Ophioceras longisporum Sacc., Syll. fung. 2: 360. 1883.

USA – Tennessee • Cocke Co., Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cosby, Cosby Nature Trail; alt. 716 m; 23 Mar. 2007; on decaying wood; A.N. Miller, P. Chaudhary & H.A. Raja leg.; A.N.M. 1134 (ILLS00121385). • Ibid.; 19 Jul. 2007; T.J. Atkinson & P. Chaudhary leg.; A.N.M. 1250 (ILLS00121386).

The species occurs on decaying wood and is known from the north temperate region in the USA (Indiana, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee) (Barr 1993; Huhndorf and Fernández 2005; this study).

For description and illustration, refer to Barr (1993), and Huhndorf and Fernández (2005). Our specimens of P. longisporus match well the fungus described and illustrated by Barr (1993) based on the holotype of Sphaeria longispora (Ellis 1877), only the asci are longer and agree with the measurements given by Huhndorf and Fernández (2005). Based on examination of our material (Fig. 8), ascomata are reddish-brown, subglobose to globose, with three-layered wall, setose, setae dark brown, acute, scattered over entire ascomatal surface and also aggregated around the ostiole, asci (140.5–)165–183 × 10.5–12.5 μm and (114–)133–157.5 μm long in the sporiferous part, ascospores (50.5–)52.5–68 × 3.5–4.5 μm, 7-septate, asymmetrical, tapering towards the basal end, with a negative or very weak dextrinoid reaction in Melzer’s reagent.

Sphaeria longispora (Ellis 1877) is a later homonym of S. longispora (Currey 1859) and S. longispora (Karsten 1873). Barr (1993) revised the holotype of S. longispora Ellis (USA, New Jersey, Newfield, on fallen branch of Kalmia latifolia, 20 Jul 1874, J.B. Ellis, NY) and concluded that the fungus is better placed in Lasiosphaeria due to filiform, septate ascospores and setose ascomata and proposed a replacement name, Lasiosphaeria ellisii as a nomen novum. This species was later transferred to Chaetosphaeria by Huhndorf and Fernández (2005) as Ch. ellisii. Kirk (2014) considered the first combination of S. longispora in Ophioceras by Saccardo (1883) as the earliest legitimate name of the taxon in the same rank (Art. 41.3) to replace Sphaeria longispora Ellis. Ophioceras longisporum Sacc. is, therefore, a basionym for all future combinations. Kirk (2014) proposed a new combination Chaetosphaeria longispora but erroneously cited S. longispora as the basionym, which does not affect the valid publication of the new combination (Art. 41.8c).