SPECIMENS EXAMINED: New Zealand: AUCKLAND: Waitakere Ra., Walkers Bush Track, on Metrosideros robusta, P. R. Johnston, G. J. Samuels, E. H. C. McKenzie, 4.VIII. 1982 (PDD 43951); Waitakere Ra., Huia Dam Foot-bridge, on Metrosideros excelsa, P. R. Johnston, 27.IV.1982 (PDD 43952); Waitakere Ra., Kaitarakihi Beach, on Metrosideros excelsa, P. R. Johnston, 8.III.1983 (PDD 43953); ibid., 20.VI. 1983 (PDD 43958); Waitakere Ra., Cowan Track, on Metrosideros robusta, P. R. Johnston, G. J. Samuels, R. H. Petersen, 27.III.1983 (PDD 43954); Mt. Albert Research Centre, on Metrosideros sp., P. R. Johnston, V. 1983 (PDD 43955). COROMANDEL: Little Barrier Island, Titoki Point on Metrosideros excelsa, P. R. Johnston, 11.IV. 1984 (PDD 45364). NELSON: Karamea, I km. S. of Granite Rd., on Metrosideros robusta, P. R. Johnston, G. J. Samuels, R. E. Beever, 14.111.1983 (PDD 43956). TARANAKI: Mt. Egmont, Waiweranui Track, on Metrosideros robusta, P. R. Johnston, G. J. Samuels, R. H. Petersen, 25.III.1983 (PDD 43957).

Australia: VICTORIA: on Eucalyptus sp., Martin 439 (K - Holotype of Stictis emarginata Cooke & Massee).

Ascocarps subepidermal. In vertical section the immature ascocarp has an upper wall of thin walled, dark brown hyphae, lined inwardly with a layer of downward projecting, hyaline periphyses, 5-10 x 2-3 µm, with a few crystals forming in the wall near the centre of the ascocarp. The lower wall comprises 3-4 layers of dark brown, thin walled hyphae. When ascocarps open the margin is 70-100 µm wide. It comprises a 10-30 µm wide layer of brown, thin walled hyphae, 3-5 µm diam., and a 60 µm wide layer of crystals. Periphyses becoming more or less obscured by the crystals, except near the base of the wall.

Paraphyses 1.5-2 µm diam., sometimes swelling to 3 µm diam. near apex, often with short side branches, not extending beyond asci. Asci 63-100 x 6-8.5 µm, cylindric with a short, broad basal stalk, acute apex, uniformly thin walled, non-amyloid, 8-spored. Ascospores filiform, not tapering, 46-84 x 1.5-2.2 µm, 1-septate, with a gelatinous sheath.

CHARACTERISTICS IN CULTURE: Ascospores germinated on agar plates within 24 h. After 4 weeks on oatmeal agar, colonies 3.5-4 cm diam., mycelium white to pale grey, dense, cottony to felted; agar surface undulate, toward centre of colony covered with numerous fruiting bodies of the teleomorph. Ascocarps globose, dark walled, opening by irregular splits to expose the grey, pruinose hymenium. Dimensions of hymenial elements same as those found in nature. Anamorph not formed.

Sherwood's (1977) description of this fungus does not mention that the ascospores are 1-septate, and have a gelatinous sheath. These characters are found on both the type specimen, and the New Zealand collections on Metrosideros. .

Several Coccomyces and Lophodermium species are commonly found on M. fulgens, but rarely are other Rhytismataceous species found on M. robusta or M. excelsa.