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

SELECTED SPECIMENS EXAMINED: NORTHLAND: Hokianga County, vic. Mangamuka Bridge, Omahuta State Forest, forest H. Q., on indet. wood, Samuels (82-49) & Johnston, 14 Apr. 1982 (PDD 44286); Omahuta State Forest, walk along small lake on road to kauri sanctuary, on indet. wood, Samuels (83-525) & Petersen, 8 May 1983 (PDD 45349); Omahuta State Forest, kauri sanctuary, on wood, Samuels (81-112) & Horak, 10 May 1981 (PDD 41968); Hokianga County, Waipoua State Forest, Kauri Ricker Track, on Beilschmiedia tawa, Samuels (82-105) et al., 31 May 1982 (PDD 44322); Hokianga County, Trounson Kauri Park, on bark and wood of fallen Carpodetus serratus J.R. & G. Forst., Cunningham, 26 Jul. 1947 (PDD 45389). AUCKLAND: Waitemata City, several collections from the Waitakere Ranges [PDD 30709, 41970, 41989 (Samuels culture 81-356), 42968, 43161, 45351, 45353 (Samuels culture 81-355), 45387, 45388, 45418, 45419, 45420] Manukau City, near Alfriston, on dead wood, Dingley, 10 Aug. 1946 (PDD 4627); Manukau City, Orere, on Ripogonum scandens, Dingley, 10 Aug. 1946 (PDD 4627); Manukau City, Orere, on Ripogonum scandens, Dingley, 2 Dec. 1964 (PDD 3707); Hunua Ranges, Plough's Road, on Freycinetia baueriana var. banksii, Dingley, 31 Jan. 1972 (PDD 29737). COROMANDEL: vic. Thames, Kauaeranga Valley, on decort. wood, Samuels (81-44) et al., 1 Apr. 1981 (PDD 41988); Tapu-Coroglen Road, track to Maumaupaki, 450 m, on indet. tree, Samuels et al., 11 Jan. 1985 (PDD 47415). WAIKATO: vic. Te Awamutu, Mt Pirongia, on a root, Samuels (82-22) & Samuels, 22 Mar. 1982 (PDD 44271). BAY OF PLENTY: Te Puke, Ohinaeongaonga Stream, on Beilschmiedia tawa, collector unknown, 26 Dec. 1958 (PDD 45419). GISBORNE: Urewera National Park, c. 12 km SE of Ruatahuna along State Highway 38, Mangapohata, Samuels (82-264) & Johnston, 2 Nov. 1982 (PDD 44427); Urewera National Park, vic. Lake Waikaremoana, vic. Motor Camp, Ngamoko Track, Samuels & Samuels, 24 May 1982 (PDD 45356). WELLINGTON: Weraroa, on dead wood, Cunningham, Sep. 1919 (PDD 105); same location, on wood, Cunningham & Neill, 1 May 1923 (PDD 45417); second collection on unknown host, May 1923 (PDD 45409). NELSON: c. 20 km S of Murchison, vic. Woodstock, W Bank Rd., Hancocks Bush, on decort. wood, Samuels (82-155) et al., 14 May 1982 (PDD 44359). WESTLAND: vic. Greymouth, Rapahoe Scenic Reserve, Point Elisabeth Walkway, on Freycinetia baueriana var. banksii, Samuels (85-78, 85-79) et al., 1 May 1985 (PDD 47420, PDD 47421).

Stromata gregarious and sometimes fasciculate to solitary and scattered, unbranched, dichotomously branched, or palmately branched, 1-4(-6) cm long; tip at first conidiogenous. Fertile portion subapical, cylindrical in section, 1-2(-5) cm long x 2-3 cm diam., rounded or apiculate at apex, apiculus 2-3 mm long; at first brown and with brown hairs, later hairs not evident and brown tissue splitting longitudinally; perithecia completely immersed, 400-1000 µm diam., ostioles umbilicate, difficult to see. Internal tissue of stroma white, solid. Stipe sharply delimited from fertile portion, wiry, 1-1.5(-2) mm diam.; at first with stiff, erect, setose, brown hyphal hairs; hairs not evident on old material. Asci 229-280 µm total length x (5-)7-9(-10) µm, sporiferous part 120-180 µm, cylindrical; 8-spored, apical ring J +, cylindrical, (3.5-)4-5 µm high x 34(-5) µm'wide; ascospores uniseriate with overlapping ends. Ascospores (16.0-)20.0-24.5(-30.0) x (5.0-)6.78.0(-9.0) µm, inequilateral with one side flat to concave and the other side curved, elliptical in top view; one-celled or occasionally with an inconspicuous cellular appendage (primary appendage) on one end, transparent brown; slit somewhat less than full length or full length, parallel to long axis of ascospore or slightly undulate. Conidiogenous cells in vivo forming a compact palisade c. 25 µm deep, comprising branched, light brown, smooth conidiophores; each branch terminating in a conidiogenous cell; conidiogenous cells 11-19 x 2.5-3.0 µm, cylindrical; conidiogenous loci terminal, with a 0.5-1.0 µm diam., refractive circular scar remaining after conidial dehiscence. Conidia (4.0-)5.2-7.7(-10.0) x (1.5-) 1.8-2.3(-3.0) µm, ellipsoidal to oblong, the apex sometimes slightly hooked or beaked; pale brown, smooth; each conidium with a protuberant, 0.5-1.0 µm wide, refractive, frill-like, basal abscission scar.
CHARACTERISTICS IN CULTURE: Colonies grown 2 weeks at 20°C in diffuse daylight on OA 3-5 cm diam., mycelium dark green to black over most of the colony except white at the margin, aerial hyphae with much-branched tips and with long, stiff, erect, unbranched, acute hyphal hairs scattered throughout the colony. Stromata not forming or sterile stromata forming within 1 month, then poorly developed or robust, cylindrical, tapering to an acute apex, to 2 cm long, covered with stiff, erect, black, setose hyphae. Conidia rarely forming in culture.

DISTRIBUTION: NORTH ISLAND: Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Gisborne, Wellington. SOUTH ISLAND: Nelson, Westland.

HABITAT: On decaying, decorticated wood of dicotyledonous trees, less frequently on vines of Ripogonum scandens J. R. & G. Forst. (Smilacaceae) and on stems of Freycinetia baueriana Endlicher var. banksii (A. Cunn.) B. C. Stone (Pandanaceae). More common in mixed podocarp forests than in Nothofagus forests.

Xylaria apiculata is among the most common species in New Zealand. It was originally described from New Zealand; the holotype has been examined [New Zealand (K)]. The fungus listed by Berkeley (Hooker 1855) as X. multiplex (Kunze) Fr. was probably X. apiculata; X. multiplex has not been seen µmong collections examined by us.
Since its description X. apiculata has been reported from various parts of the world and is especially common in South µmerica. It is probable that several taxa will be found to be included under this name. Moreover, X. apiculata is related to X. arbuscula, X. schreuderiana, and X> zealandica, described elsewhere herein. These taxa are apparently components of a species complex.
Martin (1970) cultured X. apiculata. His description differs from ours in that colonies were reported to be pure white and conidia were not observed.