Type: Sooty Moulds and Similar Fungi; Description: Subiculum superficial, effuse, thinly to densely velutinous, black; on bark of trunks. Mycelium composed of repent and erect dark olivaceous brown, septate, coarsely warted, moniliform hyphae, up to 18 μm wide, which taper markedly toward their distal ends; erect hyphae straight or flexuous, up to 200 μm long. Conidia at first globose, then ovoid, 1-septate, 11–13 × 7–9 μm, slightly warted, dark olivaceous brown.

Distribution: Taupo, Buller.; 1st Record: Hughes (1981b).

Significance: None.; Host(s): Aristotelia serrata, Coprosma tenuifolia, Nothofagus fusca.

COLLECTIONS: (1-3) Wellington Province, Mt Ruapehu, 16.XII. 1966, J.M.D., (1) Aristotelia serrata, Ohakune Track, PDD 25874 (DAOM 117143c): (2,3) Coprosma tenuifolia, (2) 610m, PDD 25871 (DAOM 117157c); (3) Ohakune Road, 670 m, PDD 25876 (DAOM 1171510); (4) Nothofagus fusca, Westland, Granville Forest, Orwell Creek, Ahaura, 3.1V. 1963, S.J.H., DAOM 1056841).
Capnobotrys pacifica has also been seen mixed with other sooty moulds on collections from the Hawaiian Islands and Chile:
"Plants of the Hawaiian Islands. Collected on the Island of Kauai on mountains west of the Hauapepe River, by A. A. Heller, July 24, 1895. 2550. Antennaria Robinsonii Berk. On Antidesma platyphyllum". (K). ' 'Flora Chilensis No. 1995. Llanquihue: Puerto Varas, Ensenada. In the low open forest. 11.Jan. 1947. 60 m.s.m. Leg. Benkt Sparre". (UPS). (DAOM 106093d).

Subicula black, superficial, effuse, thinly to densely velutinous, up to 2 mm wide but often much smaller, scattered and mixed with other sooty moulds. Mycelium composed of repent and erect, dark olivaceous brown, anastomosing, septate, moniliform hyphae, which taper markedly toward their distal end. Upright hyphae are straight or flexuous and up to 200 µm long, simple or bearing 1 or 2 lateral branches which arise at right angles and then curve upwards: upright hyphae are often darker and more coarsely warted than the repent hyphae. The hyphal cells are as broad as or broader than long, up to 18 µm wide; younger distal cells are as narrow as 5.5 µm.
Capnobotrys synanamorph. Distinctive conidiophores are lacking. Conidiogenous cells are borne in an irregular unilateral cluster of up to 20 on the concave surface of slightly bent ends of otherwise undifferentiated erect, main hyphae and also on the concave (lower) surface of downwardly curved 2- to 6-septate lateral branches. Toward the base of these fertile lateral branches the conidiogenous cells may also be borne on short I- to 3-celled stalks, the whole forming a compact botryose cluster. Conidiogenous cells are subglobose, pale to dark olivaceous brown, paler at the distal end, becoming obpyriform by extension during conidium production. They are 5.4-6.5 µm wide and up to 9 µm long with the distal end bearing several short denticles after schizolytic conidium secession. Conidia are produced blastically on successive new growing points. Conidium initials are at first spherical; they then elongate unilaterally so that mature conidia are borne usually obliquely to the point of attachment. Conidia are dry, at first globose, then ovoid, becoming inequilateral, supramedially 1-septate, dark olivaceous brown with the proximal (basal) cell broader and usually slightly longer than the distal cell with a minute and inconspicuous oblique or lateral scar. The distal cell has an apical or obliquely located thinner-walled area. Some conidia become reniform with the scar and the thin-walled area on the flattened or slightly concave side but no conspicuous projections were seen as in the conidia of Metacapnodium moniliforme. Conidia measure 10.8-12.6 x 7.5-8.8 µm: they expand and become slightly warted with age and germinate to produce an olivaceous brown and warted hypha.
Capnophialophora synanamorph. Distinctive conidiophores are lacking. Phialides are produced singly or in irregular clusters on otherwise undifferentiated erect hyphae or on short lateral branches on the erect hyphae. The venter is subglobose, olivaceous brown, coarsely warted, 4.3-5.4 µm wide with a single, slightly paler, roughened, subglobose to broadly ellipsoidal collarette 2.3-3.6 µm long which shows a distinct constriction where it joins the venter. Phialoconidia not seen.

On leaves of dicotyledons.

Subiculum atrum, effusum, velutinum, ad 2 mm lat. Mycelium superficiale ex hyphis ramosis, apicem versus subulatis, septatis, moniliformibus, atro-olivaceo-brunneis, fortiter verrucosis, ad 18 µm lat., cellulis terminalibus angustioribus ad 5.5 µm lat. compositum. Cellulae conidiogenae botryosae, apicem versus hypharum erectarum curvatarum unilateraliter affixae nec non unilateraliter in ramis lateralibus curvatis, 2-6-septatis, subglobosae, pallide vel atro-olivaceo-brunneae, 5.4-6.5 µm lat., ad maturitatem ad 9 µm long., obpyriformiae et apicem versus cicatricibus breviter denticulatis praeditae. Conidia ovoidea, dein inaequilaterales, 1-septata, cellulis inaequalibus (cellula terminali parviore), laevia, atro-olivaceo-brunnea, 10.8-12.6 x 7.5-8.8 µm, cicatrice laterali vel obliquo in cellula basali praedita, denique parce inflata et germinationibus parce verrucosa.
Synanamorphosis: Capnophialophora.

This species was frequently found intimately mixed with Metacapnodium moniliforme but it could be readily distinguished in preparations by its olivaceous brown colour. The hyphae of Capnobotrys pacifica are also always coarsely warted throughout as is the venter of the phialides, whereas the hyphae of Metacapnodium moniliforme are mostly smooth with only the ends of the upright hyphae roughened if at all and the venter of the phialides is smooth or occasionally roughened. Furthermore, the conidia of Capnobotrys pacifica never reach the dimensions of those of Metacapnodium moniliforme. Nevertheless, it was at first thought that C. pacifica was a variant of M. moniliforme but in all collections the differences noted are constant. Also, extensive searches were made for anastomoses between the two readily distinguishable hyphae: none was found although hyphae of the two species show frequent anastomoses with hyphae of their own kind.
Capnobotrys pacifica resembles C. atro-olivacea in its dark olivaceous brown and very coarsely warted hyphae, but in C. pacifica hyphae are more frequently branched and generally wider, more subulate toward their ends, and Capnophialophora collarettes are constricted at their base.

Holotypus: in foliis Coprosmae tenuifoliae, Nova Zeiandia, "Wellington Province, Mt. Ruapehu", (610 m), XII. 1966, J. M. Dingley, PDD 25871 (DAOM 117157c).