rich soil, heavily covered with
decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 13.032 °N & 77.563 °E, 5 August 2024,
Bharath Kumar S. Acc. No SJCCB055.
Daldinia
eschscholtzii (Ehrenb.) Rehm, 1904
The fruiting body exhibits considerable variability, ranging from
hemispherical to placentiform shapes. It is sessile, solitary, short, stout,
and smooth, measuring 2–5 cm in diameter, with a brown to black colouration. As
it ages, the surface becomes varnished and develops granules. The perithecia
are small and tubular, featuring prominent internal zones with alternating
light and dark concentric rings, and are dark brown in colour. The ascospores
are brown to black, unicellular, ellipsoid, with rounded ends, measuring
approximately 9–10 × 5–6 µm in diameter.
Specimens examined: India, Karnataka, Lalbagh, Bengaluru, forest
area, observed on decayed Teak wood, bark, stumps, leaf litter, decayed
twigs, decayed stumps, leaf litter, and stumps near humus-rich soil, heavily
covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 13.012 °N & 77.570 °E,
collected on 5 August 2024 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no.SJCCB065
Xylaria
apiculata Cooke, 1879
The
fruiting bodies are slender and relatively small compared to other species,
ranging from 0.5–2.5 cm in length and 0.3–0.4 cm in width. The fertile fruiting
bodies are black, with a pale coating on the upper surface that splits into
vertical striations. The interior tissues are white and softer than the black
outer coating, while the stipes are often densely tomentose. Mature stromata
are unbranched. The perithecia are globose, measuring 0.4–0.5 mm in diameter,
with very finely papillate ostioles. The stipe is small compared to the
spore-bearing fruiting body, swelling in the centre. The ascospores are brown,
unicellular, ellipsoid, and have broadly rounded ends, measuring 15–20 × 6–9 µm
in diameter.
Specimens
examined: India, Karnataka, Sagara, Shivamugga, forest area, observed on bark of Mahogany
tree, decayed stumps, leaf litter, and stumps near humus-rich soil, heavily
covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 14.166 °N & 75.033 °E,
collected on 14 November 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no. SJCCBOT031.
Xylaria
carpophila (Pers.) Fr., 1849
The fruiting bodies are long, slender, and cylindrical, with some
branched and others unbranched, extending to a fertile portion that is
cylindrical to oval in shape. They measure up to 5.5–7.5 cm in length, ending
in a rounded to pointed apex. The texture is rough. When young, they are
initially white, becoming yellow to off-white as they mature. The apical tip is
rusty and yellow to off-white, and rounded. The perithecia are mammiform with
papillate ostioles. The ascospores are pale yellow to pale brown, measuring up
to 8–9 × 18–21 µm in diameter, and have a slightly bean-shaped structure.
Specimens
examined: India, Karnataka, Thirthahalli, Shivamugga, forest area, observed on
dead and decaying wood of the Silver oak tree, stumps near humus-rich soil,
heavily covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 13.690 °N & 75.245
°E, collected on 14 November 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no. SJCCBOT032.
Xylaria
castorea Berk., 1855
Fruiting body solitary to gregarious, unbranched, flattened to
cylindrical, clavate, broadly spathulate, tip acute to round, entire stromata
fertile, glabrous, plane to slightly enlarged, sessile, brown to blackish brown in colour, surface
splitting into distinct plates, measuring up to 3–6 × 1–2 cm diam. Perithecia
are completely immersed, 5–7 µm. Asci cylindrical, 8-spored. Ascospores are
elliptical, equilateral to nearly symmetric, dark brown in colour, measuring up
to 9.5–13 × 5.5–6.5 µm in diameter.
Specimens examined: India, Karnataka, Ranganathapura, Shivamugga,
forest area, observed on decayed wood of Albizia saman, ficus tree
stumps, leaf litter, decayed twigs, decayed stumps, leaf litter, and stumps
near humus-rich soil, heavily covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates:
14.374 °N & 74.811 °E, collected on 14 November 2023 by Bharath Kumar S.
Acc. no. SJCCBOT033.
Xylaria
cornu-damae (Schwein.) Berk., 1873 (Image 2)
The fruiting body is found on decaying wood of heartwood stumps.
Fruiting body grey to black, pimply, little large, branched, cylindrical, young
stage dusty whitish covering, surface powdery, often with whitish remains of
the powdery coating of the grey to black, measuring up to 3.6 × 0.6 cm in
diameter. Interior flesh white, and tough, perithecia at maturity fruiting body
more are less spherical, just below the surface measuring about 45–50 × 3–5.5
µm with a long stipe. Asci 8-spored. Ascospores are fusiform, smooth, dark
brown to black in colour, 15–30 × 4.5–6 µm.
Specimens examined: India, Karnataka, Siddapura, Shivamugga,
forest area, observed on decayed wood, bark of Acacia nilotica, decayed
stumps, leaf litter, and stumps near humus-rich soil, heavily covered with
decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 14.364 oN & 74.884 °E,
collected on 14 November 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no. SJCCBOT038.
Xylaria
curta Fr., 1851 (Image 3)
The fruiting bodies are found near the base of living hardwood tree
trunks. Although they appear terrestrial, they are actually attached and grow
in clusters, with some being solitary. They are sessile with elongated,
flattened, cylindrical fertile parts that have a rounded apex. Initially dark
brown, they become much darker as they mature. The external texture is rough
and wrinkled, ranging in colour from black to golden brown, and measuring up to
3–6.5 cm in diameter. Meanwhile, the internal tissue is white to cream. The
perithecia are immersed, measuring 0.2–0.5 mm in diameter, and have a papillate
ostiole. The ascospores are dark brown, unicellular, smooth, uni-seriate,
cylindrical, and ellipsoidal in shape, measuring up to 6–7 × 5.5–6.5 µm in
diameter.
Specimens examined: India, Karnataka, Channagiri, Davanagere,
forest area, observed on Leaf litter, decayed twigs, stumps near humus-rich
soil, heavily covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 14.034 °N &
75.934 °E, collected on 7 October 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no.SJCCBOT034.
Xylaria
ellisii Tanney, Seifert & Y.M.Ju, 2020 (Image 4)
The fruiting body is upright, solitary, and once-branched, with a
cylindrical to spathulate shape. The apices are broadly rounded, dividing into
a fertile head and a sterile stipe, measuring approximately 3.5–5.6 × 0.8–1.1
cm, including the stipe. The surface is irregularly flattened to wrinkled,
often cracked, and black in colour, while the interior is white. The stipe is
brownish-black in colour. Perithecia immersed, subglobose to globose, 0.4–0.6
mm diam. Osteoles pappilate. Ascospores are eight-spored, measuring 45–60 µm in
diameter, and are cylindrical, arranged in a uniseriate manner. Ascospores are
dark brown in colour, smooth, unicellular, ellipsoid-unequilateral, broadly
rounded ends, measuring about 7–9.5 × 4.5–5.5 µm in diameter
Specimens
examined: India, Karnataka, Kerebilachi, Davanagere, forest area, observed on
soil surface, Leaf litter, decayed twigs, leaf litter, and stumps near
humus-rich soil, heavily covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 14.641
°N & 75.531 °E, collected on 7 October 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no.
SJCCBOT039.
Xylaria
frustulosa (Berk. & M.A.Curtis) Cooke, 1883 (Image 5)
Fruiting body gregarious to confluent, semi-circular to irregular,
flattened to pulvinate, dark brown in colour, measuring about 0.6–1.5 cm in
height and 2–3.5 cm in width in diameter, attached to the substratum by a
narrow central connective. Perithecia are numerous in number, the surface is
dotted with ostioles, the interior is soft and black in colour. Perithecia
globose to subglobose, measuring up to 0.2–0.3 mm diam. Asci with eight
ascospores, hyaline, cylindrical, 35–40 × 3.5–5.5 µm with a long stipe.
Ascospores are pale brown to black in colour, elliptical, measuring up to
5.5–6.2 × 2.5–3.5 µm in diameter.
Specimens
examined: India, Karnataka, Shanthi Sagar, Davanagere, forest area, observed on
decayed wood, bark of Albizia saman, decayed stumps, leaf litter, and stumps
near humus-rich soil, heavily covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates:
14.7488 °N & 75.541 °E, collected on 7 October 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no. SJCCBOT041.
Xylaria
hypoxylon (L.) Grev., 1824
The
fruiting bodies are found on the trunk of a tamarind tree. They are slender,
sub-cylindrical to strap-shaped, and may be branched at the tip. These
structures can be solitary or gregarious, with a black colour on the lower side
and a powdery white tip, reaching heights of up to 6–8 cm. The perithecia are
fully immersed, and the surface of the fertile portion is tuberculate, with
longitudinal splits up to 0.4–0.5 mm in size. The asci are cylindrical, and the
ascospores are black, uniseriate, and slightly bean-shaped, measuring 4.8–6.3 ×
11.3–12.6 µm. The spores are equatorially flattened on one side and rounded on
the other, giving them a distinctive banana-like shape.
Specimens examined: India, Karnataka, Nallur, Davanagere, forest
area, observed on the base of a Tamarind tree and decayed bark, stumps near
humus-rich soil, heavily covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 14.354
°N & 75.467 °E, collected on 7 October 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no.
SJCCBOT042.
Xylaria
kegeliana (Lév.) Fr., 1851 (Image 6)
Current
name: Sphaeria kegeliana Lév.
The fruiting body is found on the soil surface and on decayed wood.
Stroma about 7–10 × 0.6 cm in diameter, fruiting bodies are creamish-white in
colour with black dotted lines, with a cracked, rough surface, with a long
rooting stipe up to ¾ of the total length, measuring up to 5–6 cm, smooth and
wrinkled in structure. Perithecia are globose to irregular in shape with a
small stalk. Asci 7-spored, interior flesh golden yellow in colour. Ascospores
are small, elliptical, subglobose, smooth, golden brown to black at maturity,
measuring about 4–6 × 2–3µm in diameter.
Specimens examined: India, Karnataka, Kuduregundi, Chikkamagaluru,
forest area, observed on Soil surface, leaf litter, decayed twigs, decayed
stumps, leaf litter, and stumps near humus-rich soil, heavily covered with
decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 13.333 °N & 75.251 °E, collected on 15
September 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no. SJCCBOT043.
Xylaria
longipes Nitschke, 1867
The fruiting bodies are found in groups, with a club-shaped form and a short
stipe. They are tough and taper to a rounded apex. At maturity, their surface
is greyish-brown, turning black with age, and becomes crackly and scaly. They
measure approximately 3–8 cm in length and 0.2–1.5 cm in diameter. The
perithecia are 0.5–1 mm in diameter with a papillate ostiole, and the asci are
long and stipitate. The ascospores are brown to black, smooth, and fusiform
with a slit running through them, measuring about 4–7.5 × 11–15 µm.
Specimens
examined: India, Karnataka, Halase, Chikkamagaluru forest area, observed on
Decayed wood of Acacia nilotica, leaf litter, and stumps near humus-rich
soil, heavily covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 13.313 °N &
75.737 °E, collected on 5 September 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no. SJCCBOT044.
Xylaria
nigripes (Klotzsch) Cooke, 1883
The
fruiting bodies were found growing singly or in groups, with a stipitate
structure that is long, slender, and cylindrical, tapering to a club shape at
the top. They can reach heights of 8–13.5 cm, with a diameter of 7–18 mm, and a
stipe length of 6–10.5 cm. The surface is initially smoky white to
greyish-white but turns black, becoming crackly and scaly with age. The
perithecia have a papillate ostiole, and the asci contain eight spores. The
ascospores are brown to black, ellipsoid, with rounded ends, smooth, and
measure up to 8–11 × 3–5 µm in diameter.
Specimens examined: India, Karnataka, Belur, Chikkamagaluru forest
area, observed on decayed wood, bark, leaf litter, and stumps near humus-rich
soil, heavily covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 13.162 °N &
75.857 °E, collected on 5 September 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no.
SJCCBOT048.
Xylaria
polymorpha (Pers.) Grev., 1824
The
fruiting bodies are finger-like in structure, dark brown in colour, and found
near decaying trees. Though appearing terrestrial, they are actually attached
to buried wood and grow in groups. Fruiting body is generally club-shaped with
blunt, narrowed, whitish to black tips, pale grey to dark black, finely dusted,
smooth, and dry. The interior surface is white and tough. At maturity, the
fruiting body remains club-shaped, swollen from top to bottom, with a finely
wrinkled surface, and can measure up to 4.5–8 × 0.5–1.4 cm in size. The
perithecia are black, sub-spherical, measuring up to 0.4–1.2 mm in diameter.
The asci are arranged in a single layer just below the surface and are long,
cylindrical, and stipitate. The ascospores are purple to brown in color,
smooth, and slightly bean-shaped to double-shaped, measuring 10.5–14.8 ×
2.8–4.2 µm in diameter.
Specimens examined: India, Karnataka, Moodigere, Chikkamagaluru,
forest area, observed on decayed wood of a Silver Oak tree near
humus-rich soil, heavily covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 14.354
°N & 75.467 °E, collected on 5 September 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no.
SJCCBOT049.
Xylaria
telfairii (Berk.) Sacc., 1882 (Image 7)
Fertile fruiting body is cylindrical with rounded apices, unbranched,
solitary, measuring about 2.4–3.5 cm in total length and 0.9–1.4 cm thick.
Stipe is black in colour, measuring up to 1.3 cm in length. External surface
copper to cinnamon brown in colour, smooth, internally white to cream in colour
and hollow. Perithecia are completely immersed. Asci eight-spored, cylindrical,
stipitate, urn-shaped, measuring up to 3–4.5 µm. Ascospores are ellipsoid,
equilateral, dark brown in colour, unicellular, smooth, measuring up to 17–23 ×
5–6 µm.
Specimens
examined: India, Karnataka, Bannerugatta, Bengaluru, forest area, observed on
soil surface, leaf litter, decayed twigs, leaf litter, and stumps near
humus-rich soil, heavily covered with decaying leaf litter. Coordinates: 12.947
°N & 77.585 °E, collected on 3 September 2023 by Bharath Kumar S. Acc. no.
SJCCBOT053.
Discussion
The present
study explores the morphological diversity of Daldinia and Xylaria
species collected from various forested regions of Karnataka, India. The
detailed examination of their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics
offers valuable insights into their taxonomy and habitat preferences. A total
of 24 species of Xylaria have been previously reported from the Western
Ghats and the west coast regions of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil
Nadu (Karun & Sridhar 2015). In the current study, 12 species of Xylaria
have been identified from Chikkamagaluru, Shivamugga, Davanagere, Kodugu, and
Bengaluru. Xylaria longipes and X. polymorpha have been reported
to grow on dead logs/stubs (Karun & Sridhar 2015). In the present
compilation, X. longipes was found on the bark of the Neltuma
juliflora tree, whereas X. polymorpha was found in association with
a living Tamarind tree. X.
carpophila has been documented from humus-rich soil and leaf litter in the
Panchmahal district of Gujarat (Koyani et al. 2016). In our study, X.
carpophila was collected from dead and decaying wood of the silver oak tree
in Shivamugga District, Karnataka. Species such as X. telfairii and Xylaria
ellisii were frequently found on heavily decomposed material, highlighting
their role as key decomposers in forest ecosystems. Meanwhile, X. apiculata
and X. frustulosa were observed on the bark of both living and decaying
trees, suggesting possible host specificity, as noted in the previous studies
(Stadler et al. 2013). In the present study, X. apiculata was found on
the bark of mahogany trees, decayed stumps, X. frustulosa on decayed
wood and bark of Albizia saman, X. telfairii, and X. ellisii
on the soil surface, leaf litter, and decayed twigs, indicating their
adaptability to diverse substrates. Xylaria castorea was originally
described from New Zealand (Berk. 1855). This study marks the first report of X.
castorea from Karnataka, India. X. cornu-damae found on coarse
woody debris from National Military Park and Devil’s Den State Park,
northwestern Arkansas, Saudi Arabia (Alshammari & Stephenson 2018). In this
present study, X. cornu-damae was found on decayed wood of Albizia
saman, Ficus religiosa stump, Shivamugga, a patch of Western Ghats,
Karnataka, India.
Daldania
concentrica and D. childiae were found on dead wood of Enterlobium saman
from Kondapalli forest, Andhra Pradesh, Eastern Ghat, India (Srinivasarao &
Nagadesi 2021). In this study, the presence of D. concentrica and D.
childiae was found on dead and decayed wood of the Eucalyptus tree
in Bannerugatta Biological Park, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. Daldania concentrica
and D. eschscholtzii were reported by Rajput et al. (2015), while D.
childiae was first described from Gujarat (Koyani et al. 2016) and
later from the Darapalli and Kondapalli Reserve forests of the Eastern Ghats in
Andhra Pradesh (Srinivasarao & Nagadesi 2021). In this study, D.
childiae is reported for the first time from Karnataka, India.
Overall, this research enhances our understanding of Xylariaceae diversity
in India, emphasising the need for continued documentation of Xylariaceous
fungi across various forest ecosystems. Future molecular studies could further
validate species identities and offer deeper insights into their phylogenetic
relationships and ecological functions.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, the survey of the family Xylariaceae conducted across Karnataka
from June 2023 to August 2024 has significantly expanded the understanding of
the biodiversity and taxonomic importance of this group. Out of 144 collected
fungal samples, 16 were identified based on morphology, which included three
species of the genus Daldinia, 12 species of Xylaria, and one
species of Sphaeria, demonstrating the diversity of this group in the
region. The discovery of D. childiae, X. curta, X. ellisii, X.
frustulosa, and S. kegeliana is reported for the first time in
Karnataka, whereas X. telfairii and X. cornu-damae constitute new records for
India, highlighting the distribution and diversity of this region. These
findings not only enrich the taxonomic knowledge of the Xylariaceae but also
open up possibilities for future studies on the bioactive compounds and
medicinal properties associated with these fungi.
Table 1. Morphological and habitat
data of Xylaria and related fungal species.
|
|
Species |
Substrate |
Stroma shape and colour |
Co-ordinates |
References |
|
1 |
Xylaria apiculata |
Bark of the Mahogany tree,
decayed stumps, |
Black in colour, pale coating,
splits into vertical strations. 0.5–2.5 cm |
14.166° N 75.033° E |
Pande et al. (2012) |
|
2 |
X. carpophila |
Dead and Decayed wood of Silver
Oak tree |
Long, slender, and cylindrical
to oval in shape. 5.5–7.5 cm, ending in a rounded to pointed apex. white,
yellow to off-white |
13.690° N 75.245° E |
Swapna et al. (2008) |
|
3 |
X. castorea |
Decayed wood of Samanea
saman, Ficus tree stumps |
Solitary, unbranched, flattened
to cylindrical, broadly Spathulate, tip acute to round, glabrous, brown to
blackish brown in colour, 3.6 × 1–2 cm |
14.3742° N 74.81142° E |
Pande et al. (2012) |
|
4 |
X. cornu- damae |
Decayed wood, bark of Acacia
nilotica |
Grey to black to pimply, little
large, branched, cylindrical young
stage dusty whitish covering, surface powdery, 3.6 × 0.6 cm |
14.364° N 74.884° E |
New to the study area |
|
5 |
X. curta |
Leaf litter, decayed twigs, and
stumps |
Initially dark brown, they
become much darker as they mature. External texture is rough and wrinkled,
ranging in colour from black to golden brown, 3–6.5 cm |
14.034° N 75.934° E |
New to the study area |
|
6 |
X. ellisisii |
Soil surface, leaf litter,
decayed twigs |
Solitary, branched once,
cylindrical to spathulate, apices broadly rounded, 3.5–5.6 × 0.8–1.1 cm.
Surface irregularly flattened to wrinkled, frequently cracked, and black in
colour, |
14.641° N 75.531° E |
New to the study area |
|
7 |
X. frustulosa |
Decayed wood, Bark of Samanea
saman |
Gregarious to confluent,
semi-circular to irregular, flattened to pulvinate, dark brown in colour,
0.6–1.5 × 2–3.5 cm. |
14.748° N 75.541° E |
New to the study area |
|
8 |
X. hypoxylon |
Base of the Tamarind tree and
decayed bark |
Slender, sub-cylindrical to
strap-shaped, and branched at the tip. Black colour on the lower side and a
powdery white tip, 6–8 cm. |
14.354° N 75.467° E |
Karun & Sridhar (2015) |
|
9 |
X. kegeliana |
Soil surface, leaf litter,
decayed twigs |
Stroma 7–10 × 0.6 cm, creamish
white in colour with black dotted lines, with a cracked, rough surface. |
13.333° N 75.251° E |
New to the study area |
|
10 |
X. longipes |
Decayed wood of Acacia
nilotica |
Club-shaped form and a short
stipe. Tough and tapering to a rounded apex. At maturity, greyish-brown,
turning black with age, and becomes crackly and scaly. 3.8 × 0.2–1.5 cm |
13.313° N 75.737° E |
Karun & Sridhar (2015) |
|
11 |
X. nigripes |
Decayed wood, bark, and leaf
litter |
Long, slender, and cylindrical,
tapering to a club shape at the top. Smoky white to greyish-white but turns
black, becoming crackly and scaly with age, 8–13.5 cm. |
13.162° N 75.857° E |
Karun & Sridhar (2015) |
|
12 |
X. polymorpha |
Decayed wood of a Silver Oak
tree |
Dark brown in colour,
club-shaped with blunt, narrowed, whitish to black tips, varies from pale
grey to dark black, finely dusted, swollen at top to bottom, finely wrinkled
4.5–8 × 0.5–1.4 cm |
13.137° N 75.606° E |
Karun & Sridhar (2015) |
|
13 |
X. telfairii |
Soil surface, leaf litter,
decayed twigs |
Cylindrical with rounded
apices, unbranched, solitary, measuring about 2.4–3.5 × 0.9–1.4 cm thick, the
stipe is black in colour, surface copper to cinnamon brown in colour, smooth. |
12.947° N, 77. 585° E |
New to the study Area |
|
14 |
Daldinia concentrica |
Dead and decayed wood of the
Eucalyptus tree |
They are brown and turn black
and dense as they mature, sessile, hard, and solitary, with a cushion-shaped,
rounded appearance. The surface becomes cracked over time, with reddish-brown
granules beneath. 3–7 cm |
12.948° N 77.588° E |
Swapna et al. (2008) |
|
15 |
D. eschscholtzii |
Decayed Teak wood bark |
The fruiting body has
hemispherical to placentiform shapes. It is sessile, solitary, short, stout,
and smooth, 2–5 cm, brown to black in colour. With age, the surface becomes
varnished and develops granules. |
13.012° N 77.570° E |
Chutulo & Chalannavar (2020) |
|
16 |
D. childiae |
Dead and decayed wood of the
Eucalyptus tree |
Fruiting body is nearly globose
to hemispherical, and some are often irregularly shaped. Greyish white to
pinkish brown in colour, at maturity, the fruiting body becomes greyish to
blackish in colour, 0.8–2.5 cm. |
13.032° N 77.563° E |
New to the study area |
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