CYCLANEUSMA DiCosmo, Peredo & Minter. Rhytismataceae. 2 Ukrainian species on Pinus.

1	most ascomata >0.5 mm long	Cyclaneusma niveum
	most ascomata <0.5 mm long	Cyclaneusma minus

Cyclaneusma minus (Butin) DiCosmo, Peredo & Minter [click here for picture] [click here for picture]. Status. Native; 14 records since 29 May 1993; probably quite widely distributed; varying considerably in abundance in different localities. Months. May, June, July. Regions. Crimea, Lviv, Zakarpatska. Habitat. Pinus nigra, Pinus nigra var. pallasiana, Pinus sylvestris, Pinus sylvestris subsp. kochiana, Pinus sp.; on secondary needles of 2- and 3-needle pines; inhabiting living needles as a symptomless endobiont or, less frequently, possibly causing premature death and defoliation; fruiting on dead fallen needles in the litter, or on dead needles still attached to thinnings and other trash; less frequently also on dead needles or dead portions of living needles killed by some other factor and still attached to living twigs; very often found in association with the common Lophodermium spp. on these Pinus spp.; tending to fruit in the autumn, and always fruiting within 12 months of needle death. Notes. For notes on how to recognize this species, see the entry for Cyclaneusma niveum. Worldwide. Probably native on a wide range of pines through much of the northern hemisphere conifer forests, though varying locally in abundance; introduced to many other parts of the world with the pines on which it grows. References. Millar & Minter (1980) [description, as Naemacyclus minor]; Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records].

Cyclaneusma niveum (Pers.) DiCosmo, Peredo & Minter Status. Native; 23 records since 29 May 1993; probably not so widely distributed as Cyclaneusma minus; locally abundant. Months. May, June. Regions. Crimea. Habitat. Pinus nigra, Pinus nigra var. pallasiana; on secondary needles of 2- and 3-needle pines in similar conditions to Cyclaneusma minus. Notes. Cyclaneusma niveum has larger ascomata, asci and ascospores than Cyclaneusma minus, though only in ascomatal length are the two species well differentiated; conidia (preceding ascomata in vivo, and usually only encountered in pure culture) are also longer in Cyclaneusma niveum (9-21 mm) than in Cyclaneusma minus (5-11.5 mm); there is some tendency for the two species to occupy different pine species, though in Ukraine these overlap considerably; Cyclaneusma niveum tends to have a bulkier appearance than Cyclaneusma minus; many earlier records of both of these fungi must exist for Ukraine, not properly distinguished from each other, and under the old name Naemacyclus niveus. Worldwide. Probably native on a wide range of pines in Europe and North America, though varying locally in abundance; introduced to other parts of the world with the pines on which it grows, but not so widely as Cyclaneusma minus. References. Minter & Dudka (1996) [Ukrainian records]; Minter & Millar (1980) [description, as Naemacyclus niveus].