Hymenoscyphus ericae: a new record from western Canada

The teleomorphic state of the ericoid mycorrhizal Hymenoscyphus erica is known only from the type deposition. The production of both the teleomorph and anamorph by an isolate recovered from Ledum groenlandicum collected in an acidic peatland in Albertd, Canada, provided an opportunity to describe and illustrate the holomorph tor a North American collection as a new record and as a supplement to the original diagnosis. It also provided Further evidence that Hymenoscyphus ericae and Scytulidium vaccini represent states of a single species, a hypothesis that previously had been tested using nuclear ribosonnal DNA analysis. Appropriate cultural conditions and the use of molecular markers are advocated Ln order to facilitate the identification of mycorrhizal isolates which often remain sterile in pure culture.