Tremella rubromaculata


Tremella rubromaculata is a species of fungus in the family Tremellaceae. It produces reddish orange, lobed, gelatinous basidiocarps and is parasitic on other fungi on dead branches of broad-leaved trees. It was originally described from Guatemala.

Taxonomy

Tremella rubromaculata was first published in 1964 by American mycologist Bernard Lowy based on a collection made in Guatemala.

Description

Fruit bodies are gelatinous, bright reddish orange, up to 2.5 cm across, and lobed. Microscopically, the basidia are tremelloid, 4-celled, 17 to 21 by 8 to 11 μm. The basidiospores are ellipsoid, smooth, 8 to 10.5 by 6 to 8 μm.

Similar species

Tremella dysenterica, described from Brazil, is bi-coloured and similarly lobed to subfrondose, but has smaller basidia and smaller spores. Elsewhere, Tremella erythrina is similarly coloured, but only known from China.

Habitat and distribution

Tremella rubromaculata is a parasite on lignicolous fungi, but its host species is unknown. It is found on dead, attached or fallen branches of broad-leaved trees.
The species was described from Guatemala and has also been reported from Brazil and Mexico.