Ascocarp intraepidermal. In vertical section upper stromatal layer 15-20 µm wide, comprising rounded, pale brown, thin walled cells. An extra laver of hyaline, gelatinous cells developing between the upper stromatal layer and the covering host tissue. Lower stromatal layer 15 µm wide, comprising 3-4 layers of dark brown, thick walled cells. Excipulum absent.

Paraphyses 2 µm diam., becoming irregularly tangled and swollen up to 4.5µm diam. at apices, extending 15-20 µm beyond asci. Asci cylindric, 195-235 x 9-10.5 µm, tapering slightly to a broad, truncate apex, uniformly thin walled, non-amyloid, 8-spored. Ascospores filiform, 142-206 x 1.8-2 µm, not tapering, 0-3 septate, surrounded by a poorly developed gelatinous sheath.

Pycnidia intraepidermal, flat and lenticular in shape, upper wall absent. Lower wall 7-12 µm wide, of 1-3 layers of dark brown, thick walled cells, 3-5 µm diam., lined with 1-2 layers of hyaline cells, on which the conidiogenous layer forms. Conidiogenous cells 8-12 x 1.5-2 µm, solitary, cylindric to flask-shaped, sympodial. Conidia cylindric with rounded ends, 4-6 x 1 µm, hyaline, non-septate.

CHARACTERISTICS IN CULTURE: Ascospores germinating on agar plates after 48 h. Cultures on oatmeal agar 3.5-4 cm diam. after 6 weeks; aerial mycelium tufted, pale grey, in two concentric bands; agar surface undulate, dark brown in colour, fruiting bodies appear to be forming near edges of colonies, but remaining sterile.

ETYMOLOGY: libocedri; refers to host plant.

NOTES: The ascocarp is similar in external appearance to C. cupressinum, but the two species are easily distinguished microscopically. Lophodermium juniperi (Greville) Darker is recorded from Libocedrus decurrens Torr. (Hunt & Ziller 1978).

This species has lip cells lining the single opening slip, asci 110-130 x 15-17 µm, and ascospores 70-90 x 2-3 µm. Two species, described as Hypoderma by Butin (1970) from Pilgerodendron species, have saccate asci and ascospores less than 50 µm long.