Thelotrema monosporum Nyl.
T. aemulans Krempelh., Verhandl. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien 26: 453 (1876).
Ascidium attenuatum Knight, T.N.Z.I. 15: 354 (1883).
A. monosporum Knight, T.N.Z.I. 15: 355 (1883).
T. aemulans. Type: New Zealand. Sine loco (prob. Wellington). Charles Knight - not seen.
Ascidium attenuatum. Lectotype: New Zealand. Sine loco (prob. Wellington). Charles Knight, WELT, Herb. Knight, Vol. 37A, p. 11!
Ascidium monosporum. Lectotype: New Zealand. Sine loco (prob. Wellington). Charles Knight, WELT, Herb. Knight, Vol. 37A, p. 1!
Thallus whitish at first, becoming pale buff or olivaceous, 2-4 cm diam., smooth, shining or matt, undulate, minutely wrinkled or irregularly roughened, rarely cracked, thin, rather effuse and in part endophloeodal. Apothecia in very shallow, convex, thalline warts, 0.3-1.0 mm diam., pore very small, pin-prick- like, apex slightly flattened, disc not visible, apex of apothecium buff-brownish. Ascospores brownish, muriform (113-)120-190 × (20-)30-40 µm, visible when dissected contents of apothecium examined with ×10 lens. Chemistry: Nil.
N: Exact localities not certain, prob. Wellington though possibly widespread in northern coastal forest.
Pantropical, also in Great Britain.
New Zealand material seen is similar to specimens from the west coast of Scotland (BM). Variation, ecology and geographical distribution of this species are discussed by James [ Lichenologist 9: 181-183 (1977)].
