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Danny’s DNA Discoveries – Cyphellopsidaceae of the PNW
by Danny Miller

Most cups are Ascomycota. The only other Basidiomycota cups are found in the Cyphellaceae.

We don't have enough types sequenced to prove that these are all in one family, nor with 100% certainty where to place the family, which is sometimes called by an old invalid name, the Niaceae.

Flagelloscypha supposedly differs from Lachnella by having larger incrustations on the hairs, but species of both are found in the same clade so it may not be correct to think of Flagelloscypha as a distinct genus from Lachnella.

abundant common uncommon rare - colour codes match my Pictorial Key and are my opinions and probably reflect my bias of living in W WA. Rare species may be locally common in certain places at certain times.

The proper genus for all of these needs to be double checked with type sequences. Few have sequences or photographs yet.

Calathella cf eruciformis EU - small yellow-grey tubes a couple mm across on cottonwood and willow. This is the type species of the genus. We have one purported UK sequence, but no real reliable sequences yet, nor any local sequences. We need a type sequence to anchor where this genus is.

Calathella ellisii UT (=Lachnella oregonensis OR) - small brown cups a couple mm across with white hairs around the rim on willow. This name may be illegal, so we need some type sequences to prove what genus our species is really in and somebody to come up with a proper name for it. We have no sequences yet.

Lachnella cf alboviolascens EU - small greyish-purplish cups ~1mm across with white hairs around the rim, on wood. We have a German type area sequence that may be this, but no local sequences yet to compare.

Lachnella cf tiliae NY - minute white cups <1 mm wide with white hairs, on wood.

Lachnella cf villosa EU - similar minute white cups <1 mm wide with white hairs, on woody debris.

Flagelloscypha cf minutissima NH - similar minute whitish cup with minute white hairs, <1 mm wide, on wood.

Flagelloscypha cf libertiana EU? (=Lachnella libertiana EU?) - another similar minute whitish cup with minute white hairs, <1 mm wide, on dead rose canes. No DNA yet.

Flagelloscypha cf orthospora EU? - another similar minute white cup with minute white hairs, <1 mm wide, on woody debris. No DNA yet.

Maireina cf marginata Australia - minute yellow cups <1 mm across with brown hairs on fruit tree twigs. This is generally accepted in Cyphella in the Cyphellaceae.

Maireina thujae ID - minute buff coloured cups <1 mm across on red cedar.

Merismodes cf anomala EU - minutely hairy ochre cup to urn shaped densely cespitose clusters on wood. No type area nor local sequences yet.

Merismodes cf fasciculata NY - differs microscopically. We may have a type area sequence, but no local sequences.

Merismodes cf ochracea EU - differs microscopically. No DNA yet.

Merismodes PNW01 - not matching what we know so far of any of the reported species, nor matching the two California species, this OR collection is unique.

unsequenced Lachnella alboviolascens © A and O Ceska,     unsequenced possible Flagelloscypha sp. © iNaturalist user bubbles-debary,     unsequenced possible Maireina sp. © Connor Dooley,     Merismodes PNW01 © Jordan Gates