''Hymenoscyphus albidus'' is a
saprotrophic fungus which grows on the dead leaves of
ash trees.
''Hymenoscyphus albidus'' has been known from Europe since 1851 and is not regarded as pathogenic.
It is distinct from, but closely resembles, the pathogenic fungus ''
Hymenoscyphus fraxineus
''Hymenoscyphus fraxineus'' () is an ascomycete fungus that causes ash dieback, a chronic fungal disease of ash trees in Europe characterised by leaf loss and crown dieback in infected trees. The fungus was first scientifically described in 200 ...
'' (formerly known as ''Hymenoscyphus pseudoalbidus''). Although ''Hymenoscyphus albidus'' is "morphologically virtually identical" to ''Hymenoscyphus fraxineus'', there are substantial genetic differences between the two species.
References
Helotiaceae
Taxa named by John Baptiste Henri Joseph Desmazières
{{Leotiomycetes-stub