Holly Speckle - Trochila ilicina

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Description

This fungus forms a distinct, fine (<1mm diameter) dark speckling on dead holly leaves. It occurs on the upper side of the leaf only. The speckles (spore-producing structures) are first closed, and then open by a lid to expose the olive spore-mass, and finally appear as dry black, shiny depressions in the leaf, with a slightly raised lip.

Identification difficulty
Identification aids

 

Holly Speckle
Trochila ilicina		 Phacidium lauri Phomopsis crustosa Microthyrium ciliatum
There are some nice comparison images of species 1, 2 and 4 here.
Small (<1mm) speckles on the upper side of the leaf only. Pustules (c.1.5mm) on upper and lower surfaces of the leaf. Immersed black conidiomata (0.5mm) on brown spots surrounded by a narrow black line. Tiny black speckles (<0.5mm) on both sides of the leaf.
Habitat

Only grows on dead (brown) leaves of holly

When to see it

All year. The open lids are best seen December to February.

UK Status

Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain.

VC55 Status

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.

  • David Nicholls
    Altar Stones
    28 November 2013
    upper surface
  • David Nicholls
    Martinshaw Wood
    12 December 2013
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote garden1
    18 October 2014
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote garden1
    29 November 2013
    underside - has no speckles
  • AJ Cann
    Knighton
    22 February 2017
    5X magnification

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Holly Speckle
Species group:
Fungi
Kingdom:
Fungi
Order:
Helotiales
Family:
Cenangiaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
55
First record:
03/11/2013 (Thompson, Peter)
Last record:
17/03/2025 (Isabel Raval)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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Latest images

Latest records

  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote garden1
    29 November 2013
    upper surface
Photo of the association

Holly

The dark speckling of this fungus occurs only on the upper side of the on dead holly leaves.