ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED: NORTH ISLAND: AUCKLAND: Epsom, on cultivated Rosa sp., 13 Jan 1963, S. Davison, PDD 20511; Epsom, on Solanum auriculatum, 28 Oct 1962, D. Davison, PDD 20576; Mt Albert, Plant Disease Division area, on Salix sp., Oct 1955, J. M. Dingley, PDD 16422, anamorph on host; Mt Eden, Albizia lophantha, Mar 1942, F. J. Newhook, PDD 4444; Three Kings, on Pittosporum crassifolium, Jul 1956, F. J. Newhook, PDD 16411; Three Kings, on Salix caprea, Jul 1956, F. J. Newhook, PDD 16412, PDD 16415; Three Kings, on Prunus persica, Jul 1956, F. J. Newhook, PDD 16414; Three Kings, on Euonymus japonicus, Jul 1956, F. J. Newhook, PDD 16888; Waiheke Island, Palm Beach, on dead wood of Actinidia chinensis, 5 Jan 2000, P. R. Johnston, PDD 71054; Waitakere Ranges, on indet. tree, 29 Apr 1983, G. J. Samuels & R. H. Petersen, PDD 45797. BAY OF PLENTY: Whakarewarewa, on Salix sp., Jan 1948, G. B. Rawlings, PDD 16413. NORTHLAND: Bay of Islands, Puketi State Forest, Loop trail, on decorticated wood, 2 Jun 1982, G. J. Samuels & P. R. Johnston, PDD 43205; Hokianga County, Waipoua State Forest, Kauri Ricker Trail, along Waipoua River, on Beilschmiedia tawa, 31 May 1982, G. J. Samuels, A. P. Hawthorne, P. R. Johnston, & R. H. Petersen, PDD 44410; Hokianga County, on ?Pseudopanax, 13 May 1983, G. J. Samuels, PDD 45776.

Subiculum persistent, purplish brown, coarse, wiry, woolly to felty, appressed, when young producing conidiophores in a grey-brown layer, subiculum reduced in old material. Stromata (675)899 ± 137(1300) µm high, (625)832 ± 116(1175) µm wide (n = 80), conical to pear-shaped to ampulliform, often with a short cylindrical base, sometimes with wrinkles on the surface or faint cracks at the base, dark brown, black around the ostioles, solitary but densely aggregated forming a compact layer; when young completely embedded in the subiculum, later gradually exposed and subiculum reduced. Ostioles coarsely papillate, often poorly differentiated and forming a cone-like top. Ectostroma 50-100 µm thick, black. Entostroma c. 75 µm thick, cream to black, confined to stroma base. Perithecia detached and collapsed in mature material, often remaining as a central peg. Ascus apical rings (5.7)7.5 ± 1.2(10.5) µm high, upper width 4-5.7 µm, lower width 4.3- 6.7 µm (n = 63), J+, dark blue. Ascospores (20)24.3 ± 1.7(30) µm long, (5.7)8.5 ± 0.6(11.5) µm wide (n = 450), inequilaterally ellipsoidal, brown, with straight germ slit running over the whole spore length, with a basal, 1.5-2 1.5-2 µm large, cellular appendage, the whole spore completely surrounded by a slimy sheath, 2 µm thick at extremities, 1 µm thick at the sides. Conidia 6.5-8.5 x 4-5 µm.
Culture on OA after 24 days at 20°C under 12 h dark and 12 h UV and fluorescent light covering plate (9 cm diam.), mottled with black, effused, stromatic and white, flat, dense hyphal splotches, cottony, cinerescent hyphae at the contact line between two inocula. Conidiophores in restricted areas, variable in length, without central axis, repeatedly and irregularly branched, widely spread, ultimate cells conidiogenous, smooth, subhyaline to pale tan towards base. Conidiogenous cells 16-43 x 3-3.5 µm (n = 13), disposed in 2s or 3s in a roughly verticillate fashion, mostly geniculate over c. 10 µm length of the tips, or less frequent, with swollen tips bearing conidiogenous scars, smooth, with conspicuous, circular refractive frill at each point of conidial dehiscence. Conidia (4)7-10 x 3- 4 µm (n = 22), oblong to elliptic with a basal frill, smooth, pale tan.
ANAMORPH: Geniculosporium.

HOSTS: Actinidia chinensis, Albizzia lophantha, Beilschmiedia tawa, Euonymus japonicus, Pittosporum crassifolium, Populus sp., Prunus persica, ?Pseudopanax sp., Rosa sp. cultivated, Salix caprea, Salix spp., Solanum auriculatum.
MATRIX: Corticated and decorticated wood, twigs, detached bark.

Subiculum perdurans, purpureobrunneum, grossum, filo metallico simile ad lanosum, appressum, conidiophora cinereum stratum formantia dum juvene ferens, aetate provecta deminutum. Stromata (675)899 ± 137(1300) µm alta, (625)832 ± 116(1175) µm lata, conica ad pyriformia vel ampulliformia, saepe basi brevicylindrica, interdum rugis levibusque fissuris ad basim praedita, atrobrunnea, ostiola circa nigra, solitaria ad dense gregaria, strato compacto formantia, dum juvena omnino in subiculo insita, dein paulatim emergentia subiculoque deminuto. Ostiola grosse papillata, saepe indistincta apice conico. Annulus apicalis asci (5.7)7.5 ± 1.2(10.5) µm altus, parte superiore 4- 5.7 µm et inferiore 4.3-6.7 µm latus, iodo valde coerulescenti. Ascosporae (20)24.3 ± 1.7(30) µm longae, (5.7)8.5 ± 0.6(11.5) µm latae, asymmetrice ellipsoideae, brunneae, fissura germinativa recta totam ascosporam recurrenti praeditae, vagina mucosa omnino 2 µm ad apicibus, 1 µm ad latera crassa circumdatae. Apex alter cellulari appendice 1.5-2 x 1.5-2 µm mensa praeditus. Status anamorphosis Geniculosporium.

ETYMOLOGY: Referring to the geographical origin, New Zealand.
NOTES: The most striking feature of R. novae-zelandiae is the pear-shaped, conical stroma with coarse ostioles that are often poorly differentiated. Cultures of R. novae-zelandiae resemble those of R. aquila and R. corticium as all develop black discolorations of the colony. The conidial sizes of the anamorph of R. novae-zelandiae and R. corticium are similar. Conidia of R. aquila are smaller than those of the other two species (Petrini 1993).
Many specimens previously identified as R. aquila are R. novae-zelandiae. The latter has larger ascospores with one cellular appendage completely surrounded by a slimy sheath. Ascospores of R. aquila have two cellular appendages surrounded by slimy caps (Petrini 1993). The ascospores of R. novae-zelandiae are similar to those of R. caudata Petch, R. corticium (Schwein. : Fr.) Sacc., R. immersa Petch, and R. merrilli Syd., but the stromatal shape of these species is subglobose to semiglobose and they have papillate to pointed ostioles. Mature spores of the type material of R. caudata have no cellular appendage and have a rather thick epispore; those of R. immersa are larger, as illustrated by the 65% confidence ellipses (Fig. 9D). R. merrillii has larger stromata, larger ascus apical rings, and larger ascospores (Petrini 1993; L. E. Petrini unpubl. data).

HOLOTYPUS (hic designatus): New Zealand, North Island, Bay of Plenty, Te Puke, Reid Property, Lombardy shelter belt, on Populus sp., 15 Jul 1981, G. J. Samuels & S. R. Pennycook, PDD 42074, culture on OA.