Basidiomycota. Filobasidiaceae Zyzygomyces aipoliae Growth type lichenicolous basidiomycete Photographs on Physcia aipolia At present seems to only occur on thallus and apothecia of Physcia aipolia The waxy-gelatinous basidiomata are pale to medium reddish-brown, +/- irregular in shape and often gall-inducing. The basidia are 2-3 sterigmate, 45-68 x 4.5-6.5 µm and basidiospores are ellipsoid, 7-9 × 4.5-5.5 µm. Micrograph showing basidia below. Similar: Zyzygomyces physciacearum occurs on other Physcia species. Tremella christiansenii also causes brown galls on Physcia's but basidia with individual cells elongating separately before epibasidium forms

Micrograph

Zyzygomyces aipoliae
Photographs: Broadstone, Dorset. January 2025