Open Access
Dheeraj Pandey,
Ovaid Akhtar,
Shweta Chaturvedi,
Mohd. Shahbaan,
Ifra Zoomi,
- Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Prof. Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiya) University, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Kamla Nehru Institute of Physical and Social Science, Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Research Scholar, K. Banerjee Center for Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies, Faculty of Sciences, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Kamla Nehru Institute of Physical and Social Science, Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Government Degree College, Manikpur, Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, India
Abstract
In this study, Ascobolus scatigenus (Berk. & Curtis) Brumm. was reported for the first time from a newly described habitat in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India. So far, this coprophilous cup-fungus was known to be reported only from Saharanpur Garden, Sheikhupura, Hyderabad, and Punjab. External morphology and microscopic characteristics were very similar to those of Ascobolus scatigenus (Berk. & Curtis) Brumm. Many apothecial cups of the fungus were growing over the dung-rich surface singly or in groups of 3–5, 8 mm broad, lacking a stalk. These apothecial cups were distinguished into ectal excipulum, medullary excipulum, subhymenium, and hymenium. The hymenial layer consists of fertile asci and sterile paraphyses. Asci were cylindrical with a granular inner wall, a rounded apex, and slightly tapered at the base, containing 8 ascospores. These ascospores were hyaline, fairly obtuse at the poles, with two wall layers. The outer wall layer was smooth without any ornamentation. The other detailed description of this coprophilous fungus, along with measurement data, is presented in this research, and the voucher specimen is wet-preserved in the form of a museum specimen. With the newly described habitat for A. scatigenus (Berk. & Curtis) Brumm. and the revision of the checklist for Uttar Pradesh, only two reports for the genus Ascobolus remain valid from the whole of Uttar Pradesh, India. Thus, the present study is the third report for all the Ascobolus species and the second report of A. scatigenus (Berk. & Curtis) Brumm. from Uttar Pradesh. From Eastern Uttar Pradesh, this is the first-ever report of A. scatigenus (Berk. & Curtis) Brumm. growing on the manured soil of the Naini Region of Prayagraj. This research also presents a revised checklist of Ascobolus species in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Keywords: Ascobolus, coprophilous fungus, apothecium, ascus, ascospores
[This article belongs to International Journal of Fungi ]
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International Journal of Fungi
| Volume | 03 | |
| Issue | 02 | |
| Received | 03/09/2026 | |
| Accepted | 09/09/2026 | |
| Published | 11/09/2026 | |
| Publication Time | 8 Days |