Punctularia atropurpurascens in the Villa Ada urban Park in Rome, Italy

The wood-decay saprophytic fungus Punctularia atropurpurascens, a species normally growing in tropical and subtropical zones, has been observed on a marcescent cork oak stump, in a mixed wood composed of cork oaks, pines and holm oaks, in the Villa Ada urban Park in Rome, Italy. P. atropurpurascens, with its striking morphology and purplish colouration, is considered a rare species, also interesting for the biological properties of the chemical molecules it produces. Fungus identity was confirmed by DNA-based analysis.