Flora of New Zealand Series

Thallus crustose, epi- or endophloeodal, ecorticate or with a cortex of periclinal hyphae. Photobiont green, Trentepohlia. Lirellae immersed to sessile, elongate or branched, very rarely short and rounded, lips nearly closed (connivent) to open, entire or sulcate. Hypothecium thin, colourless. Paraphyses slender, unbranched, not thickened at apices. Asci clavate to subcylindrical. Ascospores colourless, transversely septate, 6-8 per ascus.

Graphis is a large, cosmopolitan genus of corticolous lichens with c. 300 described species. Useful information on the genus is given in Wirth and Hale [ Contr. U.S. natn. Herb. 36 (3): 63-119 (1963); Smithson. Contr. Bot. 40: 1-64 (1978)]. Seven species are recorded from New Zealand [Hayward N.Z. J. Bot. 15: 569-573 (1977)]. For typification of synonyms see Hayward ( loc. cit. ).