Gloniopsis praelonga (Schw.) Zogg
Gloniopsis levantica Rehm
Hysterium praelongum Schwein.
Ascomycota - not lichenised - might be confused with lichen (Graphina, Graphis, ...).
Thallus absent. Fruiting bodies, lirellae-shaped hysterotheca, slightly incrusted in wood, more or less elongated, cracked in the center, sometimes with small longitudinal ridges, 1-2.5 x 0.3-0.4 mm, dark brown-blackish, blackish. Asci: 8-spored. Ascospores colourless at first then pale yellowish, ovoid with a small constriction towards the center, sometimes with a gelatinous layer, I-, 5-7-septate with 2-3 longitudinal septa, 20-32 x 9-12 µm according to the literature; 17-37 x 7-10 (11) according to our measurements. Common, on bare wood of deciduous trees and also on branches and twigs. Easily confused with some species of Graphis, notably Graphina ruiziana that has rather similar ascospores but I+ brown-purple and a whitish thallus. Gloniopsis levantica Rehm may also be found on dead twigs of Rubus. Other similar species exist, but with very different ascospores, as Hysterographium fraxini (Pers. : Fr.) De Notaris on Fraxinus ; Hysterium pulicare Persoon : Fr. on bark of deciduous trees, Hysterium angustatum Alb. & Schw. ex Mérat on dead wood of Fagus and Fraxinus, Hysterographium elongatum (Fr.) Corda on Salix and Populus, etc.*