Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. South Island, Nelson. Sharland Creek, Hira Forest, 60 m, on bark of Salix fragilis, 20 m from creekbed in abandoned pasture, 6.ii.1997, W. Malcolm 2074 – CHR 489027; isotype – E.

Description : Thallus crustose, endophloeodal, green to grey-green, not clearly delimited, lacking a cortex, continuous or patchily interrupted by the substratum. Photobiont green, Trentepohlia. Apothecia abundant, perithecioid, 0.18–0.25 mm diam., mostly solitary, ±globose, slightly constricted at base, brown to orange-brown, somewhat glossy, thinly covered by photobiont-containing thallus tissue and fragments of host epidermis, opening by a pore which is usually inconspicuous and unpigmented but may be darkened in some fruits. Excipulum 30–40 μm thick, hyaline internally, often reddish brown towards exterior in dark ascomata. Hymenium 70–100 μm high, containing orange droplets, I+ blue (Lugols). Paraphyses simple, septate, 1.5 μm thick. Asci cylindrical, 60–80 × 8–12 μm, without apical thickening or apparatus, 16–32-spored. Ascospores filiform, hyaline, transversely 9–12-septate, without a perispore, multiseriate, twisted into a loose spiral, 48–55 × 2–2.5 μm. Conidiomata not seen.

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

S: Nelson. Known only from the type locality.

Endemic

Illustrations : Malcolm & Coppins (1997: 32, fig.1; 33, figs 2–3).

Belonia vezdana is characterised by: the corticolous habit; perithecioid apothecia; and filiform ascospores, twisted in a loose spiral within the ascus, 9–12-septate, 48–55 × 2–2.5 μm.