SPECIMEN EXAMINED: NORTHLAND: S of Kaitata, vic. Mangamuka Bridge, Omahuta State Forest, vic. forest H. Q., on soil (? buried wood), Samuels (81-191) & Horak, 12 May 1981 (PDD 41972).

Stroma solitary, branched once dichotomously at apex, 7 cm long; fertile portion terminal, cylindrical, circular in section, 1.5 em long x 2 mm diam.; light brown, glabrous, slightly tubercuiate from protruding perithecial apices; perithecia c. 200 µm diam., with conical apices. Internal tissue of stroma white, solid. Stipe sharply delimited from fertile protion, 2.5 mm diam., glabrous. Asci c. 65 µm total length x 5 µm cylindrical; apical ring J+, 2 µm wide x 2 µm high; 8-spored, ascospores uniseriate with overlapping ends. Ascospores (7.0-)7.5-8.5(-9.0) x 3.5-4.0(-4.5) µm, inequilateral with one side flat and the other side round, one-celled or with an inconspicuous cellular appendage (primary appendage) on one end, transparent brown; slit full length, parallel to long axis of ascospore.

DISTRIBUTION: NORTH ISLAND: Northland, known only from one collection.

HABITAT: On soil, possibly on buried wood.

This fungus resembles X. furcata in the habit and colour of stromata. It differs from typical X. furcata, however, in its substantially larger ascospores. Dennis (1961) gives ascospores of African material as 4-5 x 2 µm and several specimens examined at K have similar dimensions. Material depicted by Dennis (1961) is hairy overall, but several specimens at K are glabrous. We have not seen type material of X. furcata.
We were unable to culture our material. According to Dixon (1965) the anamorph of X. furcata is unique in producing two types of conidia which are violently discharged. This conidial state has been named Padixonia bispora Subram. (Subramanian 1972).
Typical X. furcata is associated with termite nests. We were unable to determine whether or not the New Zealand fungus was associated with insects.