This fungus is an exceptionally rare obligate symbiont of one Podocarpus species in Japan. With only 1 known record, dating to before 1893, there is a danger that this species may now be extinct.

Japan

Known only from a single collection made before 1893. As there are no recent records, extent of occurrence cannot meaningfully be assessed. The locality information available for the only known collection is insufficient to calculate a meaningful statistic for area of occupation.

This species produces stromata and fruitbodies on dead portions of green leaves and stems of the conifer genus Podocarpus. The life-cycle and biology have not been investigated, but disruption of colonized leaves is very localized, suggesting that the plant is well adapted to the presence of the fungus. There are no reports of the fungus causing harmful effects to the trees colonized. There is, for example, no evidence of premature leaf fall. The possibility that the fungus may have some beneficial effect on the tree has not been considered. Known only in association with Podocarpus macrophyllus.

Loss of habitat and population fragmentation of native populations of its associated Podocarpus macrophyllus trees.

A search is needed to see if this fungus can be rediscovered.

Ex situ conservation. No fungal culture collections are known with isolates of this species. There is no genetic material of this species stored in Genbank.

BENNY, G.L., SAMUELSON, D.A. & KIMBROUGH, J.W., Studies on the Coryneliales. II. Taxa parasitic on Podocarpaceae: Corynelia. Botanical Gazette 146: 238–251 (1985). FITZPATRICK, H.M., Monograph of the Coryneliaceae [cont.]. Mycologia 12(5): 239–267 (1920). FITZPATRICK, H.M., Revisionary studies in the Coryneliaceae. Mycologia 34(4): 464–488 (1942). JOHNSON, P.R., The structure and taxonomic significance of the asci of Corynelia (Coryneliaceae, Ascomycetes). Unpublished MSc Thesis (Reading University, Reading, UK) 1–131 (1986). JOHNSON, P.R. & MINTER, D.W., Structure and taxonomic significance of the ascus in the Coryneliaceae. Mycological Research 92(4): 422–430 (1989). MINTER, D.W. Corynelia nipponensis. IMI Descriptions of Fungi and Bacteria No. 1663 (2006). PIROZYNSKI, K.A. & WERESUB, L.K., A biogeographic view of the history of ascomycetes and the development of their pleomorphism. In Kendrick, W.B. (ed.), The Whole Fungus (Ottawa, Canada: National Museum of Natural Sciences, National Museums of Canada & The Kananaskis Foundation) 1: 93–123 (1979).