Colony effuse, brown to dark brown, hairy. Superficial mycelium aggregated to form a thin stroma of isodiametric, dark brown cells up to 5 µ diam., with smooth, thick walls. Phialophores arising from the stroma, solitary to aggregated, erect, 70-100 µ long and up to 6.5 µ wide at the base; with 1-5 thin septa; brown below but lighter above, smooth-walled, terminating in a phialide. Phialides lageniform, 54-65 [61] µ long, venter subcylindrical or ellipsoidal, 17-25 [20] µ long and 5.5-8 [7.2] µ wide at its supramedian part; collarette subcylindrical, often tapering toward the apex, darker than venter, 29-47 [40] x 2.5-3.5 [2.9] µ; transition from venter to collarette abrupt; ratio of mean lengths of collarette/venter = 2:1. Phialoconidia catenulate, cylindrical, apex rounded, base truncate with a minute marginal frill; 1-septate, apical cell shorter than basal cell; hyaline, smooth-walled, 9.5-18 [13.5] x 2-2.5p; mean conidium length/width ratio = 5.8:1.

Known distribution: New Zealand.

Habitat: On dead leaves of Nothofagus menziesii.

Colonia effusa, brunnea vel atrobrunnea, pubescens. Mycelium superficiale in stroma tenue ex cellulis atrobrunneis, usque ad 5 µ diam., laevibus, parietibus incrassatis compositum aggregatum. Phialophora ex stromate enascentia, solitaria vel aggregata, recta, 70-100 µ long. et usque ad 6.5 µ lat. ad basem; septis tenuibus 1-5; infra brunnea sed supra pallidiora, laevia, in phialidem terminantia. Phialides lageniformes, 54-65 [61] µ long., venter subcylindraceus vel ellipsoideus, 17-25 [20] µ long. et 5.5-8 [7.2] µ lat. parte supermediana; collum subcylindraceum, saepe versus apicem angustatum, fuscius quam venter, 29-47 [40] x 2.5-3.5 [2.9] µ; transitio ex ventre ad collum abrupta; ratio long, colli et ventris = 2:l. Phialoconidia catenulata, cylindracea, apice rotundato, base truncata fimbriam marginalem minutam ferente, 1-septata, cellula apicali breviore quam cellula basali; hyalina, laevia, 9.5-18 [13.5] x 2-2.5 µ; ratio conidii long./lat. = 5.8:1.

C. inaequalis is distinct from all other known species of Chalara in its unequally 2-celled conidia. It is close to C. cylindrosperma in its phialophore morphology but can be distinguished by its longer phialides, longer collarettes, and its 1-septate conidia bearing basal marginal frills.

Specimen examined: PDD 32643 [Holotype], Rd. to Milford Sound, 1 mi. N. of Tunnel, N.Z., 14.IV.1974, B. Kendrick (KNZ 676).