OTHER SPECIMENS EXAMINED: CAMPBELL ISLAND: Boardwalk, vic. Beeman Hill, on Coprosma sp., 7 Mar 2000, H. Burdsall, PDD 71725; Boardwalk, coast side, Beeman Hill, on (?)Dacrophyllum longifolium, 6 Mar 2000, P. R. Johnston, E. H. C. McKenzie, & S. L. Stephenson, PDD 71727; Slopes of Mt Honey, old slip on south side, Perseverance Cove, on Coprosma sp., decort. wood, 7 Mar 2000, P. R. Johnston & E. H. C. McKenzie, PDD 71831.

Stromata (500)688 ± 119(850) µm high, (700)775 ± 104(1000) µm wide (n = 10), emerging gradually from the wood, initially covered by host material, later free, base often immersed, semiglobose, conical to pear-shaped, black, solitary or in small groups, sometimes fused together. Ostioles coarsely papillate or poorly differentiated, then stromata with bluntly rounded apex. Ectostroma 75-100 µm thick, black. Entostroma not formed. Perithecia immersed directly in the host material, detached and collapsed in mature material. Ascus apical rings 5-6 µm high, upper width 5-6 µm, lower width 4-5 µm (n = 5), almost rectangular, without bulge at upper margin, upper end blurred, J+, blue. Ascospores (22.5)26 ± 2(32) µm long, (9.5)11.5 ± 8(14) µm wide ( n = 60), ellipsoidal, dark brown with spiral germ slit over one turn, occasionally with one up to 1 x1 µm, semiglobose, cellular appendage. Anamorph not known.

HOSTS: Coprosma sp., ?Dracophyllum longifolium.
MATRIX: Decorticated, heavily decomposed wood.

Stromata e ligno paulatim erumpentia, primo hospitis partibus tecta, dein libera, basi saepe immersa, (500)688 ± 119(850) µm alta, (700)775 ± 104(1000) µm lata, semiglobosa, conica ad pyriformia, nigra, solitaria ad gregaria, interdum connata. Ostiola grosse papillata ad indistincta, apice stromatico dein obtuse rotundato. Annulus apicalis asci 5-6 µm altus, parte superiore 5-6 µm et inferiore 4-5 µm latus, paene rectangularis, margine superiore non protuberanti, parte finali superiore indistincta, iodo coerulescenti. Ascosporae (22.5)26 ± 2(32) µm longae, (9.5)11.5 ± 8(14) µm latae, ellipsoideae partibus finalibus late rotundatis, atrobrunneae, fissura germinativa spiraliter unam circumferentiam recurrenti, interdum appendice semiglobosa, ad 1 x 1 µm dimensione, cellulari praeditae.

ETYMOLOGY: In honour of the New Zealand mycologist P. R. Johnston, who collected three specimens of this species.
NOTES: Helicogermslita johnstonii is characterised by ascospores with a coiled germ slit making about one turn. It has smaller ascospores with a less coiled germ slit than H. gisbornia and larger ascospores with a germ slit definitely more coiled than that found in H. mackenziei.
Helicogermslita gaudefroyi (H.Fabre) Læssøe & Spooner has larger stromata, smaller ascospores, less coiled germ slits; Anthostomella calligoni Frolov has a more coiled germ slit than H. johnstonii (Petrini et al. 1987; Læssøe & Spooner 1994; L. E. Petrini unpubl. data).

HOLOTYPUS (hic designatus): New Zealand, North Island, Taupo: vic. Kiko Road, Maungatere Road, on decort. wood, soft, white, rotten, 4 May 2001, P. R. Johnston & S. R. Whitton, PDD 74360.