Cudonia mongolica T. Bau & G. Burenbaatar, 2025

Cudonia mongolica T. Bau & G. Burenbaatar , sp. nov. ( Figs 2 View FIGURE 2 , 3 View FIGURE 3 )

Mycobank 854907

Diagnosis: — Cudonia mongolica differs from C. confusa by having clavate asci, the asci and ascospores are relatively large, and the stipe cortex is covered with a little crystal.

Etymology: —‘mongolica’ refers to the species being found in Mongolia.

Type: — MONGOLIA. Tov Province: Mungunmorit soum, N 48° 13' 57.38 E 108° 18' 2.76, 3 August 2023, Tolgor. Bau & Burenbaatar ( HMJAU 71948, holotype!)

Description: —Ascomata capitate, stipitate, the edge rolls toward the stipe, 0.2–0.9 cm high when dry.Ascigerous portion capitate, semiorbicular, 0.2–0.6 cm diam. when dry, surface of hymenium light orange(5A4-5A5) to greyish orange(5B4-5B5) when fresh, brown(6E8) when dry, smooth. Receptaculum white(5A1) when fresh. Stipe 0.1–0.5 × 0.8–2.4 cm when dry, subcylindrical, slightly swollen base, glossy, brownish orange(6C4-6C5) when young, then white(5A1), light brown(6D6) when dry.

Hymenium 114–142 µm thick, consisting of paraphyses and asci. Asci clavate, 78.9–128.9 × 8.2–13.0 µm, attenuated towards the base, 8-spored, apical portion narrowly round, J-, croziers present. Ascospores acicular to slightly curved, 36.8–55.8 × 2.1–3.3 µm, round at apex, acuminate at base, smooth, hyaline, multiguttulate, nonseptate but becoming secondarily septate when forming ascoconidia, wall with a gelatinous layer 1.2–3.0 µm thick. Ascoconidia elliptical to oblong elliptical, smooth, thin-walled, 1-celled, 1-guttulate, hyaline. Paraphyses filiform, colorless, often branched below, septate. Surface of stipe composed of textura intricata, 5–8 µm in diam., thin-walled, colorless and covered with little crystals.

Habitat: —Scattered in the moss layer in summer.

Distribution: —known only in Mungunmorit soum, Tov Province, Mongolia.

Additional specimen examined: — MONGOLIA. Tov Province: Mungunmorit soum, 2 August 2023, Tolgor Bau & Burenbaatar G. (UBA2380202, isotype!).