Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Verrucaria crassescens Stirt., Proc. phil. Soc. Glasgow10: 303 (1877).

=Stigmatidium confluens C.Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 15: 353 (1883).

=Stigmatidium prominulum C.Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 16: 405 (1884).

=Verrucaria subpunctella Nyl., Lich. Nov. Zel.: 131 (1888).

Lectotype: New Zealand. Near Wellington, J. Buchanan 19/74 – GLAM [fide Galloway (1985a: 489)].

Stigmatidium confluens. Lectotype: New Zealand. Sine loco [probably Wellington], Charles Knight – WELT, Herb. Knight Vol. 64A, P. 25 [fide Galloway (1985a: 489)].

Stigmatidium prominulum. Lectotype: New Zealand. Sine loco [probably Wellington], Charles Knight – BM [fide Galloway (1985a: 489)].

Verrucaria subpunctella. Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco [probably Wellington], 1882, Charles Knight – H-NYL 1334. Isotype – BM.

Description : Flora (1985: 489).

N: Wellington. Known only from the type collections.

Endemic

Illustrations : Knight (1883: pl. XXXVII, fig. 19 – as Stigmatidium confluens; 1884: pl. XLI, fig. 21 – as Stigmatidium prominulum).

Pyrenula crassescens is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the continuous, olive-green to yellowish green or buff to pale-orange, matt or shining, dimpled to irregularly cracked thallus; immersed perithecia with pale ostioles; and broadly ellipsoidal to ovoid, colourless to pale-brown, 3-septate ascospores, 20–26 × 10–12(–14) μm.