Sirotrema translucens (H.D. Gordon) Bandoni
no common name
Tremellaceae

Species account author: Ian Gibson.
Extracted from Matchmaker: Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest.

Introduction to the Macrofungi

Photograph

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Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Sirotrema translucens
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Species Information

Summary:
Sirotrema translucens is tiny, and not likely to be encountered casually, but is of intrinsic interest: the Sirotrema species appear to be intermediate between Sirobasidium (not in western North America) and Tremella. The description is derived from Bandoni(8).
Microscopic:
ballistospores (forcibly ejected basidiospores) (8.5)9-10(12) x 4.5-6.5 microns, "broadly ovoid or slightly angular and tapering from the midpoint toward both ends, flattened adaxially, rarely slightly curved, with a proportionately large apiculus and a prominent hilar scar", germination by repetition or by budding, blasto-basidiospores produced by some basidia, 6-10 x 2.5-3.5 microns, mostly elongate, subcylindric (almost cylindric), usually tapered proximally, rounded distally, arising either directly from the basidial cells or from the ends of epibasidia of varying lengths; single probasidia 9.5-15(20) x 8.5-13 microns, predominantly spherical or nearly spherical, some obovate, pyriform, fusiform, or clavate, becoming 4-celled, but the partitions often irregularly arranged, epibasidia if present 10-100 x 1.5-2.5 microns, "sometimes swollen to 5 microns apically, often completely lacking and blastospores arising directly from basidial cells"; hymenium "40-90 microns thick, the probasidia borne terminally, often single on the young fertile hyphae, proliferation occurring basally either from the clamp or opposite it, the basidia mostly in dense clusters on older fertile hyphae", "intercalary basidia often present, typically occurring immediately below a terminal basidium, rarely intercalary and single"; hyphae of the basal zone "tightly compacted, difficult to separate, contorted, with infrequent and inconspicuous haustorial branches, the latter often with a pair of tortuous filaments", hyphae of context 1.5-2.5 microns in diameter between clamp connections, the clamp areas usually swollen to 4-5 microns, anastomoses frequent, "branches arising either directly from hyphae or from clamps, the clamps mainly open, sometimes medallion-like", hyphae in subhymenium "with shorter internodes than those in the context, the swollen areas conspicuous, these arising as spherical or subspherical swellings on apices of growing hyphae, the clamp then growing out laterally and posteriorly from the globular terminus"
Notes:
It is found at least in BC and Scotland.

Habitat and Range

SIMILAR SPECIES
"although the host ranges of S. parvula and S. translucens overlap, the two differ both morphologically and in their ecology". S. translucens is abundant on dead, attached needles, while S. parvula has only been found on somewhat decayed needles in the litter layer. The basidiospore dimensions are similar but the position of the apiculus differs. Context hyphae of S. parvula have abundant clamp-complexes that are lacking or rare in S. translucens. (Bandoni). Sirotrema pusilla differs in its host.
Habitat
developing in hysterothecia of Lophodermium and Hypodermella spp. on dead needles and cones of Pinus and needles of Abies spp.