Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Graphis insidiosa (C.Knight & Mitt.) Hook.f., Handb. N. Z. Fl. 2: 586 (1867).

≡Graphis comparilis var. insidiosa (C.Knight & Mitt.) Müll. Arg., Bull. Herb. Boissier 2, App. 1: 80 (1894).

=Graphis comparilis Nyl., Lich. Nov. Caled.: 80 (1868).

≡Fissurina comparilis (Nyl.) Nyl., Lich. Nov. Zel.: 123 (1888).

=Fissurina rugosa C.Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 16: 404 (1884).

≡Phaeographis rugosa (C.Knight) Müll.Arg., Bull. Herb. Boissier 2, App. 1: 82 (1894).

Lectotype: New Zealand. ?Auckland. Charles Knight 259 – BM [fide Hayward (1977: 572)].

Fissurina rugosa. Lectotype: New Zealand. Sine loco [probably Wellington], Charles Knight – BM [fide Hayward (1977: 572)].

Description : Flora (1985: 175 – as Graphis insidiosa).

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

N: Auckland (Waitakere Ra. [Bartlett 1988]), Wellington. On smooth-barked trees, still very poorly known and collected. Known also from Florida, Dominica, New Caledonia, New South Wales, Tasmania and Lord Howe I. (Hayward 1977; Wirth & Hale 1978; Kantvilas & James 1991; Harris 1995; Archer 2001b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Pantropical

Illustrations : Knight & Mitten (1860: tab. XII, fig. 21); Knight (1884: pl. XLI, fig. 18 – as Fissurina rugosa); Hayward (1997: 572, fig. 6A; 575, fig. 8B – as Graphis insidiosa); Wirth & Hale (1978: 56, pl. 3B – as Graphis insidiosa).

Fissurina insidiosa is characterised by: the corticolous habit; a yellow-grey to green-grey, thin, often cracked and fissured thallus (especially about the lirellae), the outer border of which is surrounded by a black prothallus; the immersed (fissurine), pale lirellae; 4-locular ascospores, 18–21 × 8–9 μm; and no demonstrable chemistry.