


Synonyms: Barlaeina carbonicola, Lamprospora astroidea, Octospora carbonicola.
Lamprospora carbonicola is a species of fungus in the family Pyronemataceae, order Pezizales, class Pezizomycetes, phylum Ascomycota. It is a small, disc-shaped fungus that grows on burned soil and charcoal. In East and Central Texas, it has been found in areas with rich soil and abundant organic matter, typically fruiting in the spring and summer months after wildfires or prescribed burns. The fungus produces bright orange to yellow apothecia, 0.5-2 mm in diameter, with a smooth, waxy appearance. Spores are elliptical, measuring 18-24 x 10-14 µm, and are released from the apothecia during rainy periods. Lamprospora carbonicola is considered a fire-dependent species, requiring the heat and chemical alterations of burned soil to complete its life cycle.
In East and Central Texas, observations of the fungus Lamprospora carbonicola were made in areas with burnt ground or old bonfire sites. The fungus was found to be associated with the moss Funaria hygrometrica on multiple occasions, including on an old bonfire site in Sam Houston National Forest and on purely sandy soil covered by green moss in Bastrop State Park. The fungus appeared as an orange cup or Ascomycete fungus, and was often found in areas that had been burned 1-2 years prior. Specifically, sightings were recorded on February 22, 2021, in Sam Houston National Forest, and on December 25, 2021, in Bastrop State Park, indicating a possible preference for disturbed or burned environments. The fungus was consistently associated with mosses, suggesting a bryoparasitic relationship.
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