Flora of New Zealand Series

Thallus crustose, effuse, ± dispersed, ± shining, no cortex, but in the uppermost part a somewhat denser hyphal tissue, prothallus indistinct or only slightly developed between the patches of thallus. Photobiont green, ? Trebouxia. Apothecia sessile, rounded, lecideine, black, sometimes with a white pruina, thalline exciple well-developed, smooth, uneven or sometimes with short, irregular hairs. Paraphyses richly branched and anastomosing, usually covering the asci like nets. Hypothecium dark purplish-brown. Asci thick-walled, 1-8-spored. Ascospores transversely septate, submuriform or muriform, colourless.

Tapellaria, which is related to the genera Bacidia and Lopadium, is included in the family Lecideaceae. It is widely distributed in the tropics, and also in subtropical areas of the Southern Hemisphere. Eight species are described, one of which is known from New Zealand, from leaves of ferns and trees [Santesson Symb. Bot. upsal. 12: 494-509 (1952)].