Atkinsonella

Known teleomorphs Epichloe, Atkinsonella, Balansia, Myriogenospora, Neoclaviceps. 

Dussiella ( = Echinodothis) forms an unnamed anamorph that is referable to Neotyphodium and in which the conidia usually have a median septum (White, 1993). Atkinsonella forms a Neotyphodium state in addition to an Ephelis synanamorph (Rykard et al., 1984). Species of Simplicillium are morphologically similar, but lack the endophytic habit. A partial key to species was provided by White and Morgan-Jones (1987). 

Leuchtmann A, Clay K. Morphological, cultural and mating studies on Atkinsonella, including A. texensis. Mycologia 81 692-701, 1989. 

Other species in subgenus B. asclerotiaca Henn. B. ambiens Moll. B. clavula Berk. Curt. B. cyperi Edg., B. hypoxylon (Pk.) Lewis White ( = Atkinsonella hypoxylon) B. obtecta Diehl B. texensis (Diehl) Lewis White ( = Atkinsonella texensis). 

Species formally placed in the genus Atkinsonella are distinguished from other Balansia subgenus Eubalansia species by the occurrence of two conidial states (micro- and macroconidia). For additional descriptive data on Atkinsonella see Diehl (1950), Morgan-Jones and White (1989), Leuchtmann and Clay (1989), and Lewis et al. (Chapter 5, this volume). 

Leuchtmann A, Clay K. Atkinsonella hypoxylon and Balansia cyperi, epibiotic members of the Balansieae. Mycologia 80 192-199, 1988. 

White JF Jr, Breen JP, Morgan-Jones G. Substrate utilization in selected Acremonium, Atkinsonella, and Balansia species. Mycologia 83(5) 601-610, 1991. 

Diehl (1950) assigned four genera, Atkinsonella Diehl, Balansia Speg., Balansiopsis Hohnel, and Epichloe (Fr.) Tul., to the Balansieae. He also recognized two subgenera of Balansia, namely, Eubalansia Diehl and... 

Kuldau et al. (1997) conducted phylogenetic studies of clavicipitacean fungi and identified five clades, one including species of Atkinsonella, Balansia, and Myriogenospora (the Ephelis clade ), and others whose asexual conidia are enteroblastic (Sphacelia Lev., Sphacelia-like, or Neotyphodium), such as species of Claviceps, Cordyceps (Fr.) Link and Epichloe. 

Clay K, Jones JP. Transmission of Atkinsonella hypoxylon (Clavicipitaceae) by cleistogamous seed of Danthonia spicata (Gramineae). Can J Bot 62 2893-2895, 1984. 

Morgan-Jones G, White JF, Jr. Systematic and biological studies in the Balansieae and related anamorphs. II. Cultural characteristics of Atkinsonella hypoxylon and Balansia epichloe. Mycotaxon 44 89-102, 1992. 

---