Coniocybe gracillima Vain.
*Account prepared by Dr L. Tibell (Uppsala).
Thallus endosubstratic to episubstratic, when episubstratic minutely granular, pale greyish-green. Photobiont: Stichococcus. Apothecia 1.5-2.5 mm high, 24-40 times as high as width of stalk. Stalk distinctly flexuous, 0.05-0.07 mm diam., black in lower part, ± reddish-brown-pruinose in upper part. Stalk of periclinally arranged, medium brown, undulating and weakly sclerotized hyphae. Capitulum lenticular to subglobose, or spherical, 0.19-0.34 mm diam., with a dense reddish-brown pruina on lower side. Outer surface of excipulum frequently wrinkled. Excipulum 40-80 µm thick, consisting of sparingly branched, periclinally arranged, medium-brown hyphae. Excipulum covering lower third of capitulum, becoming less distinct in old apothecia with voluminous mazaedium. Pruina on excipulum and upper part of stalk dissolving in K and soon precipitating feather-like or plate-like crystals of a violet-red colour. Hypothecium pale brown, strongly convex, 50-95 µm high. Asci cylindrical, 12.9-16.5 × 2.2-3.2 µm, well-stalked, spores uniseriate or more rarely biseriate. Asci formed singly. Ascospores spherical to subglobose or broadly ellipsoid, medium brown, smooth or with few, irregular cracks. Spherical spores 2.6-3.8 µm diam. Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-, Pd-. Apothecia with ?quinonoid pigment dissolving in K and precipitating feather-like or plate-like, violet-red crystals.
N: North Auckland, South Auckland, Gisborne, Taranaki, Hawke's Bay, Wellington. S: Canterbury, Otago, Southland. Rather rare on decorticated stumps of Nothofagus, podocarps and more rarely other trees, 360-1290 m.
Cosmopolitan
C. gracillima is very widespread in the Northern Boreal - Temperate Zones of the Northern Hemisphere.
