Protothelenella
Unlichenized or parasitic fungi, or lichens containing the chlorococcoid alga, Elliptochloris bilobata; thallus immersed or surficial and smooth, goniocystose or cracked-areolate; perithecia pale brown to black, usually partly immersed, hemispheric, globose or pear-shaped, the wall formed of intertwined or radiating, anastomosing hyphae with pigmented walls; hymenium of rather straight, moderately to densely branching and anastomosing paraphyses embedded in gel, the gel I+ blue; asci cylindric or narrowly elliptical, with IKI+ blue walls; spores 6-8 per ascus, muriform, colourless, sometimes with tailed ends, elliptical or fusiform, the outer wall thicker than the septae.
References: Mayrhofer & Poelt 1985; Mayrhofer 2004.
Protothelenella xylina Mayrh. & Poelt
Thallus bright green, smooth to immersed, with granules emerging at the surface, or a thin green film; perithecia 0.15-0.25 mm wide, hemispheric, the lower half covered in thalline material, the exposed part jet black, older perithecia with a widening pore, eventually exposing the hymenium; asci narrowly cylindrical; spores 19-22 × 10-13 µ, 8 per ascus, elliptical, often with tailed ends.
Reactions: Spot tests all negative.
Contents: No known lichen substances.
Habitat: On soft wood of decaying logs, within the winter snowpack, in cool, upper elevation forests.
Similar Species: Not likely to be mistaken for any other species in our area.
Specimens: Björk 8971.
Local Status: Rare.