Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. South I., Canterbury, Boyle River Lodge, SE of Lewis Pass, 650 m, 172º23'E, 42º31's, 13.ix.1981, H. Mayrhofer 1926 – GZU. Isotype – GZU.

Description : Thallus for the most part endophloeodal, of dispersed granules between fissures of substratum, grey-white, thin. Medulla not differentiated. Apothecia rounded, 0.2–0.5 mm diam., numerous, scattered or in groups of 2–4, at first immersed in thallus, becoming adnate or sessile and constricted at base, covered with a white pruina, the pruina most dense in young apothecia. Margins thin, not prominent, at times ±excluded; disc plane to convex. Hymenium 65–85 μm tall, I+reddish, pale-blue at base. Hypothecium brown, 15–20 μm thick. Paraphysoids branched and anastomosing, 1.5–2 μm thick, the apical cells swollen, brownish, covered with a granular cap. Asci clavate, 60–75 × 17–20 μm. Ascospores fusiform with one of the apices more slender and pointed, the other ±rounded, 3-septate, 20–28(–30) × 5.5–6.5 (–7) μm. Pycnidia immersed in thallus, globose to subglobose, 120 μm tall and 100 μm wide, the wall obscure brownish in upper parts, to hyaline or pale brownish below. Macroconidia straight or curved, 8–13 × 3–3.5(–4) μm. Microconidia straight or curved, 5–7 × 1–1.2 μm

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

S: Canterbury (Boyle River). Known only from the type collection.

Endemic

Illustrations : Egea & Torrente (1994: 92, pl. 6A, B).

Lecanactis exigua is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the minute apothecia; 3-septate ascospores, 20–28(–30) × 5.5–6.5(–7) μm; and no secondary chemistry.