Eriocercospora olivacea Pirozynski (1974) was described on Meliolina subramanianii (as `M. mollis') on Syzygium ?montanum from Gudalur, Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu, India (DAOM 145763). This species can now be recorded, (1) on Meliolina novae-zealandiae on Metrosideros excelsa from New Zealand (PDD 28428); (2) on Meliolina lanceolata on Syzygium chandrasekharanii from Kerala State, India (DAOM 211985b); (3) on Meliolina sp. (Appendix no. 31) on Syzygium laetum from Tamil Nadu, (DAOM 212044b), and (4) on Meliolina sp. (Appendix no. 13) on Mearnsia salomonensis (`or aff.') from Ferguson I., Papua New Guinea.

Other specimens examined: Cook Islands: Totokoitu Valley, on Metrosideros sp., 19 Oct. 1975, J. Dugdale (PDD 34722); Te Rua Manga, on Metrosideros collina, 15 Mar. 1975, R.A. Fullerton (PDD 35433).

Colonies are black, scattered, up to 4.5 µm diam., larger by confluence, densely velutinous with a thin hyphal fringe. Leaf tissues (of dried leaves) around the colonies are tinged with pink, and corresponding discolourations are also found on the upper surface. Superficial hyphae are cylindrical, straight or slightly flexuous, branched, radiating, brown to dark brown, paler toward their ends, 5.5-7.2 µm wide, septate at (32-)45-70 µm intervals with the appressed wall thinner than the thickened exposed wall. Stomatopodia are scanty and scattered, cylindrical to ellipsoidal, entire or once lobed and up to 34 x 7.3 µm. Ingress cells are subhyaline to pale brown, ellipsoidal to subglobose, 12.5-20 x 10-15.3 µm. They frequently develop singly from intercalary cells of superficial hyphae or on a small lobe of such cells. Collodion preparations show abundant egress cells and it appears that most if not all superficial hyphae are derived from these. Egress cells are subglobose, 12.5-17 µm diam.; they generally arise in pairs from paired cells within a suprastomatal chamber, and may be scattered but often occur in groups of ten or more. Egress cells can produce up to five hyphae which extend over the leaf surface. Phialophores usually develop early on hyphae close to their origin from egress cells: accordingly, maturing colonies frequently show separate concentrations of phialophores. Confluence of mini-colonies produced from groups of egress cells contribute to the dense, uniformly velutinous part of mature colonies. Phialophores are up to 260 µm long, (2-) 3-4 (-5)-dichotomously branched and arborescent, but generally the stalk before the first dichotomy is short, 5.4-8 µm wide, tapering gently to 3.8-4.7 µm, wide toward the ends of the branches, dark brown toward the base, distally brown to pale brown and bearing a single phialide at the ends of the branches. Phialides are subulate to very narrowly obclavate, 28-47 µm long, pale brown to brown at the base and pale brown to subhyaline and 2-2.7 µm wide below a hyaline, funnel-shaped collarette. Phialoconidia minute. Perithecia are central, few to each colony, black, subglobose, dorsiventrally flattened, bearing on their lower part irregularly radiating, sparingly branched, cylindrical to nodulose pale brown to brown hyphae. The upper part bears numerous straight or slightly curved setae, up to 200 µm long but usually shorter, 6.3-8.1 µm wide and dark brown below, tapering to 1.8-2.7 µm at a brown rounded apex. Paraphyses are abundant, persistent, more or less cylindrical, septate, often paired and arising from short obovoid cells: they are 5-6 µm wide below tapering to 3.5-4 µm wide at the rounded apex. Asci are narrowly obovoid to clavate, thick-walled throughout when young but more or less undifferentiated at the apex and (6-)8-spored. Discharged asci are 153-180 µm long and have a broad apical opening. Ascospores are ellipsoidal to subcylindrical, sometimes slightly more tapered toward the base, brown to dark brown with a wide, conspicuous dark brown to black band of wall over the septa, usually straight, occasionally very slightly curved, slightly to scarcely constricted at the septa. The central cells are more or less doliiform to subcylindrical and wider than long, and the end cells more or less hemi-ellipsoidal to hemispherical and the lower end cell often tapered and occasionally subconical. Polar caps are dark brown to almost black, and convex to subconical. A conspicuous subhyaline to very pale brown band is found immediately below the polar caps and on each side of the dark septal bands. Ascospores measure 43.2-65 x 15.3-20 (-22.5) µm.

Distribution: Cook Islands (Rarotonga).

Host species: Metrosideros collina (J.R. Forst.) A. Gray, M. sp.

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Notes: The three collections cited above were reported as M. sydowiana F. Stev. by Dingley, Fullerton & McKenzie (1981). Meliolina cookii differs from M. sydowiana in having smaller colonies, shorter phialophores, and smaller ascospores which are more obtusely rounded at their ends and the eight pale bands are more conspicuous. Colonies of M. cookii are larger than those of M. degeneri and have a thin hyphal fringe, phialophores are more profusely branched, ascospores are wider, and egress cells are abundant and conspicuous.

Typification: Cook Islands: Avatiu Valley, on Metrosideros collina, 4 Oct. 1975, J.M. Dingley (PDD 34721, holotypus).

Other specimens examined: New Zealand: Centennial Track, upper Piha Valley, Waitakere Range, on `L. scoparium', 2 May 1963, J.M. Dingley (DAOM 159759); Kawau Island, on `L. ericoides', Oct. 1949, D.W. Mackenzie (PDD 16068, DAOM 75779). Two other collections are also herein assigned to M. leptospermi, but the portions seen lack perithecia: these are Near Brown's Bay, on `L. scoparium', Oct. 1950, J.M. Dingley (PDD 16076, DAOM 142246, IMI 86113); Cascade Kauri Park, on `L. ericoides', 11 Oct. 1964, J.M. Dingley (PDD 23855).

Colonies are mostly hypophyllous, occasionally also with a smaller epiphyllous colony directly above; they are dark brown to black, circular, up to 1 mm diam. but often coalescent to form compound colonies up to 3.5 µm long, velutinous, with a very narrow fringe of appressed hyphae. Superficial hyphae are apparently derived entirely from egress cells. They are much branched, crowded, cylindrical, here and there nodulose, straight or flexuous or irregularly bent, 9-11 µm wide and dark brown at their origin from egress cells, then tapering to 5.5-7.5 µm wide and brown to pale brown toward their ends. Cells of hyphae are 14.5-18 µm long at their origin, increasing distally up to 54 µm. Stomatopodia are apparently absent. Egress cells are abundant, occurring singly or occasionally in adjacent pairs, and they bear an elliptical scar of the hypha which emerged from within the leaf via the stoma: they are subglobose to ellipsoidal, 12.5-20 x 14.5-18 µm, dark brown, and they give rise to 3 or 4 superficial hyphae, some of which radiate irregularly on the leaf surface whereas others turn away from the colony and develop into phialophores. Sections through colony and leaf show that the cell within the suprastomatal chamber is derived from a very dark brown elliptical hypha as narrow as 2 µm and as broad as 6.5 µm which penetrates between the guard cells. This hypha is expanded to 12.5-14.5 µm within the substomatal chamber and is one of several similar, brown to subhyaline, subglobose to ellipsoidal cells connected to hyaline ca. 3.5 µm wide intercellular hyphae in the mesophyll and palisade tissues of the leaf. Phialophores arise from superficial hyphae and also directly from egress cells: they are up to 200 µm long but often shorter, erect at the centre but marginally somewhat repent to upwardly curved, simple or 1-3(-4) dichotomously branched and mostly flexuous. Toward the base they are brown to dark brown, 6.5-9 µm wide, tapering gradually to 4.7-7.2 µm toward the brown ends of the branches which bear a single or paired phialides. Phialides are 34-61 µm long, 4.7-7.2 µm wide and brown to pale brown below, straight or slightly curved, subulate to subcylindrical in the lower part and then tapering to 1.8-2.3 µm and pale brown to subhyaline below a funnel-shaped collarette. Phialoconidia are cuneiform, hyaline and 3-5 x 1.8-2.5 µm and sometimes form short chains. Perithecia are black, nearly always one or occasionally two to a colony, subglobose, dorsiventrally flattened, up to ca. 450 µm wide, ostiolate at maturity, bearing on their lower part dense, irregularly radiating, simple and branched, sinuous or irregularly bent, cylindrical brown hyphae 4.5-5 µm wide, occasionally bearing slender, simple or once dichotomously branched phialophores. On their upper part perithecia bear simple, straight or curved, thickwalled setae up to 150 (-200) µm long which are dark brown below and slightly paler above: they are 6.3-8.5 µm wide toward the base, tapering gradually to 3-4.8 µm wide at the bluntly rounded apex. The latter structures occasionally terminate^- in a single phialide. Paraphyses are abundant, persistent, simple or infrequently branched, septate, surrounded by a mucilaginous layer, arising singly or in pairs from subglobose to ellipsoidal cells: they are 6.3-7.2 µm wide toward the base, tapering gradually to 2.7-4.5 µm wide toward a rounded apex. Asci are obovoid, thick-walled throughout when young, more or less undifferentiated at the apex and 8-spored but sometimes only 6 or 7 mature fully and one or two initials may become pigmented whilst still small. Discharged asci are up to 155 µm long. Ascospores are subcylindrical, often very slightly narrowed toward the base, mostly straight, sometimes curved, dark brown, scarcely constricted at the septa and surrounded by a gelatinous sheath. The central cells are subquadrate to oblong to doliiform, and the end cells are mostly hemi-ellipsoidal, seldom hemispherical and generally longer than the central cells, with the basal cell the longest. Polar caps are brown to dark brown and convex. A conspicuous, narrow, subhyaline band is found immediately below the polar caps and near the septum of each end cell. Slightly thinned zones of wall can sometimes be seen next to the septa of each central cell but not all are associated with a paler band. Ascospores measure (39-)45-60 (-70) x 12.5-15.5 (-18) µm.

Distribution: New Zealand (Auckland Prov.).

Host species: Leptospermum scoparium J.R. & G. Forst., and Kunzea ericoides (A. Rich.) J. Thompson.

Coloniae plerumque hypophyllae, atrobunneae vel atrae, ad 1 mm diam., dense velutinae, ad marginem hyphis brevissimis appressis fimbriatae: aliquando coloniae coalescentia ad 3.5 µm lat. Mycelium superficiale ex hyphis densis, ramosissimis, atrobrunneis vel fere atris, cylindricis, hic illic nodulosis, rectis vel flexuosis vel irregulariter geniculatis, plerumque 5.5-7.5 4 µm cr. compositum: cellulae ad 54 µm long. Nec stomatopodia nec cellulae ingredientes visa. Cellulae egredientes abundantes, subglobosae vel ellipsoideae, 12.5-20 x 14.5-18 µm, singulatim vel binatim oriundae, 3 vel 4 hyphas repentes gerentes. Phialophora in hyphis superficialibus et aliquando in cellulis egredientibus gerentia, ad 200 µm alt., setiformia, 1-3 (-4)-dichotome ramosa et plerumque flexuosa, basim versus brunnea vel atrobrunnea, 6.5-9 µm cr., apicem versus brunnea, 4.7-7.2 µm cr.; rami in phialide unica ve12 divergentibus terminantes. Phialides 34-61 µm long. subulatae vel subcylindricae, rectae vel curvatae, basim versus brunneae vel pallide brunneae, apicem versus pallide brunneae vel subhyalinae, 1.8-2.3 µm cr. et collario praeditae. Phialoconidia cuneiformia, hyalina, 3-5 x 1.8-2.5 µm, aliquando in catenis brevibus orientes. Perithecia solitaria, aliquando binatim in fere omni colonia, atra, subglobosa, ad 450 µm diam., ostiolata, setis supra lateraliterque, crasso-tunicata, simplicibus, rectis vel curvatis, atrobrunneis, ad 150 (-200) µm long. basim versus 6.3-8.5 µm cr., apicem versus 3-4.8 µm cr. et pallidioribus, praedita. Paraphyses abundantes, persistentes, septatae, simplices vel semel ramosae, basim versus 6.3-7.2 µm cr., apicem versus angustiores, 2.7- 4.5 µm cr., singulariter vel binatim in cellulis basalibus subglobosis vel ellipsoideis orientes. Asci obovoidei, juniores crasso-tunicati, vulgo 8-spori: asci emissi ad 155 µm long. Ascosporae subcylindricae, basim versus saepe parum angustatae, plerumque rectae aliquando leniter curvatae, cum taenia atra super septa, magnitudine variantes, (39-) 45-60 (-70) x 12.5-15.5 (-18) µm, ad septa vix constrictae. Cellulae centrales oblongae vel doliiformes. Cellulae terminales plerumque hemi-ellipsoideae, utraeque cum zonis 2 subhyalinis angustis tenui-tunicatis, una sub disco terminali et altera prope septum praeditae. Aliquando cellulae centrales cum zonis 2 prope septa parum tenui-tunicatis sed non semper pallidioribus praeditae.

Notes: Most collections of M. leptospermi listed above had been assigned originally to M. mollis [auct., M. pulcherrima q.v.]. However, M. leptospermi has diminutive colonies up to 1 mm wide compared with up to 18 mm for M. pulcherrima: the latter also has abundant stomatopodia, very robust phialophores and larger ascospores and is apparently restricted to Syzygium cumini.
Meliolina leptospermi also differs from M. melaleucae: the latter has larger colonies (up to 5 mm) with stomatopodia, more robust phialophores, and somewhat larger ascospores with end cells which are as long as or usually slightly shorter than the central cells which show no thin-walled zones.
Two other species of Meliolina being recognized on Leptospermum are M. queenslandica on L. parvifolium and M. sarawacensis on L. javanicum. The former can be readily distinguished from M. leptospermi not only by its larger colonies (up to 4 mm) with abundant stomatopodia but also by the shape of its ascospores, with end cells shorter and narrower than the central cells. Meliolina sarawacensis has diminutive colonies (up to 1 mm) but its ascospores are shorter and wider and phialophores are longer and more frequently branched than those of M. leptospermi.
Drs B.G. Briggs and L.A.S. Johnson (in litt. to Dr K.A. Pirozynski) advised that Leptospermum ericoides should be included in the genus Kunzea.

Typification: New Zealand: Pureora, on 'L. scoparium', 21 Mar. 1963, S.J. Hughes (DAOM 159758, holotypus).

Colonies are black, circular up to 6 µn diam., velutinous with a fringe of radiating appressed hyphae but velutinous to the margin with age. Superficial hyphae are apparently derived entirely from egress cells. Hyphae are much branched and form an irregular reticulum, occasionally stranded, cylindrical, more or less straight, here and there slightly flexuous, 5.7-7.5 µm wide, brown to dark brown at their origin from egress cells, then brown to very pale brown toward their ends. Cells of hyphae are as short as 18 µm near egress cells but distally up to 80 µm long. Stomatopodia are common, ellipsoidal to subcylindrical to obovoid, entire or once lobed, 8-25 µm long and 6-11 µm wide, sessile or on a 2- or 3-celled stalk. Ingress cells are subhyaline to brown, ellipsoidal and up to 7.2 µm long and 4-5 µm wide or subglobose and 5-6 µm diam.: they may develop singly from intercalary cells of superficial hyphae or on a small lobe of such cells. The narrow hypha arising from the ingress cells penetrates between the guard cells and expands abruptly to 14-22 µm wide within the substomatal chamber; here it branches to form several subhyaline to brown loose hyphae composed of cylindrical to moniliform cells 6.5-15 µm wide which penetrate the mesophyll intercellularly and irregularly. Egress cells are abundant. They are subglobose to ellipsoidal, 16-23 x 11-16 µm, dark brown, thick-walled, and give rise to 2 to 4 branching, brown, distally stomatopodiate hyphae which radiate over the leaf surface to form mini-colonies which are soon confluent. Phialophores are scattered, sometimes denser on hyphae near egress cells. They are up to 250 µm long, 1-3-dichotomously branched and arborescent, rarely simple: toward the base they are 7-8.5 µm wide and dark brown, tapering gradually to 5.2-6 µm toward the brown ends of the branches, most of which bear a single phialide. Phialides are 36-47 µm, long, brown to pale brown below and distally paler to subhyaline, more or less subulate or subcylindrical in the lower part, then tapering to 2.7-3.2 µm wide below a funnel-shaped collarette. Phialoconidia not seen. Perithecia (overmature) are black, subglobose, dorsiventrally flattened, ca 380 µm wide, ostiolate at maturity, bearing on their lower part, irregularly radiating, simple, cylindrical, straight or sinuous hyphae 5.5-6 µm wide. On their upper part perithecia bear thick-walled, septate setae which are dark brown, simple, straight or curved and 7-8 µm wide toward the base: they are up to 200 µm long and tapered to a bluntly rounded apex 3.5-4.5 µm wide. Paraphyses and asci were not seen. Ascospores are subcylindrical, straight, brown to dark brown, slightly constricted at the septa. Central cells doliiform to subcylindrical, longer than wide, and the end cells hemi-ellipsoidal and shorter than the central cells. Polar caps are dark brown and convex. A conspicuous, narrow, subhyaline band is found immediately below the polar caps and near the septum of each end cell. Slightly thinner zones of wall sometimes occur next to the septa of the central cells but pale bands, if present, are not conspicuous. Ascospores measure (59-)61-75.5(-81) x (15.3-)16.2-20(-21.5) µm.

Distribution: New Zealand (Westland).

Host species: Metrosideros umbellata.

Coloniae hypophyllae, atrae, ad 6 mm diam., initio ad centrum phialophoris velutinae et ad marginem hyphis appressis fimbriatae, deinde ad marginem velutinae. Mycelium superficiale ex hyphis cylindricis, rectis vel hic illic flexuosis, aliquando funiculosis, brunneis vel atrobrunneis 5.7-7.5 µm cr. cellulis ad 80 µm long. praeditum. Stomatopodia ellipsoidea vel subcylindrica vel obovoidea, integra vel unilobata, 8-25 µm long., 6-11 µm lat., sessilia vel in ramulo 1- vel 3-cellularia. Cellulae ingredientes subhyalinae vel brunneae, ellipsoideae, ad 7.2 µm long., 4-5 ~tm lat., vel globosae 5-6 µm diam.: aliquando singulariter ex cellulis longis intercalaribus hypharum orientes. Cellulae egredientes abundantes, subglobosae vel ellipsoideae, 16-23 x 11-16 µm, atrobrunneae, crasso-tunicatae, 2-4 hyphas repentes gerentes. Phialophora ad 250 µm alt., setiformia, arborescentia, 1-3-dichotome ramosa, raro simplicia, basim versus atrobrunnea, 7-8.5 µm cr., apicem versus brunnea, angustata 5.2-6 µm cr.; rami in phialide unica terminantes. Phialides 36-47 µm long., plerumque rectae, subulatae vel basim versus subcylindricae, brunneae, apicem versus pallide brunneae vel subhyalinae 2.7-3 µm angustatae, et collano praeditae. Phialoconidia non visa. Perithecia atra, subglobosa, ostiolata, setis supra lateraliterque, crasso-tunicata, simplicibus, atrobrunnea, rectis vel curvatis, ad 200 µm long., basim versus 7-8 µm cr., apicem versus angustatis ad 3.5-14.5 µm cr. praedita. Paraphyses et asci non visae. Ascosporae subcylindricae, rectae, brunneae vel atrobrunneae cum taenia alra angusta super septa, (59-)61-75.5(-81) x (15.3-)16.2-20(-21.5) µm, ad septa leniter constricta. Cellulae centrales doliiformes, longiores quam latiores. Cellulae terminales hemi-ellipsoideae utraeque cum zonis 2 subhyalinis, angustis, tenui-tunicatis, una sub disco terminali et altera prope septum. Aliquando cellulae centrales utraeque cum zonis 2 tenui-tunicatis prope septa praeditae sed zonae pallide aut haud manifestae.

Notes: Hansford (in herb.) assigned this collection to Meliolina novae-zealandiae Hansf., but the latter has larger colonies and shorter and wider ascospores. Ascospores of
M. metrosideri somewhat resemble those of M. leptospermi, but in the latter species they are smaller and the end cells are longer than the central cells: furthermore, the colonies of M. leptospermi are much smaller.

Typification: New Zealand: Waiho, Nov. 1954, J.M. Dingley (PDD 17250, holotypus, DAOM 142249 and IMI 86117, isotypi).

Other specimens examined: New Zealand: Piha, on Metrosideros excelsa. 31 July 1967, JD. Reid (PDD 26005); Piha, on M. excelsa. 18 Sept. 1970, J.M. Dingley & B.S. Parris (PDD 28580); Little Barrier Is, Thumb Track, on M. excelsa, 30 Aug. 1958. J.M. Dingley (DAOM 142247, PDD 18482); Poor Knights Is, Tawhiti Rahi, on M. excelsa, 6 Dec. 1969, B.S. Parris (PDD 28427); Russell, on M. excelsa, 16 Sept. 1967, J.M. Dingley (PDD 26067); North Cape, Whiriwhiri Stream, on M. excelsa, 29 Mar. 1970, B.S. Parris (PDD 28428); Ngaiotonga Ra., nr Russell on Metrosideros robusta, 17 Sept. 1967, J.M. Dingley (PDD 26080); Little Barrier Is (1500'), on Metrosideros umbellata, 1 Sept. 1958, J.M. Dingley (PDD 18495, IMI 86116).

Colonies are black, up to 15 mm diam., larger by confluence, centrally densely velutinous, gradually less so toward the margin, with a hyphal fringe partially hidden in the tomentum. Superficial hyphae are cylindrical, straight or slightly sinuous to irregularly bent, more or less radiate at the margin, centrally much branched and appearing reticulate, brown to pale brown, paler at their ends, 6.3-9 µm wide and septate at 30-75 µm intervals with the wall adjacent to the leaf surface somewhat thinner. Hyphae may bear numerous short lateral branches; some are upturned and destined to form phialophores and others are appressed stomatopodia. Stomatopodia are abundant, variously shaped, ellipsoidal to subcylindrical to subglobose to ovoid or obovoid, straight or curved, entire or once lobed, up to 30 µm long and 6.5-12 µm wide Entry of the fungus into the leaf via the stomata is not as uniform as in other species of Meliolina: this may be due, in part at least, to the large, domed, suprastomatal chambers, raised above the general level of the epidermis, and which have inside dimensions of up to 23 µm long, 16 µm wide and 14-20 µm high. When a stomatopodium overlies a stomatal opening a hypha arises from its appressed surface and swells, partly or entirely within the suprastomatal chamber, into a globose, dark brown, thick-walled cell 10.5-11.5 µm diam.: this cell then produces a brown to pale brown, thinwalled, ellipsoidal to sublimoniiform ingress cell up to 27 µm long and 12.5 µm wide which is appressed to the guard cells (e.g. Fig. 72A). The stomatal pore is penetrated by a wide, 12.5-16 µm, very narrowly ellipsoidal to flattened hypha 1.5-2 µm thick derived from the ingress cell. Within the substomatal chamber the penetrating hypha expands and produces several compact, brown cells from which hyaline hyphae extend intercellularly in the leaf tissues. Commonly an ingress cell may be produced directly from a stomatopodium without the intervention of a globose cell. Globose cells and/or ingress cells can also develop directly from intercalary cells of superficial hyphae or on a small lobe of such cells. Frequently two stomatopodia, which can arise as paired outgrowths of the same cell of a hypha, of neighbouring cells of the same hypha, or of cells of different hyphae, may overlie the same stoma; such stomatopodia may be parallel or otherwise contiguous. Globose cells and/or ingress cells develop from these and fill the suprastomatal chamber, and they may show the same kind of variation as found when only a single stomatopodium is involved, but two narrowed hyphae arising from the two egress cells may penetrate between the guard cells. Uncommonly, three stomatopodia may overlie a stoma and each can contribute cells to a crowded and dilated suprastomatal chamber. Egress cells are scanty and composed of single very dark brown cells which give rise to 2 or 3 superficial radiating hyphae. The egress cells arise from solitary, large ellipsoidal cells occupying suprastomatal chambers and derived from a hypha within the substomatal chamber. Phialophores up to 250 (-350) µm long, setiform, centrally densely crowded, marginally scattered, simple or 1-2(-3)-dichotomously branched, erect, arising from superficial hyphae. Toward the base they are 6.3-9 µm wide and very dark brown, tapering gradually to 5.3-6.2 µm toward their brown ends which bear a single phialide. Phialides are 30-41 µm long, brown to dark brown below, distally pale brown to subhyaline, more or less cylindrical, below then tapering to 2.3-2.7 µm wide below a funnel-shaped collarette. Phialoconidia cuneiform, hyaline, 4.1-5.5 x 2.2-2.7 µm. The ends of simple phialophore-like erect setiform structures may lack a terminal phialide and taper to a bluntly rounded apex. One or more branches of divided phialophores may also lack a terminal phialide. Perithecia are black, subglobose, dorsiventrally flattened with an ostiole at maturity, up to 400 µm wide, bearing on their lower part, irregularly radiating, simple, straight or sinuous, cylindrical brown hyphae 5.3-6.3 µm wide. On their upper part perithecia bear simple, thick-walled, septate setae which are very dark brown to almost black toward the 6-9 µm wide base, tapering gradually to a bluntly rounded apex 1.8-4.5 µm wide. Paraphyses abundant, persistent, more or less cylindrical, septate, occasionally branched at the base: they are ca 5.5 µm wide toward the base, tapering to 3.5-4.5 µm wide toward the rounded apex. Asci obovoid and thick-walled throughout when young, more or less undifferentiated at the apex and (6-)8-spored. Discharged asci are narrowly ellipsoidal, 165-195 µm long with a broad opening 9-12.5 µm wide. Ascospores more or less broadly ellipsoidal to subcylindrical, brown to dark brown, straight, constricted at the septa, sometimes with a narrow dark band of wall at the septa. The central cells are wider than long, doliiform, and the end cells hemispherical to broadly hemi-ellipsoidal, the lower one being slightly narrower and rarely slightly tapered. Polar caps are dark brown, and convex. A conspicuous, narrow, pale brown to subhyaline band is found immediately below the polar caps and near the septum of each end cell: very inconspicuous pale bands have been seen in some central cells. Ascospores measure 43.5-65(-70) x 19-24(-25) µm.

Distribution: New Zealand (Auckland Prov.).

Host species: Metrosideros excelsa Sol. ex Gaertn., M. robusta A. Cunn., M. umbellata Cav.

Notes: Dingley (1969) remarked that Meholina novae-zealandiae, a `sooty blotch on Metrosideros spp. [M. excelsa (Hansford, 1954b) and M. umbellata (Brien & Dingley, 1959)] is common in New Zealand in scattered localities where rainfalls are heavy. It is an endemic fungus described on endemic species of Metrosideros.'

Typification: New Zealand: Rangitoto Is., on Metrosideros excelsa, 18 July 1950, J.M. Dingley (DAOM 142248, isotype, PDD 12088, holotype).

Phaeostigme H. Sydow & Sydow. A species of this genus, which is probably a suitable replacement for Dimerium auct. non H. Sydow & Sydow (see Part II below), was found on Meliolina leptospermi on Kunzea ericoides from Auckland Province, New Zealand (PDD 23855). Perithecia are glabrous. Asci are bitunicate and 8-spored and ascospores 1-septate with the upper cell wider than the lower, 17-19 x 5.5-7 µm, very pale brown to golden brown and.finely rough-walled.