Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Graphina monospora (C.Knight) Müll.Arg., Bull. Herb. Boissier 2, App. 1: 81 (1894).

Lectotype: New Zealand. Sine loco [probably Wellington], Charles Knight – BM [fide Hayward (1997: 568)].

Description : Flora (1985: 172 – as Graphina monospora).

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

N: Northland (Church Road Bush Kaitaia, Little Barrier I., Wellsford), Auckland (Waitakere Ra.), Wellington (Wellington, Butterfly Creek, Rimutaka Ra.). S: Nelson (Kaihoka Lakes), Southland (Green Hills). St: (Port Pegasus). On smooth bark of lowland forest trees.

Endemic

Illustrations : Knight (1883; pl. XXXVIII, fig. 23); (Hayward 1977: 568, fig. 3A; 579, fig. 5A – as Graphina monospora).

Fissurina monospora is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the thick, wrinkled–fissured, grey-white thallus; immersed–flexuous (fissurine) lirellae; 1-spored asci with densely muriform, colourless ascospores, 75–95 × 35–60 μm; no demonstrable chemistry. Staiger (2002: 163) doubted that this species in fact belongs in Fissurina. A recent examination of the lectotype specimen (BM) by Kalb et al. (2004: 177) has confirmed this earlier supposition who note "…In habit 'Fissurina monospora' comes close to Diorygma species, but differs in the straight, closely packed, non-anastomosing paraphyses. The paraphysis tips are simple, unbranched and no epithecium is formed. The walls of the paraphyses react I+ blue–violet. Most probably the species belongs to an undescribed genus in the Graphidaceae, but further material should be examined before it is described formally".