Summary:
Features include 1) flattened fruitbodies on Tilia (basswood), 2) outer color that is dull purplish brown to grayish or grayish lilac, with black papillae, the interior dark brown and woody, except for carbonaceous tissue encasing the ostiole of each perithecium, 3) elliptic spores that are brown and smooth, with a germ slit spore-length on both sides of the spore, 4) asci with the apical ring lightly blueing or not blueing in Melzer''s reagent, and 5) paraphyses.
Collections were examined from BC, ON, IA, and Hungary; the range also included IL, KS, NE, NY, TN, and WI, (Miller, J.H.). The distribution also includes France and Norway (Rogers).
Fruiting body:
1.5-10.5cm x 0.4-3cm and 0.06-0.07cm thick, applanate; "outer dehiscing layer dark brown, thin; surface dull purplish brown when young, mouse gray when mature; dark brown, woody immediately beneath surface and between perithecia, with carbonaceous tissue encasing each individual ostiole; tissue beneath perithecia inconspicuous", (Rogers), 3-4cm x 1-2cm and 0.05-0.1cm thick, broadly effused and indeterminate, at first light gray, later grayish lilac with a white margin, "with black, briefly papillate ostiola"; perithecia spherical to oblong, monostichous [in a series or line], often crowded, (Miller, J.H.)
Microscopic:
SPORES 12-16 (17.5) x (4.5) 5.5-7 microns, elliptic, "nearly equilateral, with broadly rounded ends, smooth", unicellular, light brown to brown, "with straight germ slit spore-length on both sides"; ASCUS 100-130 microns x 7.5-10 microns, the spore-bearing part 70-110 microns long, the stem 10-30 microns long, with apical ring lightly blueing or not blueing in Melzer''s reagent, discoid, 1 micron high and 3-4 microns broad; PERITHECIA 400-500 microns high, 200-400 microns across, obovoid, ostioles "higher than stromatal surface, with openings papillate", (Rogers), SPORES 11-16 x 5-6.5 microns, plano-convex or oblong, brown; ASCUS 75-102 x 7-9 microns in spore-bearing part, cylindric, stem 40-50 microns long; PARAPHYSES present; PERITHECIA spherical to oblong, (Miller, J.H.)
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