Flora of New Zealand Series

S. microsporus Ohlsson in Galloway N.Z. J. Bot. 21: 197 (1983).

Holotype: New Zealand. Westland, 8 miles west of Turiwhate. H. Imshaug 48120, MSC.

Thallus corticolous, with several, small, generally erect and fertile branches, and numerous short, crowded, sterile branches at base. Fertile branches to 2.5 cm long and 0.8-1.6 mm wide, subterete to flattened. Upper surface smooth, green-grey to green-grey-yellow, commonly with a few, short, dentate or flattened isidia-like branchlets occurring towards apex, lower surface pale, smooth, or sparsely, irregularly wrinkled, upper cortex 45-70 µm thick, lower cortex 40-60 µm thick. Algal layer 15-30 µm thick, continuous below upper cortex, but occurring rarely or not at all above lower cortex. Apothecia common, subterminal, 1-2 mm diam., mazaedium subterminal, becoming exposed at an early stage of development by irregular apical rupture of enclosing receptacle, prominent, black, globose at maturity. Asci 40-50 × 4.5-6 µm. Ascospores spherical, grey, 5.4-6.8 µm, commonly surrounded by black, carbonaceous material. Chemistry: K-, Pd+ red. Sphaerophorin and protocetraric acid.

S: Nelson (St Arnaud) to Southland (Secretary I., Doubtful Sound). A:

Endemic

Distinguished by the small thallus, location of the apothecia, small spores and isidia- like structures along upper surface near apothecia.