| Xenonectriella subimperspicua | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Sordariomycetes |
| Order: | Hypocreales |
| Family: | Nectriaceae |
| Genus: | Xenonectriella |
| Species: | X. subimperspicua |
| Binomial name | |
| Xenonectriella subimperspicua (Speg.) Etayo (2017) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Xenonectriella subimperspicua is a species of lichenicolous fungus in the family Nectriaceae. It has been recorded from South America, Europe, and New Zealand. [2]
The fungus was first formally described by Carlo Luigi Spegazzini in 1898 as a member of genus Nectria . Spegazzini collected the type specimen from South America, where it was growing on Punctelia constantimontium . [3] In 1984, Rolf Santesson proposed to transfer the taxon to genus Nectriella . [4] Rosalind Lowen transferred it and several other lichenicolous species to Pronectria in 1990. [5] Finally, Javier Etayo transferred the species to the genus Xenonectriella in 2017, giving it the binomial name by which it is currently known. [6]
One of its hosts is the common foliose lichen species Punctelia borreri . Infection by X. subimperspicua creates discoloured or bleached areas on the thallus of the host; [7] the perithecia of the fungus then become more readily visible. [2] Two varieties of Xenonectriella subimperspicua have been defined: var. subimperspicua mostly parasitizes Parmelia and Punctelia but has also been recorded on Physcia , while var. degenerans parasitizes Parmotrema . [8]