Phaeospora Hepp ex Stein
Type : * Phaeospora rimosicola (Leight. Ex Mudd) Hepp [= * Microthelia rimosicola Leight. ex Mudd]
Description : Lichenicolous. Ascomata perithecia, immersed in tissues of host (thallus and apothecia). Interascal filaments thin, septate, uniform, apices not swollen. Asci thin-walled, 4–8-spored. Ascospores brown, uniseriately to biseriately arranged in ascus, smooth-walled, 1–7-septate, commonly 3-septate, constricted at septa or not.
Phaeospora is a widespread genus of lichenicolous fungi doubtfully included in the family Verrucariaceae (Lawrey & Diederich 2003; Hawksworth 2003; Eriksson et al. 2004; Pennycook & Galloway 2004; Eriksson 2005), comprising c. 20 species as lichen parasites (Keissler 1930; Hawksworth & Diederich 1988; Clauzade et al. 1989; Alstrup & Hawksworth 1990; Kirk et al. 2002; Hawksworth 2003; Santesson et al. 2004). At present, one species is known from New Zealand as a parasite of the apothecial discs of Placopsis perrugosa (Lindsay 1866c; Lamb 1947: 178).
