Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Verrucaria moniliformis C.Knight, Trans. Linn. Soc. 23: 100 (1860).

Lectotype: New Zealand. Sine loco [probably Auckland], Charles Knight 319 – BM [fide Galloway (1985a: 492)].

Description : Flora (1985: 492).

N: Auckland, known only from the type collection.

Endemic

Illustration : Knight (1860: pl. XI, fig. 10).

Pyrenula moniliformis is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the effuse, endophloeodal thallus, not readily differentiated from bark; scattered, emergent to semi-emergent, black perithecia, in raised verrucae; and 7-septate ascospores, colourless at first, becoming dark-brown at maturity, 53–70 × 10–12 μm. P. moniliformis is unlike any other species of Pyrenula in New Zealand in that its ascospores are long-fusiform with pointed apices, and with 8 locules instead of the usual 4. Additional collections are needed of this taxon so that its true status can be properly determined. It is here kept in Pyrenula.