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Dennis, R.W.G. 1961: Some inoperculate Discomycetes from New Zealand. Kew Bulletin 15(2): 293-320.

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Dennis, R.W.G. 1961: Some inoperculate Discomycetes from New Zealand. Kew Bulletin 15(2): 293-320.
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Apothecia gregaria, sessilia, pallido-albida, siccitate pallido-lutea vel carnea, latit. 0.5-0.75 mm., margine tenuiter albo-villosulae fimbriato. Asci oblongati, octospori, 115 x 10-11 µ, apice ultimo obsolete jodo coerulescente; ascosporae conglobatae, bacillares, arcuatae, hyalinae, 75-80 x 2 µ; paraphyses filiformes, crassit 2 µ. Pili cupulae brevissimi, articulati, apice obtusi, tenue-tunicati, 25-45 x 3-4 µ.
One may, perhaps, question the propriety of assigning to Arachnopeziza a fungus without a visible subiculum. The apothecia, however, are densely crowded over extensive, sharply defined, patches of the substrate, distinctly paler coloured than the remainder and must arise from a common mycelial mat even if it does not form an evident subiculum. The fasciculate ascospores, slender thin-walled hairs and cylindrical obtuse paraphyses all agree with Arachnopeziza, though the spores do not appear to become septate in the asci. The alternative genus without a subiculum would seem to be Lasiobelonium, the type species of which, Belonidium amoenum Speg., is imperfectly known.
In foliis Rhopalostylidii sapidi (Palmae), Henderson, Waitakere Ra., Auckland, 11.12.1955, Dingley 18975 (typus)
On decorticated wood, Prov. Canterbury, 186o-61, Sinclair & Haast 8; Waitaki, Berggren 30B (type).
For description see Kew Bull. 13: 335 (1958).
On unnamed wood, Colenso B673; on decorticated wood of Griselinia littoralis (Cornaceae), 750 m., Arthur's Pass, Canterbury, 17.1.1955, Dingley 19032; on Nothopanax arboreum (Araliaceae), 900 m., Taranaki, North Egmont, 26.3.I957, Dingley 19030.
Spores 8-12 x 3-4 µ, ultimately 1-septate, asci 145-155 x 6 µ, I+.
On unidentified bark, Tuatapere, Alton valley, Otago, 17.4.i956, S. D. & P. J. Brook 19029.
Spores 13-19 x 3.5-4 µ, nonseptate, asci up to 165 x 99, I-.
In Kew Bull. 9: 319 (1954) I treated this as a synonym of C. citrina (Fr.) Regél. but examination of the abundant New Zealand material leads me to Quard it as separable by its more elongated nonseptate ascospores. It differs from Helotium conscriptum (Karst.) Karst. in its sessile apothecia as well as in its calycelloid excipulum.
On Coprosma grandifolia (Rubiaeae), Atkinson's Park, Titirangi, Auckland, 27.6.1953, Dingley 19027; on Muehlenbeckia australis (Polygonaceae), Kaueranga valley, Auckland, 10.6.1950, Dingley 19048.
The name is taken in the sense of Dennis 1954, viz. for sessile yellow apothecia with 1-septate ascospores 6-10 x 1.5-2.5 µ in asci 75-90 x 4-6 µ.
On decaying Montia fontana (Portulacaceae), at the nodes, Ahuriri, Hawkes Bay.
Apothecia sessile, cupshaped, 0.5 mm. diam., black throughout, receptacle smooth, excipulum composed of isodiametric, rounded to angular, thin-walled, dark brown cells, up to 9 x 6 µ, passing into parallel hyphae at the extreme margin only. Asci clavate, 8-spored, 65-70 x 9-10 µ, the small pore blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores biseriate above, uniseriate below, ellipsoidal, hyaline, nonseptate. 9-11 x 3-4 µ; paraphyses very slender, often forked, tips suddenly enlarged, pyriform, 3-5 µ wide, forming an epithecium.
I feel this species cannot be left in Mollisia because of its forked paraphyses with greatly enlarged brown tips cohering to form an epithecium. I have not seen the type species of Cashiella, C. atra Petrak, and refer the fungus here from his description only, though this does not indicate the iodine reaction of the asci or even, clearly, that they are inoperculate.
 
on green-stained wood, 600 m., Podocarpus-Rata forest, Pouakai, Egmont, 18.4.1960, T. Taylor s. n.
Ascospores 6-8 x 1 µ
on green-stained wood, Auckland, no date.
Ascospores 11-14 x 3 µ
On twigs, shores of Waikare Lake, 1843, Colenso (type); York Bay, Wellington, 27.7 1923, E. J. Butler 1213 (immature), on Nothofagus cliffortioides, (Fagaceae), 780 m., Arthur's Pass, Canterbury, 16. 1 1956, Dingley 19031.
This beautiful species was fully described by Massee (in Journ. Linn. Soc. Bot. 31: 517 (1896)), but its systematic position still presents some difficulty. It is not a Trichopeziza as typified by Saccardo but it agrees tolerably in structure with the species of Chlorosplenium de Not. The asci, however, give a negative pore reaction with iodine and their spores are an odd shape for that genus.
On unstained wood of Weinmannia racemosa (Saxifragaceae), Stewart I, 18.2.1954, Dingley 19026.
This is a stilboid fungus with minute, slightly curved, hyaline conidia, 3-4 x 4 µ. Cooke made this clear by listing the species next to Dacrymyces and apart from his list of Discomycetes and by his comment 'It is a Coryne as interpreted by Berkeley and not by Tulasne. Nevertheless Saccardo has compiled the fungus among the Discomycetes which has led me to mention it here.
On rotting wood of Fuchsia excorticata, 900 m., Dawson Falls, Mt. Egmont, Taranaki, 28.1.1953, Dingley 19043; on unknown host, Black Gully, Tapanui, Otago, 19.4.1957, S. D. & P. J. Brook 19038.
These collections differ from the type in having the ascospores budding small, globose, secondary spores within the ascus, as in C. cylichnium (Tul.) Boud., from which they differ in the shorter ascospores.
On decorticated wood of Nothopanax sinclairii, 900 m., Mt. Egmont, Taranaki district, 23.3.1951, Dingley 18984.
On dead canes of Rubus idaeus, Tapawera, Nelson district, 13.1.1948, P.D.D. No. 18983.
This is the characteristic substrate of this common European species, perhaps introduced with its host though there is no reason to suppose it parasitic.
On rachis and pinnae of Dicksonia squarrosa, Dunedin, Berggren 400 (type).
Apothecia scattered, superficial, cupshaped with short cylindrical stalks, up to about 1 mm. diameter, white throughout, clothed with cylindrical, obtuse, often slightly capitate, thin-walled, septate, hyaline, finely granulate hairs which are 25-35 x 3-3.5 µ on the flanks but up to 75 x 5.5 µ at the margin. Asci cylindric-clavate, pore blued by Melzer's reagent, 8-spored, 70 x 6 µ; ascospores irregularly biseriate, fusoid, 14-18 x 2-2.5 µ; paraphyses lanceolate, up to 3 µ wide, with oily contents, protruding about 10 µ beyond the asci.
On rotting wood, Orakei, Purewa Bush, Auckland district, 26.8.1950, D. W. McKenzie 19051.
Hairs obtuse, thinwalled, granulate, up to 50 x 3 µ, asci 45-50 x 4 µ, ascospores 6-8 x 1-1.75 µ, paraphyses lanceolate, 3 µ wide.
The apothecia are old and discoloured with rather short hairs but obviously belong to some member of the D. virgineus complex.
Apothecia gregaria, erumpentia, stipitata; disco flavo, 1 mm. lato, excipulo alba, pilis erectis, obtusis, paullulum septatis, scabriusculis, hyalinis, 75-80 x 3.5-5 µ obtecto; asci clavati, octospori, 75-80 x 9-10 µ, apice rotundati, jodo non tincti; ascosporae distichae, fusoideae, utrinqe, acutatae, biguttulatae, hyalinae, 11-14 x 3-4 µ; paraphyses cylindraccae, apice acutatae, 2-2.5 µ cr.
The rather round-topped asci lacking a pore-plug stained blue by iodine suggest a Perrotia but the paraphyses, though slender, seem to be pointed at the tip and the spores are not like those of other Perrotias. The material is unfortunately scanty and in poor condition and the generic position may be reconsidered when better collections are available. Spores of a rather similar trapezoidal shape, 8-12 µ long, were described for Lachnum trapeziforme Vel., on Carpinus leaves in Czechoslovakia.
In cortice Nothofagi fuscae, 600 m, Lake Waikaremoana, Auckland district, 29.12.1955, Dingley 18987 (typus).
On decorticated wood of cultivated Rhododendron sp., Mt. Eden, Auckland, March 1950, G. H. Cunningham 18978.
The material is rather poorly preserved with the hymenia largely destroyed by insects and ascospores have not been seen free from the asci so it is not certain if they ultimately become septate. The identification is based on Tranzschel's diagnosis only as no authentic material of D. cassandrae has been seen. The type was on dead twigs of Cassandra calycantha Don (Ericaceae) from European Russia. A collection (G. H. Cunningham 18979) on Rhopalostylis sapida (Palmae) from Whangarei, Parahaki reserve, seems scarcely distinct in spite of the very different substrate.
On bark, Dehra Dun, India, Gamble 25545 (type); on decorticated wood of Ulex europaeus, Pukematakeo, Waitakere ranges, Auckland district, 21.10. 1956, S. D. Brook 19033; on bark of Melicope ternala (Rutaceae), Huia, Auckland, 29.11.1952, Dingley 18977.
Apothecia scattered, superficial, with short stout stalks; disc up to 2 mm. diameter, almost flat when fresh, with a low rim, deep yellow; receptacle pallid, clothed with fine light brown hairs, flesh compact, white. Hairs cylindrical, undulating, obtuse, up to 160 x 3.5-4 µ, with thin, brown, finely granulate walls and numerous septa. Asci cylindric-clavate, 100- 115 x 8-9 µ, 8-spored, apex conical, with a minute pore blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores fasciculate, cylindrical, 7-septate, 54-62 x 1.5-2 µ; paraphyses slightly enlarged upwards to 3 µ, scarcely longer than the asci and not acutely pointed.
Dasyscyphella schroeteriana Rehm (1900) from Brasil, seems doubtfully distinct. Peziza leucophaea Berk. & Curt. (1860), on sticks in Japan, is similar but paler and with slightly longer ascospores, 60-70 x 1.5 µ. D. corticola must not be confused with the common European D. corticalis (Pers. ex Fr.) Massee, which has 1-septate ascospores 10-20 x 2-3.5 µ.
Apothecia scattered, superficial, on bark, disc concave, about i mm. diameter, brown; receptacle concolorous, with short cylindrical stalk, clothed with whitish downy hairs which are cylindrical, obtuse, sparingly septate, with thin, hyaline, finely granulate walls, about 70 x 3-3.5 µ. Asci cylindric-clavate, 8-spored, 100-105 x 7-8 µ, the minute pore blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores 2-3-seriate, narrowly fusoid, 22-32 x 2-2.5 µ; paraphyses cylindrical with pointed tips, 2-2.5 µ wide, no longer than the asci.
A typo ascosporis 22-32 x 2-2.5 µ, ascis longioribus differt.
D. emerici was on herbaceous stems in the Nilgiri Hills, India. Externally it is indistinguishable from Dingley 18986 but yields ascospores 18-22 x 1.5 µ in asci 85 x 8 µ. The hairs of D. emerici vary between hyaline and light brown. Phillip's manuscript notes with the type specimen indicate that he found ascospores 25-30 µ and the size given in the diagnosis was 18-25 x 2 µ. The Indian and New Zealand fungi certainly seem closely allied but in view of the apparent difference in spore size and the widely different substrata I feel it unwise to regard them as identical. Their relationship to D. javanicus Penz. & Sacc., on ferns, with ascospores 16-22 x 2-2.5 µ and D. ochroleucus Penz. & Sacc., on bark, with ascospores 27-28 x 3 µ, needs further study.
On bark of Nothofagus menziesii, Milford, Otago, Feb. 1948, Dingley 18986 (type)
On petioles of Cyathea dealbata, Kauaeranga valley, Thames, Auckland district, S. D. Baker 18989.
Asci 80-93 x 8 µ, ascospores elliptic fusiform, 14- 17 x 2.5-3.5 µ, paraphyses narrowly lanceolate, 2-3 µ wide and up to 10 µ longer than the asci, hairs about 70 x 3-4 µ.
The New Zealand material is in much better condition than the type but seems to represent the same species.
On bark of Nothofagus menziesii, 600 m., Upper Homestead, Poronui, Hawkes Bay district, 2.6.1953, Dingley 18988.
Apothecia subgregaria, superficialia, stipitata, patelliformiter explanata, disco atro,. 1-1.5 mm. lato, excipulo brunneo, pilis rectis, cylindraceis, apice rotundatis, septatis, scabriusculis, hyalinis, 50-60 x 3-4 µ hirsuto. Asci cylindracei, octospori, 120 x 8-9 µ, apice jodo coerulescentes; ascosporae bacillares, rectae vel curvatae, hyalinae, 35-45 x 1.5 µ; paraphyses cuspidatae, vix prominentes, media 3 µ cr.
Durieu's figure of Peziza phaeotricha (in Expl. Sci. Algerie, Bot. tab. 28, fig. 5A) gives a good idea of the macroscopic appearance of D. melanophthalmus but Durieu's fungus was on leaves of Quercus ilex. The hairs of Dingley 18981 bear a reddish-brown gummy secretion at their tips and the colour of the receptacle varies from light brown to deep red-brown according to the quantity of this exudate. The excipulum is composed of thin-walled, hyaline, prismatic cells and the disc, black when dry, appears reddish-brown when soaked up. D. javanicus Penz. & Sacc. differs in its fusiform ascospores 16-22 x 2-2.5 µ.
In ligno emortuo Nothofagi, Tararua ranges, Wellington, April 1950, P.D.D. No. 18981 (typus).
Apothecia sparsa, superficilia, subsessilia; disco rufo-brunneo, concavo, 1-2 mm. lato; receptacula atro-brunnea, extus pilis levibus fuscis, obtusis, flexuosis, scabriusculis, septatis, 130 x 4 µobsita, pedicule sat breve, Asci clavati, octospori, 45 x 4 µ, apice jodo coerulescentes; ascosporae distichae, fusoideae, continuae, 6-7 x 1 µ paraphyses lanciformes, 1.5-2 µ cr.
In petiolis emortuis Cyatheae dealbatae, Waiatarua, Waitakere ranges, Auckland, Nov. 1948, Dingley 18980 (typus).
On Cyathea dealbata, 15 m., Lake Papaetonga, Wellington, 31.8. 1952, G. H. Cunningham 18976.
Ad corticem Schefflerae digitatae (Araliaceae), Waiko, Westland, 5.11.1954, Dingley 18985 (typus); in ramis emortuis, Carter's Bush, Carterton, Wellington, 25.11.1958, Dingley 18982.
Apothecia sparsa, superficialia, subsessilia; disco pallido, concavo, 1 mm. lato; excipulo pilis rectis, acutatis, septatis, tenui tunicatis, 170-240 x 3-4 µ obtecto; asci clavati, octospori apice jodo non tincti, 95 x 9 µ; ascosporae rectae vel curvulae, ellipticae, triseptatae, 16-21 x 3-3.5 µ; paraphyses lanciformes, 2-3 µ cr.
Absence of a blue pore reaction with iodine may suggest a Perrotia but the paraphyses are distinctly lanceolate and the tapering smooth-walled hairs bearing scattered, loosely attached, rounded granules probably indicate rather a relationship with D. corticalis.
Ad corticem Schefflerae digitatae (Araliaceae), Waiko, Westland, 5.11.1954, Dingley 18985 (typus)
On rotten wood, Dunedin, Berggren 207 (type).
Ascomata scattered, erumpent, sessile, orbicular, 2-4 mm. diameter; disc flat, brown, pruinose, whitish with extruded spores when dry; receptacle dark brown, pruinose, composed of tightly woven hyphae, 1-2 µ wide, mingled with small subglobose cells. Ascogenous layer soft, ochraceous in section; flesh white, formed of slender, matted, hyaline hyphae; basal layer black, composed of larger black-walled cells, rooting in the wood. Asci clavate, thick-walled, very long-stalked and maturing at different levels, up to 250 x 18-20 µ, not blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores 1-2-seriate in the ascus tip, elliptic-fusiform, hyaline, 24-32 x 4-6 µ becoming 3-septate and budding shortly elliptical, hyaline, secondary spores 2.5-4 x 1.5-2 µ after being extruded from the asci; interascal hyphae slender, hyaline, branched, 1 wide.
This certainly bears no resemblance to a Dermea, nor to any genus of Dermteaceae. In structure it recalls such genera as Phacidiella, Propolis, Cryptomyces, Cryptodiscus and Agyriella Ell. & Ev. (=Bisbyella Boed.), especially the last named in which the long asci become packed with secondary spores. Its true systematic position is not clear to me, however, and I prefer not to propose any transfer for the species at present.
Apothecia subgregaria, sessilia, ochracea, cupula planiuscula, pallida, 5 mm. lata, excipulo prosenchymatico. Asci anguste clavati, octospori, 170 x 8-9 µ, obturaculo jodo coerulescente; ascosporae monostichae, fusoideae, biguttulatae, hyalinae, 13-15 x 5.5-6 µ; paraphyses copiosissimae, filiformes, sursum levissime incrassatae, crassit. 2 µ.
The excipulum is composed of hyaline hyphae lying almost parallel to the surface. This collection seems to belong to the same species as one from Mt. Field, Tasmania, which Rodway referred to his Cenangium recurvum but which differs from the type of his fungus in its larger asci and ascospores and in its prosenchymatous excipulum.
Supra virgultra putrida locis umbrosis, Orwel Creek, Ahaura Westland, 26.4.1956, Dingley 19036 (typus).
On the upper surface of the living leaves of some Gnaphalium, Colenso s.n. (type).
Apothecia gregarious, sessile on a superficial epiphyllous thallus, discoid, black throughout when dry, disc convex, 0.5 mm. across, dingy yellow with a brown margin when soaked up; receptacle smooth. Excipulum composed of parallel, septate, brown hyphae, 3 µ wide, paler and more irregularly disposed towards the surface; thallus of interwoven brown hyphae like those of the excipulum, algal cells not seen. Asci cylindric-clavate, 8-spored, rather thick-walled, 75 x 10 µ (100 x 9-10 µ, Massee), apex rounded, not blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores uniseriate or irregularly biseriate above, ovoid, 11-13 x 4-5 µ, with 2-3 oil bodies, hyaline, perhaps eventually 1-septate; paraphyses hyaline, cylindrical, apex rounded, about 2 µ wide.
Neither the superficial habit not the prosenchymatous excipulum support Massee's interpretation of this as a Pseudopeziza and I cannot at present improve on Saccardo's disposition of it.
On bark of unknown trees, Colenso B 144 (type); 270 m., Tauperi Mt., Auckland, 27.11.1954, Dingley 19025.
Apothecia crowded, often mutually deformed, sessile, erumpent from bark, disc flat, dark purplish brown drying black, 1-3 mm. across , orbicular to elliptical or irregular, with a prominent obtuse margin when dry; receptacle smooth and black. Excipulum composed of parallel short-celled hyphae, 4-5 µ wide, with thin purplish brown walls, lying almost at right angles to the surface, the terminal cells black and opaque. Asci narrowly cylindric clavate, 140 x 5-6 µ, apex flattened, not greatly thickened, not blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores uniseriate, 1-septate and constricted at the septum, dark brown, 12-13 x 3.5-4.5 µ; paraphyses cylindrical, obtuse, 3 µ wide, hyaline, firmly coherent.
The narrowly cylindrical asci with negative iodine reaction are not those of a Karschia.
On the ground, Waitaki, Berggren 6, listed by Cooke, op. cit., as G. glabrum var. minor, nomen nudum.
The material is scanty but appears to me to be a state of G. glutinosum in which the ascospores are more uniformly 7-septate than usual. Mains (in Mycologia 46: 591 (1954)) has described such ascomata with uniformly 7-septate ascospores from the United States of America.
Ascomata epiphylla, superficialia, atra, mycelio fusco circumdata, gelatinosa, primum clausa, dein in lacinias obtusas incisas dehiscentia; asci octospori, ascosporae hyalinae, murali-divisae.
Seated on the hairs of Pittosporum crassifolium leaves, near the river Te Waiohingaonga, Hawkes Bay, Colenso (type).
Ascoma about 1 mm. diameter, when dry closed and black, when moistened opening by the folding back of from 4 to 7 lobes to expose a yellowish brown gelatinous disc. Sterile tissue composed of an open network of hyaline hyphae 1 µ wide, encrusted towards the surface with opaque brown matter, embedded throughout in a hyaline gelatinous substance. Fertile area a hymeniform layer of clavate, rather thick-walled, 8-spored asci, about 70-80 x 15-17 µ; ascospores elliptic-cylindric, hyaline, 16-20 x 6-7 µ, at first 3septate, then with up to 5 transverse septa and 1-2 longitudinal septa; interascal hyphae 1 µ wide, anastomosing. No part of the tissue stains blue with Melzer's reagent.
This fungus seems to be akin to Phycopsis and Zukaliopsis, with structure resembling the former and asci more like the latter. Ekmanomyces Pet. & Cif has similar but blackish-brown dictyospores. Protoscypha Sydow. has similar asci and ascospores but is erumpent and non-gelatinous.
Apothecia subsparsa, superficialia, brevissime stipitata, umbrina, leviter pubcrula, 2.5 mm. lata, margine integra. Asci cylindracco-clavati, apice jodo non tincti, octospori, 60-70 x 5 µ; ascosporae oblongato-ellipsoideae vel allantoideae, distichae, continuae, 8-9 x 1.5 µ; paraphyses filiformes, 1-1.5 µ crassae, apicem versus baud incrassatae.
Flesh dark brown throughout, composed of loosely woven purplish-brown hyphae 3-4 µ wide; excipulum composed of parallel, brown, thin-walled hyphae lying at a low angle to the surface, their tips running out into 1-2celled cylindrical hairs, with the tip cell inflated to 8-10 µ diameter. These hairs recall those of Chlorosplenium versiforme but the fungus completely lacks green or olive tints and can scarcely be referred to that genus.
Ad cortices arborum frondosarum, Huia, Auckland, 4.5.1957, J. D. Atkinson 19034 (typus).
Apothecia sparsa, superficialia, sessilia, cupulata, ceracco-lutea, disco 0.5 mm. lato. Asci 125 x 9-10 µ, longe cylindrici, basi breviter attenuati, apice obtusi, octospori, apice jodo coerulescentes; ascosporae monostichae, late ellipticae, 13-15 x 6-7.5 µ; paraphyses simplices, filiformes, apice incrassatae, 2-4 µ cr.
In foliis Elaeocarpi dentati, Oratia, Waitakere Ra., Auckland, 7.7.1957, Dingley 19047 (typus).
Excipulum_composed of parallel, short-celled hyphae, 7-8 µ wide, with thin, soft, red brown walls, lying at a low angle to the surface.
Apothecia sparsa, erumpentia, stipitata, ceraceo-mollia, glabra, purpureobrunnea; cupula patelliformis, margine integerrimo, disco planiusculo vel convexiusculo, latit. 3 mm.; stipes subaequalis, saepe curvatis, deorsum incrassatulus. Asci cylindraceo-clavati, octospori, 110-125 x 10 µ, apice jodo coerulescentes; ascosporae ellipsoideae, 12-14 x 4-5 µ; paraphyses filiformes, crassit. circiter 2 µ,.
In foliis dejectis Griseliniae littoralis, (Cornaceae), 20.10.1949, Dingley 19046 (typus).
On dead leaf of Knightia excelsa (Proteaceae), 360 m., Lake Okaitana, Auckland, 20.6.1951, Dingley 19050.
The type-collection was on leaves of Persea lingue (Lauraceae), Valdivia, Chile. The species is very near H. caudatum (Karst.) Vel. (1934), recorded on dead leaves of a wide range of Dicotyledonous trees and shrubs in Europe and North America. In the Chilean and New Zealand collections, however, there are from 4 to 6 well-developed guttules in the spores, which measure 18-22 x 4-5.5 µ, whereas European material has spores containing scattered granules as described by Karsten 'eguttulatae vel guttulis paucis praeditae'.
On rotten wood in forest, Colenso B396; under logs, Colenso B324.
Apothecia scattered, superficial, disc concave, 3 mm. diameter, drying Hay's Brown (Ridgway), receptacle cup-shaped with a well-developed cylindrical stalk, pruinose with short, free, hyphal tips, vertically ribbed and furrowed towards the margin, Deep Olive Buff. Flesh homogeneous, composed of compact hyphae, 4-5 µ wide, becoming parallel at a low angle to the surface in the outer layers. Asci clavate. long stalked, 115-120 x 10-12 µ, 8-spored, pore not blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores biseriate, fusoid, 10-12.5 x 3-3.5 µ; paraphyses cylindrical, obtuse, 2 µ wide.
For this determination I am indebted to Mrs. Gamundi de Amos, who has kindly sent me part of a collection from Nahuel Huapi National Park, which she has compared with the type in Spegazzini's herbarium at La Plata. Massee gave the New Zealand material the apparently unpublished name Chlorosplenium flavovirens. In spite of the presence of a greenish pigment the structure of the apothecium seems to me that of an Helotium rather than of a Chlorosplenium. There is already a Helotium flavovirens (Pers.) Fr.
Apothecia sparsa, superficialia, stipitata, disco plano, luteo, 1 mm. lato; cupula applanata, atra, longitudinaliter fibrillose, margine dentibus coronata; stipes brevis, atris, in cupulam abiens. Asci cylindraceo-clavati, octspori, 90-95 x 8-9 µ, apice jodo non tincti; ascosporae monostichae, fusoideo-ellipsoideae, 2-4-guttulatae, hyalinae, 14-17 x 4-5 µ; paraphyses filiformes, apicem versus incrassatae.
H. metrosideri is structurally not unlike H. scutula, with flesh of loosely woven hyaline hyphae, 8-10 µ wide, and excipulum of compact parallel hyphae of similar size, lying at a low angle to the surface, covered by a thin web of more slender hyphae pulled somewhat apart into a mesh-work as the apothecium expands on wetting. These surface hyphae, 4-6 µ wide, are blackened by a granular deposit. There is in this a close resemblance to the structure of H. spadiceo-atrum (Mont.) Sacc., on Gunnera scabra in Juan Fernandez, but in the latter the ascospores are only 9-10 x 3 µ and the surface hyphae have a reddish-brown granulation and yield a purple solution in KOH.
In foiiis Metrosideri (Myrtaceae), Waiatarua, Waitakera Ra., Auckland, 29.5.1958, Dingley 19040 (typus).
Apothecia sparsa, superficialia, stipitata, 2 mm. alta, disco plano ant parum convexo, luteo, 2 mm. lato, margine integro non prominuio, stipite fibrillose et ad basim atro-brunneo. Asci cylindrico-clavati, octospori, 60-70 x 4.5-5.5 µ, apice jodo non tincti; ascosporae clavatae, hyalinae, monostichae vel subdistichae, 6-7 x 2-2.5 µ, paraphysibus simplicibus, ad apicem obtusis et paullulum incrassatis 2 µ crassis.
This fungus bears considerable resemblance to H. vernalis Dennis but has smaller more clavate ascospores. The excipulum is formed of rows of large, short, thin-walled cells, up to 12 µ wide, terminating in short adpressed fibrils. Rutstroemia fusco-brunnea (Pat. & Gaill.) Le Gal is similar in structure but has a very long slender stipe.
Ad ramum decorticatum, Black Gully, Tapanui, Otago, 19.4.1957, S. D. & P. J. Brook 19039 (typus).
On Phormium tenax, Maungaroa, Berggren 388 (type).
Apothecia scattered, erumpent, disc flat, 0.5 mm. diameter, dark brown; receptacle cup-shaped, smooth, concolorous, soft-fleshed, on a usually paler cylindrical stalk. Excipulum composed of parallel hyphae, 3-5 µ wide, thinwalled, lying at a low angle to the surface and with their tips protruding as short, downy, nonseptate, cylindrical hairs. Asci clavate, 130 x 15-21 µ, 8-spored, pore outlined blue in Melzer's reagent; ascospores biseriate, elliptic-cylindric with somewhat pointed ends, straight or slightly curved, nonseptate, 26-34 x 5-6 µ; paraphyses cylindrical, obtuse, about 2-3 µ thick at the apex.
On rotten wood, Colenso B100; B380.
Apothecia scattered, superficial, disc concave, flesh coloured, 3 mm. wide; receptacle soft, cupshaped, smooth, with a minutely crenate margin, seated on a short stout stalk. Excipulum composed of slender, parallel, compact hyphae, 2 µ wide, with thin, hyaline, nongelatinised walls, lying at a low angle, to the surface. Asci clavate, 145 x 11 µ, 8-spored, pore outlined blue in Melzer's reagent; ascospores biseriate, narrowly elliptical to inequilateral, 18-25 x 4-5 µ, nonseptate; paraphyses cylindrical, obtuse, 1.5 µ thick.
Colenso B380 is labelled 'Margin red and ciliate' but that of the dried material is now perfectly even.
Apothecia gregaria, stipitata, cyathiformia, disco vix 1 mm. lato, castaneo, excipulo ex hyphis elongatis, parallelis, 5-6 µ crassis contexto. Asci clavati, octospori, 55-60 x 4-5 µ, apice subacutati, jodo coerulescentes; ascosporae monostichae vel subdistichae, hyalinae, continuae, ellipticae, 5 x 2 µ; paraphyses filiformes, 2 µ crassae, apicem versus baud incrassatae.
The densely clustered apothecia suggest the presence of some kind of stroma within the bark but I can detect neither sclerotium nor black line in sections cut through the bark beneath the clusters. I am, therefore, constrained to refer the species to Helotiun instead of to some genus of the Sclerotiniaceae as its appearance would at first sight suggest. Pseudohelotiurn microcenangium Penz. & Sacc. looks rather similar but with shorter stipe and apparently a different structure, 'contextu excipuli parenchymatico flavicante'.
In cortice Quintiniae serratae (Saxifragaceae), The Forks, Okarito, Westland, 21.4.1955, Dingley 19041 (typus).
Apothecia sparsa, stipitata, cinnabarina ('English Red' vel 'Dragon's Blood Red', Ridgway), cupula planiuscula, latit. 1-2 mm., stipes subaequalis, altit. 1-2 mm., deorsum leviter flocculosus. Asci cylindraceoclavati, 70-80 x 6 µ, octospori, obturaculo minimo jodo obsolete vel vix coerulescente; ascosporae eilipticae vel clavatae, 8-9 x 2-2.5 µ; paraphyses gracilescentes, crassit 1.5 µ.
The structure is somewhat intermediate between that of an Helotiun and a Phialea, with the flesh composed of slender interwoven hyphae with slightly gelatinised walls, the hyphae becoming almost parallel but still undulating at a low angle to the surface in the excipulum. The red pigment is unaffected by ammonia but completely decolorised by lacto-phenol.
Supra folia Elaeocarpi dentati, Harihari, Westland, 8.11.1954, Dingley 19052 (typus).
Apothecia gregarious, superficial, disc concave, 2 mm. diameter, about Snuff Brown (Ridgway); receptacle smooth, saucer-shaped, concolorous or darker, with a slender cylindrical stalk, arising from a weft of white mycelium. Excipulum composed of parallel thin-walled hyphae, about 3 µ wide, at a low angle to the surface. Asci cylindric-clavate, 85-90 x 6 µ, 8-spored, pore not blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores uniseriate, elliptical or somewhat pointed below, 7-8 x 4 µ; paraphyses cylindrical, obtuse, 2 µ wide.
On decorticated wood, Colenso B313 (type).
On bark of conifers in association with resin-flows. On Pinus radiata, Wellington, May 1942, collector unknown, No. 18991; on Cupressus lawsoniana, Rimu Forestry Plantation, 11.11.1954, Dingley 18992.
Apothecia gregarious, erumpent, sometimes proliferating from the margin, disc pale cream, up to i mm. across; receptacle white, short-stalked, hairs cylindrical or slightly tapered at the tip, rather thick-walled and stiff, hyaline, granulate, multiseptate, up to 110 x 2.5-3 µ; asci clavate, stipitate, apex rounded, not stained by Melzer's reagent, 40 x 4 µ, 8-spored; ascospores uniseriate, globose, hyaline, 1.5-2 µ; paraphyses cylindrical, 1 µ thick.
I have retained the traditional division of hairy, corticolous, subsessile Helotiales with cylindrical obtuse paraphyses and asci with negative iodine reaction into Lachnellula Karst. (1885) with spherical ascospores, Trichoscyphella Nannf. (1932) with ascospores of any other shape on conifers and Perrotia Bond. (1901) on other woody plants, usually with cylindrical septate ascospores and coloured hairs. There seems little to justify this division at the generic level, however, especially in view of Perrotia alba described above, with hyaline hairs but not on a conifer. If they are reunited but still kept distinct from Dasyscyphus S. F. Gray (1821), Trichopeziza Fuckel (1870) and Belonidium Mont. & Dur. (1846) the oldest generic name will apparently be Lachnellula. In 1907 Boudier already united Trichoscyphella and Lachnellula but under his own invalid generic name Trichoscypha (1885), a later homonym of Trichoscypha Hook. f (1862) in the Anacardiaceae.
Apothecia sparsa, superficialia, sessilia, e subsphaeroideo concava, demum planiuscula, latit. 1 mm., nigra, disco ochraceo pallido, margine elevato; cellulae excipuli globosae, atrae, 8-15 µ diam.; asci clavati, octospori, 95 x 11 µ, apice jodo vix tincti; ascosporae subdistichae, fusoideo-oblongatae, rectae vel leviter curvulae, hyalinae, 14-18 x 4-6 µ; paraphyses filiformes, simplices, crassit. 1.5-2 µ.
Supra cortices ramulorum Coprosmae foetidissimae (Rubiaceae), Harihari, Westland, 8.11.1954, J. M. Dingley 19049 (typus).
On dead bark, Colenso, s.n. unlocalised.
The New Zealand and Argentine collections agree precisely and only differ from European material in their slightly shorter asci, 110-120 x 18-21 µ as compared with 120- 150 x 18-20 µ (Rehm) or 150-175 x 18-20 µ (Boudier).
Apothecia sparsa, erumpentia, substipitata; disco flavido, concavo, 1 mm. lato; excipulo alba, pilis obtusis, hyalinis, crasse tunicatis, scabriusculis, septatis, 120 x 3 µ obtecto; asci cylindracei, apice rotundati, octospori, 60-70 x 8-9 µ, apice jodo non tincti; ascosporae distichae, rectae, ellipticae, hyalinae, 12-17 x 3-4 µ, utrinque rotundatae, demum medio septatae, non constrictae; paraphyses filiformes, ad apicem 2 µ crassae.
In ramulis emortuis Aristoteliae fruticosae, 900 m., Mt. Egmont, Taranaki district, 23.3.1951, Dingley 18994 (typus).
Apothecia conferta, subcaespitosa, sessilia, concaviuscula, albida vel albido pallescentia, disco 0.5 mm. lato. Asci clavati, octospori, 50 x 9 µ, obturaculo minutissimo jodo coerulescentes; ascosporae distichae, cylindraceo-oblongatae, rectae vel curvulae, 9-11 x 2 µ; paraphyses filiformes, gracillimae, subflexuosae, crassit. 1 µ.
The structure is that of Pezizella vulgaris (Fr.) von Höhnel, but the ascospores are larger and the ascus-pore blued by iodine. Pezizella sordidula (Speg.) Sacc. on Nothofagus bark in Staten Island evidently differs in its smaller ascospores, 4-4.5 x 1.5 µ.
In cortice Quintiniae serratae (Saxifragaceae), Harihari, Westland, 8.1.1954, Dingley 19037 (typus).
On wood, Maungaroa, Berggren 211 (type).
Apothecia scattered, superficial, cupshaped, sessile, orange coloured throughout, disc concave when dry, flat and 2.5 mm. diameter when soaked up. Asci cylindric-clavate, 70-75 x 5 µ, 8-spored, pore blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores uniseriate, narrowly elliptical, 5-7 x 1.5-2 µ; paraphyses cylindrical, obtuse, 1-1.5 µ thick; marginal excipulum composed of small, short, prismatic cells 2 µ wide, in rows at a low angle to the surface; flesh of large, angular, thin-walled cells, 10-15 µ across, passing into a superficial zone of smaller rounded cells like those of an Encoelia. The yellow pigment is soluble in ammonia.
Clearly this is not a Pezizella in the restricted interpretation of von Höhnel but is more like his Orbiliopsis.
On decorticated wood, Waitaki, Berggren 100 (type).
Apothecia scattered, subsessile, superficial, smooth, orange coloured throughout, disc concave, I.5 mm. across, margin obtuse, even. Excipulum composed of rows of short, thin-walled, prismatic cells, 3-4 µ wide, lying at a low angle to the surface, flesh formed of similar but larger angular cells; asci cylindric-clavate, 8-spored, 90 x 7 µ, the small pore blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores biseriate, fusiform, 1- then 3-septate, 16-21 x 2.5 µ; paraphyses filiform, obtuse, 2 µ wide.
I do not know a fully appropriate genus for this little fungus. In most systems it will key to Belonidium but the type of that, B. aeruginosum Dur., is a Dasyscyphus. Podobelonium (Sacc.) Sacc. at first sight appears to offer a solution but of its four foundation species two belong to Belonioscypha, one to Strossmayeria and the fourth, Helotium capense Cooke & Kalchbr., appears to me to be a typical Helotium. Actually P. haematoidea seems nearest to Orbiliopsis von Höhnel but that name is unfortunately unavailable since it is a later homonym of Orbiliopsis Sydow. Pseudohelotium offers a reasonable place for the species but it differs from P. pineti in its smooth receptacle, more waxy texture and probably unbranched paraphyses.
Excipulum composed of rows of short prismatic cells, 3-4 µ wide, at a high angle to the surface and running out into short, cylindrical, nonseptate, smooth, hyaline, obtuse hairs.
Apothecia gregaria, sessilia, erumpentia, leviter puberula, albida, disco flavescente, margine integra, latit. 0.5 mm. Asci clavati, octospori, 100 x 13 µ, apice jodo non tincti; ascosporae fasciculatae, cylindraceo-clavatae, 3-septatae, hyalinae, 40-45 x 4 µ; paraphyses filiformes, subinde dichotome ramosae, apice paullo incrassatulo, crassit. 1-3 µ.
In foliis vetustis Junci vaginati, Upper Hutt, Hutt River, Wellington, 31.7.1952, A. J. Healey 19045 (typus).
On dead leaves, 'apparently of Phormium', Colenso (type).
Apothecia gregarious, erumpent, orbicular, disc flat, pallid, about i mm. across, receptacle smooth, sooty brown. Flesh soft, white, composed of isodiametric cells about 10 µ diameter; excipulum formed of 2-3 layers of similar cells with dark brown walls; asci cylindric-clavate, 8-spored, 60-70 x 8-10 µ, apex somewhat thickened and pore not blued by Melzer's reagent; ascospores uniseriate to irregularly biseriate, elliptical or inequilateral, 9-12.5 x 3.5-5 µ, hyaline, nonseptate; paraphyses cylindrical, slightly enlarged to 3 µ at the obtuse apex.
On the lower surface of pinnules of Cyathea dealbata, Little Barrier I., Auckland, 5.10.1945, Dingley 19035.
Ascomata solitary or in small clusters, black, irregular but ± cup shaped with inrolled margin when dry, 1-2 mm. across, margin split into numerous short, thick, obtuse lobes; hymenium exposed on the inner surface of the ascoma, annular, surrounding a central sterile area which tends to be depressed or may be perforate. Flesh a homogeneous tissue of reddish brown, agglutinated, ± isodiametric cells; basal and marginal tissue composed of similar but more prismatic cells arranged in rows almost at right angles to the surface. Asci cylindric-clavate, 8-spored, short-stalked, apex rounded and thickened, without a visible pore, 70-85 x 11-13 µ; ascospores elliptical to ovoid, scarcely constricted at the median septum, hyaline, ultimately becoming pale brown, 12-15 x 5-7 µ, interascal hyphae cylindrical, septate, not much longer than the asci, apex rounded, up to 5 µ wide, strongly agglutinated. The whole hymenium turns blue with iodine.
The type was on Cyathea caudata in the Philippines. Rh. hemitheliae P. Henn. & Lind., the type species of the genus, on Hemithelia samoensis in Upulu, apparently differs in its smaller ascospores, 8-10 x 3.5-4 µ.
Massee gave a full description of this capitate form in the publication cited [Annals of Botany 11: 244, 1897]. The New Zealand material of T. hirsutum cited by Berkeley in 'Flora Novae Zelandiae' is not at Kew.
Apothecia sparsa, erumpentia, subsessilia; disco ochraceo, 1 mm. lato; excipulo alba, pilis cylindraceis, scabriusculis, obtusis, septatis, 160 x 2.5-3 µ obtecto; asci clavati, octospori, apice rotundati jodo non tincti, 80-90 x 9 µ; ascosporae monostichae, ellipticae, hyalinae, continuae, 9-10.5 x 5-5.5 µ; paraphyses filiformes, ad apicem 2 µ crassae.
There seems to be little beyond the small size of the apothecia to differentiate this from Trichopeziza gallica (Karst. & Har.) Bond., described from an unnamed conifer in France. In view of the uncertainty regarding the substrate of the latter I have thought it advisable to provide a different specific epithet which will be clearly applicable to the New Zealand fungus, especially as the two fungi in question are literally poles asunder.
Ad corticem Phyllocladi alpini, 960 m., Arthur's Pass, Canterbury, 17.1.1956, Dingley 18990 (typus).
On fading fronds of Rumohra hispida (Sw.) Copel.
This is an epiphyllous lichen which has been kindly determined for me by Dr. R. Santesson as Bacidia subundulata (Stirt.) R. Sant. The species is peculiar in developing its apothecia on the opposite side of the leaf from its vegetative thallus so it is not surprising Phillips took it for a nonlichenised fungus. The pruinose character of the excipulum presumably led to the transfer to Velutaria.
On bark of Beilschmiedia tawa (Lauraceae), 360 m., Lake Rotoehu, Auckland, 17.10,1956, G. H. Cunningham 19024.

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