Colonies pulvinate to effuse, up to 70 µm high excluding setae. Conidiophores loosely fasciculate, brown, becoming paler to apex, up to 40 µm high, up to 5 µm at base, verticillately branched. Conidiogenesis blastic. Conidia branched, in acropetal chains, conidiogenous cells continuous with conidia, disarticulating, hyaline, 1 to many septate, 30 × 2 µm (1-septate), to 65 × 2 µm (4-septate). Setae straight, unbranched, slightly pigmented and slightly swollen at septa, up to 400 µm long

Coloniae pulvinatae vel effusae, usque ad 70 µm altae (setae non includentes). Conidiophora laxe fasciculata, brunnea, ad apicem pallescentia, usque 40 µm longa et 5 µm basi, ramificantia verticillata. Evolutio conidiorum blastica. Conidia in catenis ramosis acropetalibus, ab cellulis conidiogenis non distincta, disrumpentia, hyalina, 30 × 2 µm (uniseptata), 65 × 2 µm (4-septata). Setae rectae, non-ramosae, tenuiter tincta et in septis leniter dilatata, usque 400 µm longae.

This species bears macro-morphological resemblance to species of Linodochium, which have a distinctly sporodochial habit, holoblastic, sympodial conidiogenesis and unbranched conidia (Dyko & Sutton 1978). The species is considered to be more appropriately placed in Polyscytalum where it shows a degree of similarity with Polyscytalum fuegianum, associated with Nothofagus betuloides and N. dombeyi in Argentina (Gamundí et al. 1977). However, P. ciliatum is clearly differentiated by the presence of long hairs. Sympodiella gracilispora Matsush. has been recorded in New Zealand and was transferred to Polyscytalum as P. gracilisporum by Sutton & Hodges (1976). In New Zealand P. gracilisporum has been recorded on Podocarpus dacrydioides (PDD 38963, 38964), Nothofagus menziesii (PDD 38965), and Kunzea ericoides (PDD 74779). All three species grow on the natural substrate as fasciculate tufts. However, the pulvinate nature of colonies of P. ciliatum, combined with the fasciculate growth and distinctive hairs, may eventually require its removal to a different genus. Marvanová et al. (2002) have recently supported Barron’s (1968) view that Polyscytalum currently encompasses two concepts; one with blastic conidia in acropetal, branched chains, which includes the type, P. foecundissimum Riess, and the other with unbranched chains of arthroconidia arising from verticillate conidiophores, which includes P. gracilisporum.

HOLOTYPE: Mid Canterbury, Christchurch Botanical Garden, dead leaf of Nothofagus fusca, 9 Oct 2001, PDD 74985.