Flora of New Zealand Series

P. leptostegia (Knight) Müll. Arg., Bull. Herb. Boissier 2, App. 1: 92 (1894).

Verrucaria leptostegia Knight, T.N.Z.I. 12: 377 (1880).

V. metabletica Knight, T.N.Z.I. 15: 356 (1883).

Holotype: New Zealand, ?Wellington. Charles Knight 14.4.79, WELT, Herb. Knight, Vol. 55A, p. 1!

Verrucaria metabletica. Holotype: New Zealand. ?Wellington. Charles Knight A 71, WELT, Herb. Knight, Vol. 55A, p. 8!

Thallus 1-3(-5) cm diam., in irregular mosaics, pale grey or whitish, effuse, minutely arachnoid, ecorticate, regularly areolate-cracked, following contours of bark, areolae 0.5-1.2 mm diam. Perithecia sparse, black, subconvex, rarely semi-immersed, 0.05-0.3 mm diam. Paraphyses filiform. Asci narrowly clavate, 8-spored, spores spirally arranged in ascus, 67 × 12 µm. Ascospores fusiform, rounded or pointed at ends, 3-7-septate, 18.7-22.1 × 3.4-5.1 µm.

N: Known only from the type collection.

Endemic