The fungus grows well on agar. The aerial mycelium is at first white but later turns ochre or brown. The hyphal cells measure (5-)17-30 x 2.5-5 µm. Chlamydospores are globose, produced in chains, brown, 10-15 x 7.5-10 µm diam and formed in the substratum or the aerial mycelium. Sclerotia are seldom formed in the substratum and measure 100 x 100-200 µm. Simple, subverticillate or penicillately branched conidiophores arise from the substratum and the aerial mycelium. Conidiophores which are penicillately branched measure 200-250 x 2.5-7.5 µm; primary branches, 15-17(-18) x 3 µm; two-five secondary branches occur and measure (7.5-)11-13 x 2.5-3 µm; (2-)5-7(-8) phialides occur, which are navicular or cylindrical and measure 10-13 x 2-2.5 µm. Conidia are cylindric, hyaline, rounded on both ends, 0-1-septate, (7.5-)12-18(-22.5) x (1.5-)2.5-3.7(-5) µm. The sterile appendages are 80-140 µm long and 1.5-5 µm wide and end in a lanceolate-cylindrical not septate vesicle of (10-)25-67(-85) x 4-5 µm.

Found on wood and bark of Pinus pinea L., Waitakere, New Zealand.

Fungus cum agaro bene crescit. Mycelium aerium initio album, postea gradatim ochraceum vel brunneolum. Hyphae cellulis (5-)17-30 x 2.5-5 µm. Chlamydosporae globosae catenulatae, brunneae, 10-15 x 7.5-10 µm diam in substrato et in aerio formantes. Sclerotia rarissime in substrato, 100 x 100-200 µm diam. Conidiophora simplicia, subverticillata vel penicillato-ramosa e substrato et aerio mycelio surgent. Conidiophora penicillate ramosa 200-250 x 2.5-7.5 µm; ramis primariis 15-17(-18) x 3 µm; 2-5 ramis secondariis (7.5-)11-13 x 2.5-3 µm, (2-)5-7(-8) phialidibus navicularibus vel cylindricas, 10-13 x 2-2.5 µm. Conidia cylindrica, hyalina, utrinque rotundata, 0-1-septata, (7.5-)12-18(-22.5) x (1.5-)2.5-3.7(-5) µm. Appendices steriles 80-140 µm longae, 1.5-5 µm diam, vesiculo lanceolato-cylindrico unicellulari (10-)25-67(-85) x 4-5 µm terminantes.

The teleomorph
Shipton (1979) described Calonectria camelliae Shipton from agar cultures of a small-spored species of Cylindrocladium. This Australian species had been isolated from the fruit of an unidentified rain forest tree in Queensland and was identified as C. camelliae. However, my examination of this Australian isolate proved it to be different from C. camelliae but identical with the newly described C. infestans. Both isolates produced perithecia abundantly when cultures on prune agar, potato-dextrose agar, or Sabouraud agar were grown in the light on the laboratory bench in front of the window or under ultraviolet light. Perithecia were readily produced after 8-14 days by all of numerous single-spore isolates of C. infestans from New Zealand and after water storage of cultures over a period of 6 years cultures could still produce perithecia. These occurred singly or in clusters on the agar surface and also on the aerial mycelium and on the glass walls.
The perithecia have been fully described by Shipton (1979), who placed the teleomorph in Calonectria because other, albeit large-spored, species of Cylindrocladium possess a Calonectria state. Shipton (1979) described cylindrical asci of 52-68 x 2.9-6.7 µm containing eight 1-septate ascospores measuring 6.7-10.7 x 2.6-3.8 µm. Examination of perithecia produced by his culture and by the New Zealand isolate showed that the wall is composed of relatively small cells measuring (5-)7-15(-25) µm wide. The characteristics of the asci, ascospores, and of the small cells in the perithecial wall are typical of representatives of the genus Nectria but unlike the genus Calonectria. In Calonectria the asci are broadly clavate and the perithecial wall is composed of large cells (Boesewinkel 1982). Therefore the new combination of Nectria camelliae (Shipton) Boesewinkel (basionym Calonectria camelliae Shipton, Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 72: 162-164. 1979) is made.

Habitat: Pinus pinea L., in ligno et cortice, Waitakere, Nova Zelandia. Typus: CBS 487.76.