Palaeosclerotium pusillum gen. et sp. nov., a fossil eumycete from the Pennsylvanian of Illinois

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Abstract
Numerous isolated fungal sclerotia are present in Middle Pennsylvanian petrifaction material from Illinois. The sclerotia measure about 0.75–1.20 mm in diameter, and are oval-spherical in shape. Individual specimens are constructed of three tissue zones. The interior region or medulla is composed of much-branched, septate hyphae. Spherical cavities about 40 μ in diameter are present within the medulla, and may represent the primordia of reproductive structures. A zone of pseudoparenchyma surrounds the medulla. This cortex is composed of isodiametric or slightly radially elongated cells with dark walls. A rind is present at the outer margin of the sclerotium where the cells are somewhat smaller and exhibit thicker walls than the cells of the cortex. The discovery of these specimens adds to our knowledge of Paleozoic eumycetes, and establishes the presence of sclerotium-forming fungi in the Middle Pennsylvanian.

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