Flora of New Zealand Series

Type : * Roselliniella nephromatis (P.Crouan) Matzer & Hafellner [* Sphaeria nephromatis P.Crouan]

Description : Lichenicolous. Ascomata perithecia, black, immersed in thallus, subglobose to ovoid, wall dark-brown. Periphyses septate, not or only slightly branched, slightly anastomosing. Interascal filaments always present, not conglutinate, distinctly septate, rarely anastomosing. Asci unitunicate, cylindrical or clavate, rarely swollen, thick-walled, I−, without any apical structures, 2–8-spored. Ascospores usually simple (rarely 1–4-septate), ellipsoidal, ovoid or fusiform, colourless at first becoming brown with age, smooth-walled or minutely wrinkled.

Roselliniella is a genus of lichenicolous fungi comprising some 12 described species (Hafellner 1985a, 1985b; Matzer & Hafellner 1990; Kirk et al. 2001; Etayo 2002), and is included in Sordariales incertae sedis (Matzer & Hafellner 1990; Lawrey & Diederich 2003; Eriksson et al. 2004; Pennycook & Galloway 2004; Eriksson 2005). Distributional and other information on the genus is included in the following accounts: Clauzade et al. (1989), Matzer & Pelzmann (1991), Kalb & Hafellner (1992), Kondratyuk & Galloway (1995a), Hafellner (1995b, 1996a), Aptroot et al (1997), Sérusiaux et al. (1999), Hoffmann & Hafellner (2000), Santesson (2001), Martínez (2002), and Hawksworth (2003). One species is known from New Zealand.

Polysporous species of Roselliniella sensu Hafellner non Vain., including R. lopadii (Vouaux) Hafellner from a series of New Zealand collections (Hafellner 1985a: 153–154), are now referred to Rosellinula (Santesson 1986b; Matzer & Hafellner 1990).