Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. Southland, Fiordland National Park, 20 km W of Clifden close to the Park boundary, at the campsite, 46º00's, 167º27'E, 130 m, in mature mixed Nothofagus solandri – N.menziesii cold temperate rainforest, on bark of Nothofagus, 18.i.1981, L. Tibell 10506 – UPS.

Description : Parasitic on thallus and ascocarps of Arthonia platygraphella; associated with Trentepohlia. Apothecia very short, 0.10–0.18 mm tall, black, very short stalked to subsessile, often agglomerated in groups of 3–8. Capitulum hemispherical to lenticular, 0.16–0.28 mm diam. Epithecium thin, pale. Hypothecium pale-brown, 55–85 μm thick. Exciple dark-brown to slightly reddish, H– and becoming pale-brown in K. Asci 41–50 × 2.7–3.3 μm. Ascospores uniseriate, medium-brown, ellipsoidal, smooth, 1-septate, 6.5–7.6 × 2.8–3.3 μm, septum distinct.

N: Northland (Te Huka Bush), South Auckland, Gisborne. S: Nelson (Cobb Valley), Otago (Hina Hina State Forest near Owaka), Southland (near Clifden). On Arthonia platygraphella on bark of Nothofagus menziesii, more rarely on Metrosideros excelsa and Podocarpus totara, 130–1140 m. Known also from the far E of Russia, China, North America and Japan (Titov 2000; Tibell & Thor 2003).

Cosmopolitan

Illustration : Tibell (1987: 119, fig. 84)

* Chaenothecopsis brevipes is characterised by: the very short stalks, the frequently agglomerated apothecia and the exciple structure.