Ascocarps initially subepidermal, with rows of vertically oriented, rectangular cells surrounding the hymenium. These cells dark brown towards base of ascocarp, otherwise hyaline to pale brown. As ascocarps mature a separate upper wall develops within host epidermal cells, wall up to 50 µm wide, comprising very dark tissue with no obvious cellular structure. In some ascocarps upper wall layer poorly developed. In these ascocarps the hyaline, vertically orientated cells above the hymenium adjacent to the ascocarp opening become elongated, to form a distinct layer along the edge of the opening.

Paraphyses 1-1.5 µm diam., circinate or undifferentiated at apex. Asci 155-210 x 7-9 µm, cylindric, apex broadly truncate, wall unthickened, 8-spored. Ascospores 100-140 x 1.5-2 µm, 0-1 septate, with gelatinous sheath.

Pycnidia in vertical section subglobose, wall 10-15 µm wide, of dark brown, thick-walled cells. At top of pycnidia the wall is composed of hyaline, slightly thick-walled cells. Conidiogenous cells lining dark part of wall, solitary, flask-shaped, sympodial. Conidia 2.5-3 x 1 µm, cylindric, hyaline, 0-septate.

CHARACTERISIICS IN CULTURE: Ascospores from PDD 49346 germinated on agar after 72 hours. On OA colonies 6-7 cm diam. after 8 weeks, aerial mycelium low, felted, white to pale pinkish-brown in colour, agar not discoloured, remaining sterile.

ETYMOLOGY: kaikawakae; refers to kaikawaka, common name for host plant.

NOTES: L. kaikawakae has the same ascocarp structure as L. multimatricum, the two species being distinguished by ascus shape and size, and ascospore size. See notes under L. multimatricum.

Coccomyces libocedri Johnston is also found on Libocedrus in New Zealand. The asci and ascospores of C. libocedri are very similar to those of L. kaikawakae, but C. libocedri has smaller, grey ascocarps which usually have more than one opening slit, with a different kind of structure in vertical section (Johnston 1986).