Biscogniauxia nummularia
| Biscogniauxia nummularia | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Sordariomycetes |
| Order: | Xylariales |
| Family: | Xylariaceae |
| Genus: | Biscogniauxia |
| Species: | B. nummularia |
| Binomial name | |
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Biscogniauxia nummularia (Bull.) Kuntze (1891) |
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Biscogniauxia nummularia is a plant pathogen in the family Xylariaceae, known as the beech tarcrust. The specific epithet is derived from the Latin "nummus" meaning a coin, referring to the often rounded and coin-like encrustations.
The fruit body forms a thick and shiny black crust, on beech (Fagus) bark and is found at all times of the year. It is not edible. Young specimens are covered by a light brown outer layer. The spores are black to dark brown.
Detail of the tarcrust's structure
Beech tarcrust growth
Encrustations on beech bark
Biscogniauxia nummularia is a common fungus specific for Fagus, and has been recorded throughout Europe and Russia, following the extensive distribution of its host tree.
The decline of European beech (Fagus sylvatica) in Sicily and Calabria (Italy) has been linked to B. nummularia and experiments have suggested that this ascomycete plays a primary pathogenic role under certain environmental conditions. It typically causes strip-cancer and general wood decay.
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