Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Verrucaria leptostegia C.Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 12: 377 (1880).

≡Segestria leptostegia (C.Knight) Hellb., Bih. K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 21 (3/13): 133 (1896).

=Verrucaria metabletica C.Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 15: 356 (1883).

≡Porina metabletica (C.Knight) Müll.Arg., Bull. Herb. Boissier 2, App. 1: 92 (1894).

≡Segestria metabletica (C.Knight) Hellb., Bih. K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 21 (3/13): 132 (1896).

Holotype: New Zealand. ?Wellington, 14.iv.1879, Charles Knight s.n. – WELT [Herb. Knight Vol. 55A, P. 1].

Verrucaria metabletica. Holotype: New Zealand. ?Wellington, Charles Knight A 71 – WELT [Herb. Knight Vol. 55A P. 8].

Description : Flora (1985: 416).

N: Known only from the type collection.

Endemic

Illustrations : Knight (1880: pl. XIII, fig. 46 – as Verrucaria leptostegia; 1883: pl. XXXVI, fig. 14 – as Verrucaria metabolica [sic]).

Porina leptostegia is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the pale-grey to whitish, effuse or arachnoid to areolate thallus; the sparse, black, subconvex perithecia, 0.5–1.2 mm diam.; and fusiform, 3–7-septate ascospores, 18.5–22 × 3.5–5 μm.