Anamorph: Fusarium cf. ciliatum Link, Species plant. VI, 2: 105 (1825).
Mycelium subcortical, filling immersed host ascomata and erumpent through bark or epidermis; forming light orange pionnotes that first produce conidia and later perithecia. Conidiophores fasciculate, irregularly branched with each branch terminating in a single phialide; phialides cylindrical, 10-20 x 2-2.5 µm, tip with periclinal thickening, collarette not flared, percurrent proliferation observed. Conidia slightly arcuate, 38-60 x 2.5-4 µm, tapering slightly from tip to base, .1-3-septate, base rounded and lacking a foot cell. Perithecia arising among conidiophores with lower third of perithecial wall immersed in the stroma, globose to broadly pyriform, 200-340 x 180-340 µm, with a broad, 100-200 µm diam, discoidal apex, red, becoming yellow in lactic acid. Cells at surface of perithecial wall textura epidermoidea with unevenly thickened walls, lumina of adjacent cells joined by fine pores. Perithecial wall 25-40 µm wide, comprising a single region of cells with elliptic to flattened lumina 7-10 µm long, 3-5 µm wide and walls 1-2 µm thick. Perithecial apex formed of hyphal elements. Asci cylindrical, (57-)65-80(-90) x 7-10 µm, 8-spored, apex with an obscure refractive ring. Ascospores ellipsoidal to fusiform-ellipsoidal, (9.5-)9.8-13(-14) x (5-)5.2-6.3(-7) µm, equally 2-celled, not constricted at the septum, yellow-brown, finely spinulose, uniseriate in asci.
Colonies growing extremely slowly on all media at 20^°C; on PDA colonies restricted to the original inoculum after 2 wk, stromatic, slimy with no free mycelium, yellow to orange. Conidiophores fasciculate, short, branching irregularly, each branch terminating in one or two phialides. Phialides cylindrical, 13-25 x 2-3 µm, straight or slightly undulate; tip with periclinal thickening,; not flared. Conidia falcate to filiform with an indistinct foot cell and sharply curved at the tip, 38-60(-80) x 2-3(-4) µm, 0-6-septate.

Distribution: New Zealand (North Island), known only from the type locality.

Substrata: On Loculoascomycetes including Leptosphaerulina sp., Leptosphaeria sp., Otthia sp.

Perithecia partim in substrato immersa, globosa vel late pyriformia, 200-340 µm alta, 180-340 µm lata, rubra, apice discoidea, 100-200 µm diam. Asci cylindrici, (57-)65-80(-90) x 7-10 µm, apice annulo refractili obscuro provisi. Ascosporae ellipsoideae vel fusiformi-ellipsoideae, (9.5-)9.8-13 (-14) x (5-)5.2-6.3(-7) µm, spinulosae, flavobrunneae, 2-cellulares, septo mediano.

Etymology: `Norto' from Greek meaning southern, in reference to the fact that this is a southern counterpart of N. episphaeria.
Notes: This Fusarium matches Wollenweber's (1943) concept of F. ciliatum which he gave as the anamorph of Nectria decora (Wallr.) Fuckel (see also Gerlach & Nirenberg, 1982). Wollenweber (1930: 1128) illustrated microconidia with F. cilatum. Nectria decora is not a member of subgen. Dialonectria, although F. ciliatum is undoubtedly a member of Fusarium sect. Eupionnotes. There is no evidence of N. decora having been grown, and there has been confusion between N. decora and N. diminuta (see discussion in Rossman, 1983). It is thus possible that reports of a link between N. decora and F. ciliatum actually refer to N. diminuta. Because of the homogeneity of subgen. Dialonectria, it would not be surprising to find two members having anamorphs referable to F. ciliatum. Fusarium elongatum Cooke (Cooke, 1890) was described with conidia 60-70(-80) x 2-3 µm, 5-7-septate on twigs in New Zealand. The described conidia and the habitat of F. elongatum agree well with the anamorph of N. nothepisphaeria, but this Fusarium has not been re-evaluated since its description.

Typification: New Zealand: North Island, Taranaki, New Plymouth, Barrett Domain, on ?Leptosphaeria sp. on Ripogonum scandens, 22 Apr. 1973, G. J. & C. Samuels (73-40), B. & S. van Fleet (holotype, PDD 30792); Paratypes, data as holotype, on pyrenomycete on tree, 22 Apr. 1973, Samuels (73-38) et al. (PDD 30793); Taranaki, S of Okato, at N end of Puniho Rd along Stony Creek Track, on pyrenomycete on epidermis of Ripogonum scandens, date and collectors as holotype (PDD 30787).