PDD 4249, FWVA 12807, 12810.

Fruiting body a stalked sporangium, scattered or gregarious, 2–5 mm tall. Sporotheca globose or ellipsoid, 0.5–1.0 mm in diameter. Stalk relatively long, usually at least two-thirds or more of the total height, slender, nearly cylindrical, black. Hypothallus discoid, dark purple. Peridium persistent (especially at the base of the sporotheca), rich violet or purple with a metallic iridescence. Columella cylindrical, with a conic or somewhat blunt tip, one-third to one-half the height of the sporotheca. Capillitium originating from all parts of the columella, rigid, sparingly forked at the centre, then anastomosing to form a large-meshed open net, brownish purple. Spores black in mass, smoky brown by transmitted light, minutely warted, 10–13 µm in diameter. Plasmodium white.

Known from Europe, temperate North America, Asia, and Australia (Martin & Alexopoulos 1969). First reported from New Zealand by Rawson (1937), based on a specimen from Dunedin.

Decaying wood, usually that of conifers, almost invariably with bryophytes also present; also known to occur on mats of bryophytes over peat or soil and on moss-covered rocks.

Martin & Alexopoulos (1969), Ing (1999), Neubert et al. (2000).

The relatively long stalk and the fact that this species is almost invariably associated with bryophytes are usually enough to recognise Lamproderma columbinum.