Additional specimens examined: 16 collections were examined in addition to the holotype. All were from New Zealand, and included: AUCKLAND: Waitakere Ra., Fairy Falls Track, on Dicksonia squarrosa, P. R. Johnston, 25 Sep 1980 (PDD 40993); Kaipara, Mt Auckland, on Rhopalostylis sapida, P. R. Johnston, G. J. Samuels, 11 Sep 1980 (PDD 40992).

Ascocarps deeply immersed, urceolate, 0.3-0.8 mm diam., opening widely, round to oblong in shape, crystalline margin entire or lacerate. Margin in cross-section 40-80 µm wide. Crystals forming an elongate, 30-40 µm wide, wedge-shaped layer in upper threequarters of margin. Wall layer 5-15 µm wide, extending from top of margin and at least partly under subhymenium, of hyaline, 1-2 µm diam. hyphae. Periphyses 15-25 x 1.5-3 µm, unbranching, forming a compact layer. Paraphyses 1.5 µm diam., mostly unbranching, circinate, amyloid. Paraphyses nonamyloid in some collections. Asci 115-150 x 4.5-5 µm, cap 3.5-6 µm thick with a central pore, 8-spored. Spores filiform, not tapering, 80-120 x 1.8-2 µm, cells 4-6 µm long.
Anamorph in vivo: Has not been found.
Characteristics in culture: Spores germinating on agar plates within 4 days, forming colonies on OA an ME 2-3 cm diam. after 4-6 weeks; aerial mycelium cottony to felted, white, colony surface undulate, agar not discoloured. Pycnidia globose, 300-500 µm diam., immersed or superficial, separate, opening by a central pore or slit through which conidia ooze in yellow-coloured cirrhi. Pycnidia may later open widely by splitting irregularly. Pycnidial wall 20-25 µm thick, comprising textura intricata, hyphae 1.5-2 µm diam., hyaline, gelatinous. Conidiogenous layer lining lower half of wall. Conidiophores 10-15 x 2-3 µm, forming from the inner cells of the pycnidial wall, hyaline, septate, simple or branching, with several condiogenous cells held at the tips. Conidiogenous cells cylindric, 5-8 x 2-2.5 µm, hyaline, with a small, sometimes flaring collarette, often bearing several annellations. Conidia apparently forming holoblastically following a short, apical proliferation of the conidiogenous cell. Conidia filiform, not tapering, 60-112 x 1.8-2.2 µm, 10-25 transverse septa, cells 4.5-7.5 µm long, not constricting at septa, apex rounded, base truncate, hyaline.

Habitat: Common on dead fronds of Rhopalostylis sapida, and Dicksonia squarrosa, also rarely found on Cyathea species.

Ascocarpi immersi, profunde cupulati, 0.4-0.8 mm diam., margine integro vel lacerato, albo, in sectione transversali 40-80 µm crasso. Stratum crystallinum 30-40 µm crassum. Stratum parietis 5-15 µm crassum, hypharis 1-2 µm diam., achromis. Periphysoidea 15-25 x 1.5-3 µm, non ramosa. Paraphyses filiformes, circinatae, in iodo caerulescentes. Asci 115-150 x 4.5-5 µm, apice 3.5-6 µm crassi, 8-spori. Sporae 80-120 x 1.8-2 µm, cellulis 4-6 µm longis. Status conidialis: Ebollia sp.
Holotypus: PDD 41004 ex Rhopalostylis sapida Wendl. et Drude.

Notes: S. ramuligera var. minor differs from S. ramuligera in host substrate, and in ascus and ascospore length. S. ramuligera var. minor has an ascospore length consistently below 125 µm, whereas the ascospores of S. ramuligera are consistently longer than 140 µm. S. ramuligera var. minor is found commonly on Rhopalostylis sapida and Dicksonia squarrosa, whereas S. ramuligera, in New Zealand, is commonly found on Cyathea species, rarely on other hosts. Twelve of the 14 collections examined from R. sapida and D. squarrosa had ascospores falling in the range given for S. ramuligera var. minor; 19 of the 20 collections from Cyathea species had ascospores falling within the range given for S. ramuligera. The 3 collections not conforming to this pattern, did not have ascospores intermediate in size between the 2 taxa. The size and appearance of the ascocarps of both taxa are similar, but the external appearance of S. ramuligera var. minor from D. squarrosa differs from that of the typical S. ramuligera. On D. squarrosa the ascocarps are 0.4-0.6 x 0.3 mm, shallow, opening by a pore, but then enlarging longitudinally, splitting the host substrate, becoming fusiform in shape, with the host tissue folding back along the sides in flaps, the undersides of the flaps being lined with crystals. The collections on Dicksonia with ascospores less than 125 µm long are included in S. ramuligera var. minor because there is no difference in the arrangement of the tissue layers in the ascocarp margin, or in the hymenial dimensions, or in the anamorphs.
Etymology: minor, this variety differs morphologically from S. ramuligera only in having shorter asci and ascospores.

Holotype: New Zealand: AUCKLAND: Waitakere Ra., Fairy Falls Track, on Rhopalostylis sapida, P. R. Johnston, G. J. Samuels, R. Korf, J. Paden, 13 Aug 1981 (PDD 41004).