Flora of New Zealand Series

≡*Sphaeria squamarioides Mudd, Man. Br. Lich.: 130 (1861).

Description : Ascomata immersed, not causing deformations of the host, 75–100 μm diam. Hamathecial filaments 1.5–2.5 μm wide. Asci cylindrical to elongate-clavate, c. 60 × 10–12 μm, 8-spored. Ascospores distichously arranged, ellipsoidal, cells ±equal in size, scarcely constricted at the septum, tending to taper towards the rounded ends, olivaceous to almost black, ±smooth-walled, (18–) 19–26 × (5.5–)6–7(–8) μm.

S: Otago (Dunedin). Probably more widely distributed on specimens of Placopsis. Also known from Europe, the Canary Is, North America and Greenland (Hawksworth & Diederich 1988; Alstrup & Hawksworth 1990).

Bipolar

Host : Placopsis gelida.

Illustrations : Lindsay (1866c: pl. 29, figs 23–28 – as Sphaeria squamarioides); Keissler (1930: 404–405 – as Discothecium squamarioides); Hawksworth & Diederich (1988: 296, fig. 1N).

* Polycoccum squamarioides is characterised by: the lichenicolous habit (Placopsis gelida, and possibly other species of Placopsis as host); immersed perithecia; and olivaceous to almost black, smooth-walled, ellipsoidal ascospores, (18–)19–26 × (5.5–)6–7(–8) μm.