Hypocreopsis rhododendri

Hypocreopsis rhododendri is an ascomycete fungus. It is commonly known as hazel gloves due to the resemblance of its orange-brown, radiating lobular ascocarp to rubber gloves, and because it is found on hazel (Corylus avellana) stems.^[1]

Hypocreopsis rhododendri
Hypocreopsis rhododendri on hazel stem
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Sordariomycetes
Order:	Hypocreales
Family:	Hypocreaceae
Genus:	Hypocreopsis
Species:	H. rhododendri
Binomial name
Hypocreopsis rhododendri Thaxt. (1922)

Distribution

Hypocreopsis rhododendri is found on the hyperoceanic west coasts of Britain and Ireland, in the Atlantic Pyrenees in south western France, and in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States.^[2]

Habitat

In the Appalachian mountains, H. rhododendri was originally found growing on Rhododendron maximum,^[2] and was subsequently found on Kalmia latifolia and Quercus sp.

In Europe, H. rhododendri is found in Atlantic hazel woodland, mainly on hazel stems.^[1] It has never been found on Rhododendron species.

Host

Although H. rhododendri is found on woody stems, it has been suggested that it is not a wood-decay fungus, but is instead a parasite of the wood-decay fungus Hymenochaete corrugata.^[3][4][5]