Flora of New Zealand Series

P. albicascens (Nyl.) Müll. Arg., Bull. Soc. r. Bot. Belg. 31: 38 (1892).

Verrucaria albicascens Nyl., Lich. N.Z.: 129 (1888).

Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco (prob. Wellington). Charles Knight 1867, No. 318, H-NYL 1534!

Thallus very pale, whitish, blotchy, mainly endophloeodal, effuse or lacking, in irregular patches, 1-3 cm diam., often forming pale mosaics on bark. Perithecia scattered, black, often partially covered with a veil of periderm, and appearing greyish, 0.05-0.2 mm diam., subconvex, ± immersed, apical pore minute. Paraphyses filiform, discrete, septate, long. Asci clavate, thin walled, 71-88 × 10.2 µm. Ascospores biseriate, 8 per ascus, oblong-fusiform, 3-6-septate, locules uneven (12-)20-23.8 × 5.1-6.8 µm.

N: Known only from the type collection.

Endemic

Additional Knight specimens are in Helsinki (H-NYL 1983; H-NYL 1982 - labelled V. metamorphosea Kn. in Knight's hand) and BM.