Hi Stip

when I had a short stop in Upsala in 2010, I studied the type of Niptera lacustris (Herb. Fries). It has ?asci (+) 90-110 x 14-16.5 µm, IKI-, sp. ca. (+) 18-20 x 7 µm., always 1-septate. Material in Herb. Rabenhorst have also such wide spores and inamyloid asci.

I once saw a fresh collection in S-France with such wide spores *20-23 x 7.3-7.8 µm, 1(-3)-septate, which moreover showed only weakly refractive VBs (KOH not tested, probably negative). The asci were here either amyloid or inamyloid, depending on the apothecium! So this should be N. lacustris.

My collections HB 3778, 3826a and some others have consistently amyloid asci and 1(-2)-septate spores, very exceptionally 3-septate, *15-19 x 4.3-6.2, and a very strong yellow KOH-reaction. I conclude this is not N. lacustris.

N. macrospora has 3-septate but much longer spores, and I also remember my single fresh collection which was devoid of VBs.

The reddish IKI-reaction of the gel around the spores seems to be quite typical of the lacustris aggregate. Your specimen might belong to my finds with the yellow KOH-reaction, but did you see 3-septate spores also inside living asci? From your photo I assume they are only 1-septate there.

Zotto

Hoi Zotto,
this seems to be a unresolved group too, I feared so when I read Nauta & Spooner (I- or I+)
my asci were all immediately IKI blue arising from croziers  (*)65-85x7-8,5 spores 0-3 septate in living asci. Photo is attached
where can I find 3826a?
I am very happy to know this is Niptera notlacustris ;-)
Today I noticed that the e-mail notifications were caught by my server spam folder since 14 september

Stip

yes, I can recognize septation, though not sure if more than 1 (two spores lie over another).

Only description of 3826a:
Germany: Bayern, Niederbayern, NP Bayr. Wald, Spiegelau, Waldhäuser, Rehberg, Hochwaldsteig, 1150 m, culms of Calamagrostis villosa,
28.VII.1989, E. Weber & H.O. Baral (H.B. 3826a)
Wegrand, in Wasser im Graben flutend. A. 90-121/12,5-15µ, m.Hk., IKI
3 bb, Alloph.-like, young 2µ hoch, Sp. 17-18,5/5-6µ, viele kl. LBs
÷0,4µ, Glykogen zwi LBs, sehr schwache aber dtl. kupferrötl. IKI-Aura,
schwaches Kochen in 2%KOH ergibt kein blau, Ap. 0,4-1,2mm, Hym. gr (A.
vorsthd.), außen swbr, sessil, flach bis etwas konvex, Margo breit-
hell, P. leicht irreg. flex. (nicht hakig), refr. Vak. wenig unterbr.,
20-50µ herab, /3,5-6µ, zyl. bis etwas keulig, 2%KOH intensivst ins
Med. (nix in P.). Ap. gerade so ñüber Wasser

Hoi Zotto,
This collection is 15-IX, Boxmeer; de Vilt at the edge of a pond just above waterlevel (same site as Ombrophila ambigua)
Stip