Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Verrucaria minutissima C.Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 8: 324 (1876). Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. 1: 279 (1877).

≡Microthelia minutissima (C.Knight) Zahlbr., Cat. lich. univ. 1 (2): 264 (1921).

=Microthelia knightiana Müll.Arg., Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belg. 31 (2): 41 (1892) nom. illegit.

Holotype : New Zealand. Near Wellington, Charles Knight – WELT, Herb. Knight Vol. 58, p. 15. Isotypes– BM, M.

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 299); Hawksworth (1985a: 101).

N: Wellington. Known only from the type collection.

Endemic

Illustrations : Knight (1876: pl. X, fig. 20, 2a; 1877: pl. XXXVII, fig. 21 – both as Verrucaria minutissima); Hawksworth (1985a: 102, fig. 33A–C).

Hawksworth (1985a: 102) notes "...The presumed anamorph predominates in the holotype and the two probable isotypes in BM and two further isotypes in M. Ascomata were best developed in the holotype in WELT, and in one of the BM collections only hyaline ascospores were seen. In the holotype the ascospores turn brownish while still in the ascus so the taxon is appropriately placed in Mycomicrothelia. This species most strongly recalls the North American M. willeyana, which also has similar pycnidia, but differs from that species in the narrower ascospores and slightly longer conidia. M. socialis has much more regularly aggregated ascomata and much shorter conidia. M. minutissima is separated from M. capitosa by the less swollen and longer ascospores and the presence of pycnidia."