On Ivy leaves - Lophodermium and Hypoderma

[JennyS]

Two similar looking species found on fallen Ivy leaves on Portland, Dorset recently - Lophodermium hedericola with long, acicular spores and Hypoderma hederae with pycnidia and simple, guttulate spores.

Lophodermium hedericola:

Hypoderma hederae:

[Chris Yeates]

Two similar looking species found on fallen Ivy leaves on Portland, Dorset recently - Lophodermium hedericola with long, acicular spores and Hypoderma hederae with pycnidia and simple, guttulate spores.

Nice Jenny
I come across the Hypoderma occasionally up here in West Yorkshire; but the Lophodermium appears to be very much a south-western species (lots of Welsh records I see - but none from Dorset). You're correct in pointing out that the accompanying, smaller, pycnidia are a good clue in the field for the Hypoderma.
best
Chris

PS I see that for one of the Dorset records: http://www.fieldmycology.net/frdbi/FRDB ... ma+hederae Dave Minter - by transposing his eastings and northings - has put Hypoderma hederae in the English Channel! I think SY7099 was intended

PPS Just noticed a very interesting article about this - see pages 6 & 7 of http://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/files/86 ... letter.pdf

[JennyS]

Cheers Chris and yes, the Lophodermium is a Dorset first - pure chance I spotted the apothecia on an ivy leaf as I was meant to be looking at lichens!

I came across the linked PDF when checking my ID so the following week looked more closely at the dead ivy that had been cleared from the boulders - one leaf with more Lophodermium and one with Hypoderma hederae.