Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. South Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Mt Moehau (36º32's, 175º24'E), on volcanic rock near summit, 770 m, 1983, J.K. Bartlett 22690 – MB. Isotype – AK.

Description : Thallus dark-red, umbilicate with effuse or effigurate and slightly lobate margins, 1–2 mm diam., adnate to substratum. Surface ±smooth, irregularly cracked by deep fissures. Hyphae 1–2 μm thick, forming a network with some interspersed photobiont cells. Photobiont green, a member of the Chroococcaceae, cells 8.5–12 × 3.5–4.5 μm diam, singly or in groups of 2 or 4, in a zonate, structured, red gelatine sheath. Apothecia pseudoangiocarpic, to 0.05 mm diam., disc punctiform, partly immersed forming slight raised areas on thallus. Thalline margin well-developed. Ascomata arising from pycnidia or intermediate stages. Hymenium 170–220 μm tall, commonly including photobiont cells, I+ deep blue. Hypothecium 20–50 μm thick. Thalline margin 100–150 μm thick. Asci thick-walled, cylindrical to obclavate with rounded tips, 160–170 × 7–10 μm, polysporous (8–24–32 ascospores). Ascospores globose at first becoming ellipsoidal, thin-walled, 7–8 × 3.5–6 μm. Conidia needle-shaped, 18–25 × 0.6 μm.

N: South Auckland (Te Moehau, Coromandel Ra.). On exposed andesitic rock faces in a frequently mist-covered area. Associating with Trentepohlia sp., the mosses Racomitrium crispulum, Andreaea mutabilis and the lichens Poeltiaria coromandelica and species of Siphula. It is still known only from the type locality.

Endemic

Illustrations : Henssen & Büdel (1984: pl. 4, figs A, B; pl. 5, figs A–C, F–H; pl. 9, figs B, C).

Phyllisciella aotearoa is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the small, dark-red, umbilicate thallus; punctiform, pseudoangiocarpic apothecia; polysporous asci; and globose to ellipsoidal, thin-walled ascospores, 7–8 × 3.5–6 μm. It differs from P. marionensis in the better-developed, in part effigurate and slightly lobed thallus and in the elevated apothecia; and from P. polymorpha in the cracked, non-areolate surface and non-aggregated apothecia.