Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. South I., Otago, The Remarkables, around Lake Alta, 1800–1850 m, on Lecidea lygomma, 5.xi.1985, H. Hertel 30429 & H. Mayrhofer – M.

Description : Apothecia black, matt, subimmersed to ±sessile, (0.15–) 0.3–0.4(–0.5) mm diam., round, crowded, on thalline areoles of host or on the apothecial disc of the host, without appearing to produce any visible harm to host tissues. Exciple (15–)20–20–40(–50) μm thick, brownish at margins, paler centrally, pseudoparenchymatous, of ±isodiametric cells to 12 μm diam. Hypothecium pale- to mid-brown, rarely dark-brown, 50–60 μm thick. of densely interwoven hyphae. Hymenium hyaline, 45–65(–80) μm tall; epithecium mid- to dark brownish, 7–10 μm thick. Paraphyses septate, rarely branching and anastomosing, 1.5–2(–2.5) μm thick, apices thickened and pigmented, (2.5–)3–5(–6) μm diam. Asci 8-spored, 30–45 × 11–15 μm. Ascospores 1-septate, pale brownish, rarely with oil bodies, ellipsoidal to ovoid, slightly constricted at septum, thick-walled, (7.5–)9–11.5(–13.5) × (4–)4.5–5.5(–6) μm, with a thin epispore.

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

N: Wellington (Otupai Ra, Northern Ruahine Ra.). S: Nelson (Cobb Valley), Canterbury (Temple Basin Arthur's Pass; Devil's Cap Banks Peninsula; Mt Hutt; Lynn Stream Mt Peel; Kirkliston Ra.), Otago (Park Pass; Old Man Ra.; Rock & Pillar Ra.; Pulpit Rock Silver Peaks; Flagstaff; Maungatua). M: On saxicolous Lecideaceous, crustose lichens in subalpine herbfield to high-alpine fellfield, 650–1850 m. Known also from Australia (New South Wales and Tasmania), Chile, Argentina, South Georgia, Marion I., Italy, Austria, Scotland and Sweden (Triebel 1989: 208–209; Santesson 1993; Hawksworth 2003; Santesson et al. 2004; Ihlen et al. 2004a).

Bipolar

Hosts : (NZ): Lecidea lygomma, Paraporpidia leptocarpa, Poeltidea perusta, Rimularia psephota – most commonly collected from L. lygomma (e.g. Arup & Mayrhofer 2000: 360). Known elsewhere in its range from Lecidea lapicida, Poeltiaria coromandelica, Porpidia contraponenda, P. zeoroides and Tremolecia atrata (Triebel 1989: 206).

Illustration : Triebel (1989: 200, fig. 30C).

* Dactylospora australis is characterised by: the lichenicolous habit; the pale brownish, 1-septate ascospores; and the host range (see above).