Hypocrea discoidea B. & Br. Jour. Linn. Soc. 14: 113 (1873) Hypocrella zingiberis Massee, Kew Bull.: 174 (1899) Hypocrella zimmermanniana P. Henn., Hedwigia: 142 (1902) Hypocrella grewiae Koord., Bot. Untersuch.: 179 (1907)

Anamorph state: Aschersonia samoensis Henn.

Specimens were found on the underside of mostly dicotyledonous or monocotyledonous leaves of forest plants. Hosts are whiteflies (Aleyrodidae). Stromata usually discoid (to stud-shaped) upper surface almost plane, edge vertical or rounded, sometimes umbilicate in the center when a solitary ostiole is present, with or without a thin, fibrillose hypothallus, up to 4 mm diam. and up to 2 mm high, orange-red, pale orange to dark orange or orange red, internally yellowish white, substance rather soft (hard and brittle when dry); perithecia scattered to crowded, slightly projecting, ostioles ca. 100 m diam. red-brown, or dark brown, flask-shaped, ca. 300-350 µm deep, ca. 130 -150 µm diam. broadest part ca. 80 µm narrowest; asci cylindric up to 180 µm long and 7-8 µm diam.; whole ascospores, 8-spored, elongate clavate, blunt at one end, tapering at the other end, 75-80 µm long 2.5 µm diam.   This species was re-described from fresh material by Hywel-Jones & Evans (1993) and attention was drawn to the fact this, the type species of the genus Hypocrella, has ascospores that remain whole at maturity after discharge.   The Hypocrella state has a year-round distribution although it is more often found in the rainy season. Collections have also been made from sea level to over 1800 meters and from Doi Inthanon National Park in the North of Thailand to Hala Bala National Park on the Thai-Malay border. Collections usually include the anamorph and teleomorph on the same plant and often the anamorph and teleomorph may be present in the same stroma. This species has recently been reported from Queensland (Australia) (Hywel-Jones, unpubl. obs.).

Hywel-Jones, N.L & Evans, H.C. (1993). Taxonomy and ecology of Hypocrella discoidea and its anamorph, Aschersonia samoensis. Mycological Research 97: 871-876.   Petch, T. (1921). Studies in entomogenous fungi: II. The genera Hypocrella and Aschersonia. Annals of the Royal Botanic Gardens Peredinaya 7: 167-278.