Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Mycocalicium schefflerae Samuels & D.E.Buchanan, N. Z. J. Bot. 21: 163 (1983).

Holotype: New Zealand: Northland, Whangarei, on Schefflera digitata, 17.iii.1980, NZFS Biology Observer, comm. I. Hood – PDD 42005. Isotypes – NY, ZT.

Description : On exudate of Schefflera digitata. Apothecia gregarious, from a blackish base, 0.4–0.6 mm tall, black. Capitulum black, matt, spherical to hemispherical, 0.2–0.27 mm diam. Stalk 0.09–0.13 mm diam., of periclinal, greenish brown hyphae. All parts of apothecia K−, and greenish parts H+, greenish intensifying. Epithecium dull greenish brown. Hypothecium greenish brown. Exciple poorly developed. Asci cylindrical, 40–54 × 4–6 μm, apex in semi-mature stages penetrated by a narrow, later widening canal. Ascospores pale greenish brown, ellipsoidal, apices rounded, minutely and irregularly ornamented, simple, 5.8–8.3 × 2.5–3.8 μm.

N: Northland (Whangarei). Known only from the type locality where it occurs on bark exudate of Schefflera digitata.

Endemic

Illustrations : Samuels & Buchanan (1983: 165, fig. 1; 167, fig. 2; 168, fig. 3); Tibell (1987: 159, fig. 118).

Chaenothecopsis schefflerae is characterised by: the gregarious apothecia, the rather pale, non-septate spores with rounded ends, and the greenish brown tinge of the hypothecium and stalk. It is discussed in detail in Samuels & Buchanan (1973) and Tibell (1987: 158–159).