Specimen examined: on dying needles of Prumnopitys ferruginea (Bennett ex Don) de Laubenfels, Western Park, New Plymouth (TK), 15.ix.1994, B.J.Rogan, NZFRI-M 3988

Conidiomata acervular, amphigenous, intra- or sub-epidermal, finally erumpent with an irregular rupture of the overlying host tissue; conidiomatal wall thin, formed of pale brown cells; conidiomata 150-350 µm in diameter. Conidiophores hyaline, usually simple but occasionally branched, rarely septate, cylindrical, arising from the basal wall of the conidioma, 18-22 µm long. Conidiogenous cells phialidic, hyaline, smooth. Conidia hyaline, ellipsoid, 0-septate, sometimes with a narrow truncate base, prominently guttulate, 10-17 x 7-10 µm, creamy in mass.

The large size, particularly the width, of the conidia of this Discula sp. does not agree with the published description of any other species of Discula (von Arx 1970; Redlin & Stack 1988; Redlin 1991; Toti et al. 1992; Stanosz 1993; Carris 1995) but with only a single collection available for examination, it was not possible to determine whether or not it is a distinct species. Nevertheless, it is recorded here because of its possible pathogenic association with P. ferruginea (miro). The fungus was fruiting profusely on dying needles on a tree which showed considerable twig dieback. Many species of Discula are parasites, causing leaf spots, necrosis, and wilt of twigs (von Arx 1970).