Melaspilea Nyl.
Thallus crustose, corticolous, epi- or endophloeodal, sometimes disappearing. Photobiont green, Trentepohlia. Apothecia black, carbonaceous, lirelline, superficial or immersed, roundish or elongate, simple or shortly branched, with a proper margin only, disc narrow or flattened. Hypothecium colourless or dark brownish. Ascospores 8 per ascus, ellipsoid, fusiform or ovate, colourless or becoming brownish, 1-septate.
Melaspilea is a genus of c. 60 crustose lichens of cosmopolitan distribution, best developed in tropical regions. It is included in the family Opegraphaceae. One species is recorded from New Zealand [Hayward N.Z. J. Bot. 15: 578 (1977)].
