[Notes from Kew Type specimen, PRJ 2010] Kew images.

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED: NORTH ISLAND: AUCKLAND: Henderson, on dead wood, 23 Aug 1947, J. M. Dingley, PDD 16423; Hunua Ranges, Moumoukai Valley, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 12 Oct 1946, J. M. Dingley, PDD 4729; Hunua Ranges, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 25 Apr 1950, J. M. Dingley, PDD 16417; Hunua Ranges, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 11 Jun 1949, J. M. Dingley, PDD 16425; Kawau Island, on Beilschmiedia tarairi, 22 Dec 1947, J. D. Atkinson, PDD 16416; Purewa, on dead wood, Feb 1931, M. Hodgkins, PDD 10393; Waitakere Ranges, Rua-te-whenua, on Beilschmiedia tawa, Aug 1949, J. M. Dingley, PDD 16419 (two specimens); Waitakere Ranges, Cascade Kauri Park, on Coprosma australis, 17 Mar 1956, J. M. Dingley, PDD 16421; Waitakere Ranges, on unknown host, Feb 1931, M. Hodgkins, PDD 16889; Waitakere Ranges, Upper Piha Valley, on Olearia rani, 9 Oct 1963, J. M. Dingley, PDD 21738. BAY OF PLENTY: Rotorua, Rotoehu forest, on Beilschmiedia tawa, May 1862, L. Bassar, K*; Rotorua, 1914, Cheeseman, K*; Rotorua, on Beilschmiedia tawa, Dec 1949, G. B. Rawlings, PDD 16418; Rotorua, Waiotapu, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 17 Jun 1950, J. M. Dingley, PDD 16420; Rotorua, Rotoehu Forest, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 15 May 1962, C. Bassett, PDD 20313. COROMANDEL: Kauaeranga Valley, Thames Co., on Weinmannia, 2 Sep 1963, J. M. Dingley, PDD 28867; Whitianga Road,1000 ft, on Coprosma lucida, 21 Aug 1963, J. M. Dingley, PDD 21447; Whitianga Road, 1000 ft, on Brachyglottis repanda, 21 Aug 1963, J. M. Dingley, PDD 21448, GZU 42478; vic. Thames, on bark of indet. tree, 1 May 1983, G. J. Samuels & R. H. Petersen, PDD 45800. GISBORNE: Urewera National Park, L. Waikaremoana, vic. Motor Camp, Ngamoko Track, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 24 May 1982, G. J. Samuels & C. E. Samuels, PDD 43175, cultures on OA, CMD (sterile). NORTHLAND: Hokianga Co., Waipoua State Forest, Kauri Ricker Trail, along Waipoua River, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 31 May 1982, G. J. Samuels, A. P. Hawthorne, P.R. Johnston,&R. H. Petersen, PDD 44410, cultures on OA (sterile), CMD; Trounson Kauri Park, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 17 Mar 1963, S. Davison, PDD 20996; Trounson Kauri Park, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 20 Dec 1963, F. J. Morton, PDD 23046. TAUPO: n bark of fallen branch, 23 Aug 1999, P. R. Johnston & B. M. Spooner, PDD 70783*; vic. Otorohanga, Rangitoto Station, zigzag track, on bark of fallen branch, 24 May 2000, P. R. Johnston, PDD 71728*; vic. Otorohanga, Rangitoto Station, Saddle Track, on unidentified host, 24 May 2000, P. R. Johnston, PDD 71916*. WAIKATO: Mt Pirongia, trail to Mahaukura, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 20 Aug 1980, G. J. Samuels, P. R. Johnston, & M. E. Lanigan, PDD 49665, anamorph on host, cultures on OA, PDA; Te Awamutu, Mt Pirongia, track to Mahaukura, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 27 Aug 1979, G. J. Samuels &C. E. Samuels, PDD 40012, culture on PDA; vic. Te Awamutu, Mt Pironga, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 27 Mar 1982, G. J. Samuels & C. E. Samuels, PDD 44274, cultures on OA, CMD (sterile); on bark of undet. tree, 26 Apr 1983, G. J. Samuels & P. R. Johnston, PDD 45466; Waitomo caves, on bark of undet. tree, 26 Apr 1983, G. J. Samuels, P. R. Johnston, & R. H. Petersen, PDD 45467. WELLINGTON: Weraroa, on dead wood, 10 Jul 1919, G. H. Cunningham, PDD 897; Weraroa, on dead wood, 2 May 1923, G. H. Cunningham, PDD 1104; Weraroa, on dead wood, May 1923, J. C. Neill, PDD 1151. CHATHAM ISLANDS: Chatham Island, Kaingaroa, Weisner's Reserve, 5 Apr 1993, P. R. Johnston, PDD 63156*; Nikau Bush, on bark of fallen log, 5 Apr 1993, P. R. Johnston & E. H. C. McKenzie, PDD 63178*; Pitt Island: Glory Bay, 2 Jan 1969, B. G. Hamlin, PDD 39241*, as Hypoxylon bovei Speg. UNKNOWN LOCALITIES: J. Kirk, K* as R. mammiformis; on dead branch, Dec 1885, W. Colenso, K* as R. mastoidea Sacc.

Subiculum persistent, reduced in mature material, purplish brown, dark brown, woolly to felty. Stromata (1000)1405 ± 200(2000) µm high, (1125)1628 ± 224(2250) µm wide (n = 155), globose, semiglobose to cupulate, often with a short cylindrical base, copper-brown, reddish brown, black and shiny around the ostioles, when old dark brown to dull black, solitary or crowded forming a compact layer, often laterally compressed, when young completely embedded in the subiculum, only ostioles exposed. Ostioles bluntly rounded or often not differentiated and then stromatal apex conical. Ectostroma 100-150 µm thick, black, hard, brittle. Entostroma brown, confined to base, in mature material absent. Perithecia detached and collapsed in mature material. Ascus apical rings (7.7)10 ± 1.1(12.5) µm high, upper width 5.7-8.6 µm, lower width 4.8-9.6 µm (n = 52), J+, dark blue. Ascospores (31.7)39.2 ± 3.2(50) µm long, (6.7)11.9 ± 0.8(16.3) µm wide (n = 460), inequilaterally ellipsoidal, dark brown, with straight germ slit extending over the whole spore length, both extremities with one 2-3 x 2-3 µm, semiglobose, cellular appendage, the whole spore surrounded by a 1 µm thick slimy sheath which is absent in older material. Conidia 6-8 x 3.5-4 µm.
Cultures on OA after 26 days at 20°C under 12 h dark and 12 h UV and fluorescent light covering plate (9 cm diam.), surface with velutinous black coating of 4-5 µm thick, shortly branched, melanised hyphae, centre sometimes remaining white, black areas sterile. Conidiophores variable in length forming at the edge of the plate on plastic or on white contact mycelium among different isolates, mononematous, mostly dichotomously branched, smooth, pale tan. Conidiogenous cells 7-51 x 3- 4 µm (n = 21), terminal or less frequently intercalary,cylindrical, geniculate with conspicuous, circular refractive frill, 1-1.5 µm diam., at each point of conidial dehiscence. Conidia 5-9 x 2.5-3(4) µm (n = 44), elliptic to oblong, clavate, with flat, 1-1.5 µm broad base bearing a minute frill, smooth, subhyaline to light tan. On CMD after 9 days at 20°C under diffused daylight, 2-3 cm diam., flat, white, transparent, scant aerial mycelium, margin plumelike; after 25 days and under 12 h dark and 12 h UV and fluorescent light, 4-5 cm diam., grey-brown to dark grey-brown, transparent, no aerial mycelium, margin feathery, dendroidal. Conidiophores up to 250 µm long, scarce, only at colony margin, branched once or twice, each branch producing a penicillus of secondary branches and conidiogenous cells, smooth, pale tan. Conidiogenous cells 8-54 x 3 µm (n = 13), geniculate with prominent circular refractive frill, 1-1.5 µm diam., at each point of conidial dehiscence. Conidia (4)6-8(9) x 3-4 µm (n = 22), elliptic, with flat, non protuberant, 1-1.5 µm wide base bearing a refractive ring, smooth, subhyaline to pale tan. On PDA after 36 days at 20°C under diffused daylight, rapidly spreading, cottony, with dark brown patches composed of many shortly branched black hyphae; around the original inoculum velvety, with erect much-branched hyphae, reverse with some brown discolorations. Areas of conidia formation grey-tan, at lines of contact between isolates. Conidiophores mononematous, erect, branched, smooth, hyaline to pale tan.
ANAMORPH: Geniculosporium.

HOSTS: Beilschmiedia tarairi, Beilschmiedia tawa, Brachyglottis repanda, Coprosma australis, Coprosma lucida, Olearia rani, (Pirus malus), Weinmannia sp., unidentified hosts.
MATRIX: Corticated, decorticated, heavilydecomposed wood.

NOTES: Rosellinia radiciperda is easily recognised by the crowded stromata with a blunt apex and soft slopes, the subiculum with a purplish tinge, and its large, dark brown ascospores with a long germ slit, two cellular appendages, and slimy sheath.
Saccardo (1899) mentioned a Dematophora anamorph for R. radiciperda. Massee (1896) described a damaging effect of the mycelial stage of this fungus on its host plants similar to that known for D. necatrix Hartig. On the North Island only, common orchard trees and also several native trees and plants, especially growing on the border between indigenous forest and crop land, were affected. Massee (1896), therefore, postulated that the fungus had to be native to New Zealand. In fact, recent collections are from the North Island and exclusively on endemic hosts. He was not able to produce a Dematophora state in his inoculation experiment with the New Zealand mycelium and soil sample. Later, however, he received a parcel containing material, also from New Zealand, with fertile stromata collected from the base of a fallen and decayed Pirus malus. His illustrations of the ascospores match the spore shape of the type specimen of R. radiciperda. The type is rather old, the subiculum is worn away, and a dematiaceous hyphomycete and some mosses are present (Fig. 24E). Features of R. radiciperda are well documented due to the many specimens examined, none of them on roots. Conidiophores typical of Geniculosporium were once found in the subiculum; in culture they were also mononematous.
The species most resembling R. radiciperda is R. merrillii, described from the Philippines. The latter has smaller ascospores and stromata that also lack the bluntly conical apex characteristic of the New Zealand species.

HOLOTYPUS: New Zealand, on Pirus malus, W. Colenso, K 69382*.