1. Dry versus hydrated state of apothecia
Discomycetes are currently collected in the fresh (= hydrated) state,
and are air-dried after study for preservation in a herbarium. Rather unknown
is the fact that a huge number of species is xerotolerant (all figured below but
O. digitalina). These are, on the
contrary, usually collected in the completely dry, exsiccated state, and are
rehydrated by spraying with water indoor prior to examination.
The upper row shows the completely dry apothecia, the lower row the fully hydrated apothecia. Only O. digitalina was in the hydrated state when discovered in the field.
Colours of apothecia are often more intense in the dry state, also the margins usually get more or less inrolled or even completely close the hymenium. Erumpent apothecia retract on drying and sometimes get nearly entirely invisible (O. abutilonis, O. cryptogena). From their macroscopical appearance it is quite impossible to recognize whether or not the apothecia are still alive, either in the dry or the hydrated state.
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Orbilia denticulata sp. nov.
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O. regalis |
O. aviceps sp. nov. |
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O. decipiens |
O. abutilonis |
O. cryptogena sp. nov. . phot. G. Marson |
O digitalina sp. nov. |
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