Pinus radiata D. Don. Auckland, Whakarewarewa, September 1949; G. B. Rawlings.

Perithecia gregarious on a dark coloured, pulvinate prosenchy-matous stroma, globose 0-2-0.3mm. diameter, red, black when mature, ostiole papillate and surrounded by a distinct, often flattened zone 8-101, diameter; perithecial wall pseudoparenchymatous, 15-20 µm thick, cells 5-10,u diam., densely thickened and pigmented. Asci cylindrical sometimes clavate 75-100 x 6-10,u, 8 spored, obliquely uniseriate, bi-seriate at apex pseudoparaphyses filamentous. Spores one-septate, elliptical or oval 13-5-16 x 4-5-6µt, smooth, hyaline.

Europe, North America, New Zealand.

Perithecia gregaria in stroinate fusco, pulverato, prosenchymato ; globosa, 0-2-0-3mm. diam., maturitate atrorubra; ostiolo papillato; pariete perithecii 15-201, crasso ; cellulis 5-10tt solide densatis et tinctis. Asci cylindrici interdum clavati 75-100 x 6-10[t; 8 sporis oblique uniseriatis, in apice biseriatis ; pseudoparaphysibus filamentous. Spores uniseptatae, ellipticae vel ovatae 13-5-16 x 4.5-6,u, leves, hyalinae.

There seems to have been some confusion in the literature as to the name of this species. Saccardo (1883) described sporidia within the immature ascus of N. cucurbitula and suggested that the species was synonymous with Chilonectria cucurbitula (Curr.) Sacc. and with Calonectria cucurbitula (Fr.) Sacc. Ellis and Everhart (1892) when recording N. cucurbitula stated that no sporidia were observed as described by Saccardo, while Seaver (1909) stated that the species Creonectria cucurbitula is not N. cucurbitula (Tode) Fr. but N. cucurbitula Sacc. Petch (7.938) noted that this species has been confused with N. coryli. N. cucurbitula (Tode) Fr. referred to two species of Nectria, one where sporidia were produced within the ascus i.e., N. coryli Fuckel (syn. Chilonectria cucurbitula (Curr.) Sacc.) and another species which Seaver described as Creonectria cucurbitula and Petch as Nectria cucurbitula Sacc. This is a case of `nomen eonfusum ' and the later species has been renamed and redescribed. As in N. tasinanica spores are smooth and hyaline, and perithecia are accompanied by tufts of hyaline mycelium but perithecia are smaller, thinner walled. Spores are elliptical and not as broad as the preceding species. As the species was found only on an introduced host, it seems probable that it has been introduced.

LOCALITY: Whakarewarewa, Rotorua.

It occurs occasionally as a wound pathogen in living Pinus radiata.