ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED: NORTH ISLAND: GISBORNE: Urewera National Park, L. Waikaremoana, on indet. tree, 4 Nov 1982, G. J. Samuels, P. R. Johnston, & P. K. Buchanan, PDD 43808. SOUTH ISLAND: BULLER: on decorticated wood, 17 Apr 1983, G. J. Samuels, R. E. Beever, P. R. Johnston, & R. H. Petersen, PDD 45917, cultures on OA, PDA.

Subiculum evanescent, of restricted extension, cream to light brown, gradually disappearing, absent in mature material. Stromata (550)690 ± 100(850) µm high, (600)738 ± 84(825) µm wide (n = 15), semiglobose, cupulate to conical, black, lower part slightly rugose, solitary or densely crowded in small groups, when young completely covered by the subiculum, becoming exposed when growing and subiculum gradually worn away. Ostioles finely papillate or not pronounced. Ectostroma 50-75 µm, black, brittle. Entostroma dark brown, absent in old material. Perithecia detached and collapsed in mature material. Ascus apical rings (4.8)6.2 ± 1.4(8.6) µm high, upper width 2.8-4.8 µm, lower width 2.8- 3.8 µm (n = 13), J+, blue to pale blue. Ascospores (21.2)25.5 ± 2.3(31.7) µm long, (6.7)7.7 ± 0.5(8.6) µm wide (n = 90), inequilaterally ellipsoidal, brown to dark brown, with straight germ slit running over the whole spore length on flat side, ending shortly before ends, both extremities and flat side surrounded by a slimy sheath, 2-3 µm thick at ends, 1-2 mm thick at side.
Culture on OA white to cream with brown patches in the centre, felty to velutinous, reverse cream, sterile. On PDA hyaline to white, centre brown, felty, appressed, reverse centre brown, light brown towards margin, sterile.
ANAMORPH: Unknown.

HOSTS: Undetermined.
MATRIX: On bark or wood of twigs, c. 1.5 cm diam.

Subiculum evanescens, restrictum, cremeum ad pallide brunneum. Stromata (550)690 ± 100(850) µm alta, (600)738 ± 84(825) µm lata, semiglobosa vel cupulata ad conica, nigra, parte inferiore laeviter rugosa, solitaria vel in parvis gregibus conferta, subiculo dum juvena omnino tecta e subiculo emergentia aetate provecta, finaliter subiculo absenti. Ostiola laeviter papillata ad indistincta. Annulus apicalis asci (4.8)6.2 ± 1.4(8.6) µm altus, parte superiore 2.8-4.8 µm et inferiore 2.8-3.8 µm latus, iodo manifeste ad pallide coerulescenti. Ascosporae (21.2)25.5 ± 2.3(31.7) µm longae, (6.7)7.7 ± 0.5(8.6) µm latae, asymmetrice ellipsoideae, brunneae ad atrobrunneae, fissura germinativa recta, totam ascosporam recurrenti et in parte plana insita praeditae, utrisque apicibus et parte plana vagina mucosa 2-3 µm in apicibus et 1-2 µm in parte plana lata circumdatae.

ETYMOLOGY: Referring to Gisborne Province, where the type specimen was collected.
NOTES: Rosellinia gisbornia is characterised by an evanescent, cream to light brown subiculum and ascospores with slimy caps and sheath on one side. The germ slit runs straight over the whole spore length. The ascospores present in the specimen PDD 45917 are up to 4 µm longer than those seen in the other two collections.
Rosellinia gisbornia differs from R. chusqueae and R. dingleyae by having ascospores with straight germ slit and asci with smaller apical rings. It can be distinguished from the morphologically similar R. britannica by the stromatal shape and size, and the characters of the subiculum (Petrini 1993). Rosellinia hyalospora Theiss. has ascospores with a similar size, but they are light brown and lack the slimy sheath. Its stromata are also smaller (L. E. Petrini unpubl. data).

HOLOTYPUS (hic designatus): New Zealand, North Island, Gisborne: Urewera National Park, c. 15 km SE of Ruatahuna, along SH 38, Taupeupe Saddle, indet. wood, 3 Nov 1983, G. J. Samuels, P. R. Johnston, & P. K. Buchanan, PDD 43800.