Flora of New Zealand Series

Thallus crustose, saxicolous or terricolous or muscicolous. Photobiont green, Protococcus. Medullary hyphae thick-walled. Apothecia lecanorine, rounded, ± urceolate, adnate or immersed. Paraphyses 1-1.5 µm thick, colourless, slightly swollen at apices and there yellowish. Hypothecium 30-60(-100) µm tall, dark brown to olive-brown. Ascospores 4-8 per ascus, colourless at first becoming brown to purplish-black, ellipsoid, muriform, not halonate. Chemistry: Thallus often C+ red, containing lecanoric acid.

Diploschistes is a cosmopolitan genus of c. 35 species included in the family Thelotremaceae [Lettau Feddes Repert. 69: 1-250 (1937)]. It is poorly collected and understood in New Zealand. Three species are known in New Zealand from both coastal and alpine habitats on rocks, soil or rarely on mosses. D. sanguinascens Zahlbr., [ Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 265 (1941)] is referable to Pertusaria.