Trichothallus niger (Jennings) Seifert 2016

Type: Sooty Moulds and Similar Fungi; Description: Subiculum in the form of a thallus one cell thick; mainly on leaves but also on petioles and smooth branches. Thalli more or less circular, broadly lobed, margins entire and crenate, superficial, setose; thallus cells pale brown to dark brown, more or less rectangular, 8–11 × 3–11 μm; setae abundant, up to 23-septate, smooth, 57–200 μm long, 6–7 μm wide at the base, tapering gradually towards a rounded apex. Ascomata perithecial, scattered, dark brown to black, subglobose, 0.1–0.15 mm in diameter, ostiolate, with walls bearing setae. Asci obovoid, 45–55 × 17–20 μm. Ascospores variable in shape, either narrowly ellipsoidal and strongly mucronate at both ends, 3–5-septate (occasionally with 1–2 cells longitudinally septate), 18–35 × 6–10 μm, or broadly obovoid, mucronate at the base, rounded at the apex, 3–4-septate (frequently with 1–3 cells longitudinally septate), 19–30 × 7–12 μm, pale brown to olivaceous brown. Plokamidomyces synanamorph. Conidia ellipsoidal, 0-septate, 2 × 1.3 μm, smooth, hyaline, produced in a slimy mass within the whorl of phialides. Trichothallus synanamorph. Conidia fusiform, slightly curved, 7–15-septate, 40–110 × 8–14 μm, smooth, pale brown to brown.

Distribution

Distribution: Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Taupo, Wellington, Hawke’s Bay, Buller, Westland, North Canterbury, Mid Canterbury, South Canterbury.; 1st Record: Batista et al. (1957).

Notes

Pathogenicity

Significance: Very common. Found on a very large number of mainly indigenous hosts. It causes no damage.; Host(s): Ackama rosifolia, Agathis australis, Alseuosmia macrophylla, Asplenium bulbiferum, A. flaccidum, A. oblongifolium, A. polyodon, Astelia nervosa, A. trinervia, Beilschmiedia tarairi, B. tawa, Blechnum discolor, B. filiforme, B. procerum, Brachyglottis kirkii, B. repanda, Collospermum hastatum, Coprosma grandifolia, C. lucida, C. robusta, C. spathulata, C. tenuifolia, Cordyline australis, C. banksii, Cyathea dealbata, C. medullaris, C. smithii, Dicksonia squarrosa, Elaeocarpus dentatus, E. hookerianus, Freycinetia baueriana subsp. banksii, Fuchsia excorticata, Geniostoma rupestre var. ligustrifolium, Grammitis billardierei, Griselinia littoralis, Hebe sp., Hedycarya arborea, Hoheria populnea, Ixerba brexioides, Knightia excelsa, Lastreopsis hispida, Leionema nudum, Libocedrus plumosa, Luzuriaga parviflora, Lygodium articulatum, Macropiper excelsum, Melicytus ramiflorus, Metrosideros albiflora, M. fulgens, Mida salicifolia, Myrsine australis, M. salicina, Neomyrtus pedunculata, Nestegis lanceolata, Nothofagus menziesii, N. solandri var. cliffortioides, Olearia arborescens, O. furfuracea, O. rani, Phyllocladus alpinus, Phymatosorus diversifolius, P. scandens, Pittosporum tenuifolium, Podocarpus totara, Prumnopitys taxifolia, Pseudopanax arboreus, P. colensoi, P. crassifolius, Pseudowintera axillaris, P. colorata, Quintinia serrata, Rhopalostylis sapida, Ripogonum scandens, Rubus australis, R. cissoides, Schefflera digitata, Sticherus cunninghamii, Vitex lucens, Weinmannia racemosa.