Representative isolates include EGS 39-093 (C.F. Hill 4102B, ex leaf of Leptinella maniototo, coll. June 1989, Auckland, New Zealand); EGS 39-099, source of type (C.F. Hill 4252(a), ex L. dioica, coll. July 1989, Papakura, N.Z.; EGS 39-100 (C.F. Hill 4252(b), ex L. d1oica, coll. July 1989, Papakura, N.Z.).

Embellisia novae-zelandiae grows well on PCA, Hay decoction, and 20% V-8 agars, sporulating copiously on simple multigeniculate conidiophores that arise for the most part directly from the substrate but also, as a culture ages to 2-3 weeks, appearing to a major extent as lateral branches of conspicuous procumbent vegetative hyphae; conspicuous non-sporulating aerial mycelium is lacking in the type isolate. The sorts of swollen or chlamydosporic hyphal elements known for several species of Embellisia have not been seen in 2-3-week-old cultures of E. novae-zelandiae.
Conidiophores usually are unbranched; they bear solitary conidia at each of 5-6 closely geniculate sites at the apex of the conidiophores (increasing to 20-25 after 2-3 weeks). Most of the primary conidia remain solitary, but a few in any sample can be found to have produced a secondary conidiophore with 1-4 conidiogenous sites from the apical conidial cell or lateral to the basal pore. Ovoid juvenile conidia tend to retain an oval shape as they enlarge to about 20-22 x 8-l0 µm with 3-4 transverse and 1-2 longitudinal or oblique septa; cylindric juvenile conidia tend to become ellipsoid as they elongate and broaden to about 28-37 x 10 µm with 5-8 transverse and 3-4 longitudinal or oblique septa. Mature conidium color in transmitted light is a dilute golden tan crossed by deeper shades of the same color in the broad bands of septum circumference that abut the outer wall of the conidium. Conidium walls are essentially smooth.

Ex cultura in agaro V-8 post dies novem descripta. Chlamydosporae non visae. Conidiophora simplicia, plerumque 5-6-geniculata in locis conidiogenis. Sporulatio primaria copiosa; sporulatio secundaria infrequens in conidiophores secundariis locis conidiogenis 1-4. Conidia initio ovoidea vel cylindrica, deinde ovoidea vel ellipsoidea, lateraliter symmetrica, dilute fulva, septis fuscatis transversalibus 3-5(-8) et longitudinalibus aut obliquis 0-4, 18-28(-37) x 7-10 µm, apparenter levia.

When compared with the thirteen Embellisia species treated earlier (Simmons 1983), E. novae-zelandiae has keying characters near E. planifunda (whose conidia are smaller and have fewer septa), E. allii (conidia larger and usually lack longitudinal septa), and E. telluster (conidia commonly laterally asymmetric and usually lack longitudinal septa). At low magnifications (ca. 60X), conidiophores of E. novae-zelandiae are seen to bear tight terminal clusters of 20-40 conidia.

Habitatio typi Leptinella dioica, Papakura, New Zealand. Typus: partes ex EGS 39-099 (ex iso1. C.F. Hill 4252(a), lect. July, 1989) desiccatae et in BPI (holotypus) et pro isotypus saltem in IMI, NY et PDD conservandae.