Flora of New Zealand Series

Description : Lichenicolous. Catathecia superficial on host thallus, more rarely on apothecia of host, rather flattened, clypeate, rounded or angular, brown-black to black, numerous, scattered to crowded, 75–150 μm diam., 15–30 μm tall, sometimes giving rise to brownish discoloration of the host thallus around catathecia. Upper wall layer of catathecia of dark-brown quadrangular or (rect)angular cells in radiating rows, pigment coarsely granular; ostiole pore central, raised, ostiolar collar of 1–3 rows of thick-walled cells, cells below collar with paler and thinner walls, cells near base of catathecia occasionally with strongly thickened and very dark distal walls; basal layer of catathecia similar to upper layer but paler, and borders of cells somewhat diffuse. Upper wall layer 3–7 μm wide, of 1–3 layers of cells, outermost periclinal and anticlinal cell walls dark-brown, innermost periclinal walls hyaline, Basal wall layer 1 cell thick, 1– 3 μm wide, walls brown. Hamathecium absent on mature ascomata. Asci cylindrical, ellipsoidal to ovoid, 4–8-spored, 20–40 × 7– 13 μm. Ascospores colourless, ellipsoidal to obovoid with rounded ends, 1-septate, septum median or supramedian, upper cell often wider, wall smooth, without a gelatinous sheath, (7–)8–14(–16) × 2–4(–5) μm; hyaline, delicate setulae absent or present, upper cell of ascospore often bearing 2–3(–4) setulae attached at or near apex, setulae often arranged in two pairs, to c. 8 μm long.

N: Wellington (near Feilding, Colonial Knob near Wellington). S: Canterbury (Peel Forest). On foliicolous lichens growing on leaves of Metrosideros diffusa, Olea cunninghamii and Polystichum hispidum (Matzer 1996: 140). Widely distributed in the tropics, Africa, Central and South America, Indonesia and Australia (Matzer 1996: 137).

Pantropical

Hosts : On foliicolous species of Porina, e.g. P. cerina, P. cf. tetramera, in New Zealand. Elsewhere on Mazosia phyllosema, M. pseudobambusae, Porina conica, P. epiphylla, and P. impressa (Matzer 1996: 137).

Illustration : Matzer (1996: 139, fig. 81A–F).

* Lichenopeltella epiphylla is characterised by: the lichenicolous habit (on foliicolous species of Porina); the brown-black catathecia; and ellipsoidal to obovoid, 1-septate ascospores, 7–16 × 2–5 μm.