Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. South I., Canterbury, Bankside Scientific Reserve, Canterbury Plains, between Selwyn and Rakaia rivers, 6 km SSW of Dunsandel, 65 m, on Lecidea fuscoatrula, 14.i.1985, H. Hertel 29212 –M. Isotypes – CHR, UPS.

Description : Lichenicolous, parasitising thalli and, less commonly, apothecia of Lecidea fuscoatrula. Apothecia lirelline, short, simple to slightly branched or becoming stellate, black, epruinose, 250–500 × 150–250(–300) μm diam. Exciple dark-brown to carbonised. Hypothecium colourless to pale yellowish brown or yellowish. Hymenium colourless to pale-brownish, 65–100 μm tall; epithecium brown. Asci (4–)6–8-spored, clavate, (45–)55–80 × 15–22 μm. Ascospores cylindrical to oblong, colourless at first and halonate, the epispore becoming brown to dark-brown with age, 3-septate, 15–23 × 6–8 μm.

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

S: Canterbury (Bankside Reserve, Lynn Stream Mt Peel). On lowland to subalpine rocks, parasitic on Lecidea fuscoatrula. Known also from SE Australia (Triebel 1989: 142).

Australasian

Host : Lecidea fuscoatrula. Elsewhere in its range on L. capensis.

Illustration : Triebel (1989: 141, fig. 17A).

* Opegrapha maligna is characterised by: the lichenicolous habit with Lecidea fuscoatrula as host; and halonate–3-septate ascospores becoming dark-brown at maturity, 15–23 × 6–8 μm.