Flora of New Zealand Series

Thallus crustose, areolate-cracked, verrucose, effuse or continuous, occasionally ± effigurate. Apothecia lecanorine, at first immersed, punctiform, then subimmersed, urceolate-deformed, thalline exciple entire. Asci (2-)4-6(-8)-spored. Paraphyses filiform, thin. Ascospores large, ovoid or rounded, colourless, simple, sometimes ± granular, surrounded by an epispore.

Pachyospora included in the Lecanoraceae, is closely related to Aspicilia, but is distinguished from it by the granular-squamulose nature of the thallus, and the terricolous habit; species of Aspicilia are crustose and saxicolous. One species is recorded from New Zealand where it is found on soil or on decaying vegetation in alpine habitats, especially fellfield.