Flora of New Zealand Series

*P. pulvinatum (Eitner) R.Sant., The Lichens and Lichenicolous fungi of Sweden and Norway: 175 (1993).

≡*Tichothecium pulvinatum Eitner, Jahresbrer. D. Schles. Es. 1900: 26 (1901).

=*Polycoccum galligenum Vězda, Czech. Mykol. 23: 107 (1969).

Description : Ascomata arising from the upper cortex of host lichen as erumpent, pustulate galls, not associated with host soralia, solitary or 2–4-together, rounded, 0.1–0.5 mm diam., 150–300 μm tall, ±bullate to hemispherical, at first rupturing the upper cortex of the host, surface of gall warted–areolate, visible at first as a network or crazing of fine black cracks, at length carbonised-black with small areolate white areas of host cortex persisting towards edges and base of ascomata. Hamathecial filaments 1.5–2.5 μm diam., colourless. Asci broadly cylindrical, 8-spored, 50–75 × 12–20 μm. Ascospores 1-septate, brown, the upper cell larger, surface verruculose, (16–)17–19(–21) × 7–9 μm.

N: Northland (Puheke, Karikari Peninsula), South Auckland (Mt Maunganui). S: Marlborough (S of Black Miller Stream, North Kaikoura Coast), Otago (Akatore), Southland (Cosy Nook). St: (Port Pegasus, Islet Cove). On coastal rocks and on rocks in grassland in coastal sites, s.l. to 120 m. Apparently a rather rare parasite on New Zealand specimens of its host, Physcia caesia (Galloway et al. 1999). Known also from Great Britain, Scandinavia, Czechoslovakia (Vězda 1969c; Hawksworth 1975; Hawksworth & Diederich 1988; Santesson 1993; Alstrup 2004; Santesson et al. 2004), Greenland, Spain, the Canary Is, Madeira, Malaysia, Peru, Chile, and North America (Alstrup & Hawksworth 1990; Wedin 1994; Grube & de los Ríos 2001; Hafellner et al. 2002: 314; Atienza et al. 2003).

Bipolar

Host : Physcia caesia.

Illustrations : Hawksworth (1975: 199, fig. 11 – as Polycoccum galligenum); Hawksworth & Diederich (1988: 296, fig. 1G – as Polycoccum galligenum); Navarro-Rosinés & Roux (1998: 336, fig. 7); Grube & de los Ríos (2001: 1120, figs 14, 15).

* Polycoccum pulvinatum is characterised by: the lichenicolous habit (forming distinctive, laminal, erumpent galls on the upper cortex of Physcia caesia); and the brown, 1-septate ascospores (16–)17–19(–21) × 7–9 μm, the upper cell larger.