Flora of New Zealand Series

≡*Peziza miliaris Wallr., Fl. Crypt. Germ. 2 (4): 499 (1833).

≡ Macroconidial state:*Karsteniomyces peltigerae (P.Karst.) D. Hawksw., Trans. Br. Mycol. Soc. 74: 371 (1980).

≡*Stagonopsis peltigerae P. Karst., Meddel. Soc. Fana Fl. Fenn. 14: 106 (1887).

Description : Lichenicolous. Thallus endokapylic, not causing visible damage to host photobiont. Apothecia 0.2–0.35(–0.45) mm diam., scattered to occasionally aggregated; disc plane to subconvex, cream to dark-brown or black. Exciple 50–85 μm thick. Hypothecium 40–110 μm thick, colourless, rarely pale reddish brown. Hymenium 45–80 μm tall, I+ pale-blue to blue, Asci 36–60 × 9–17 μm, tholus 4–11 μm thick. Ascospores simple to 1-septate, ellipsoidal to broadly ellipsoidal, (10–)11.5–14(–15) × (4–)4.5–5.5(–7) μm. Pycnidia containing microconidia 80–110 μm diam., sessile, wall 10–15 μm thick, of 2–7 wall layers. Microconidia filiform to narrowly bacillar, often slightly curved, (6–)7.5–9(–13) × (8.5–)1–1.5 μm.

N: S: Known also from Europe, Scandinavia, Greenland, East Africa, the United States, Canada, Mexico and Chile (Santesson 1993; Triebel et al. 1997: Cole & Hawksworth 2001; Hafellner et al. 2002; Diederich 2003; Santesson et al. 2004; Triebel & Kainz 2004b).

Cosmopolitan

Hosts : Species of Peltigera especially P. canina, P. polydactylon and P. rufescens. Recorded in New Zealand as * Scutula tuberculosa (Th.Fr.) Rehm, from Pseudocyphellaria colensoi (Kondratyuk & Galloway 1994: 28).

Illustrations : Triebel et al. (1997: 334, figs 9–13).

pycnidia (80–)150–200 μm diam., wall apically colourless to pale-brown, rarely red to dark-brown, basally colourless to pale-brown, 20–30 μm thick, of 4–6 wall layers. Conidiogenous cells 7–12 × 2.5–4 μm. Macroconidia simple to 1-septate, (8–)13.5–19(–26) × (3–)3.5–5(–5.5) μm.

* Scutula miliaris is characterised by: the lichenicolous habit (species of Peltigera and Pseudocyphellaria colensoi as hosts); thallus not causing visible damage to host photobiont; scattered to occasionally aggregated apothecia, disc plane to subconvex, cream to dark-brown or black; hypothecium 40–110 μm thick, colourless, rarely pale reddish brown; hymenium 45–80 μm tall; ascospores simple to 1-septate, ellipsoidal to broadly ellipsoidal, (10–)11.5–14(–15) × (4–)4.5–5.5(–7) μm; microconidia filiform to narrowly bacillar, often slightly curved, (6–)7.5–9(–13) × (8.5–)1–1.5 μm; and macroconidia simple to 1-septate, (8–)13.5–19(–26) × (3–)3.5–5(–5.5) μm.