Polycoccum jamesii
Description : Lichenicolous, forming galls on upper cortex of host thallus, galls sharply convex, botryose, 0.7–1.5 mm diam., con-colorous with host cortex at first, becoming black with development of ascomata. Perithecia subglobose to broadly obclavate, arising in convex galls, to 60 per gall, immersed to erumpent, 75–150 μm diam. Hamathecium of pseudoparaphyses, persistent, branched and anastomosing. Asci arising in lower part of ascomatal cavity, elongate-clavate, bitunicate, thick-walled, ?fissitunicate, 45–55 × 15–20 μm, 8-spored. Ascospores biseriate in ascus, ellipsoidal, 1-septate, cells ±equal in size, strongly constricted at septum, apices broadly rounded, olivaceous-brown, smooth, 10–12(–13) × 6.5–7.5(–8.5) μm, without a gelatinous sheath.
St: Port Pegasus (track from Disappointment Cove to Broad Bay). On bark of Myrsine australis. Host lichen associating with Menegazzia neozelandica. Known also from Tasmania where it is rare (Hawksworth 1985b).
Australasian
Host : Degeliella versicolor.
Illustrations : Hawksworth (1985b: 299, fig. 1; 300, fig. 2); Hawksworth & Diederich (1988: 296, 1E).
* Polycoccum jamesii is characterised by: the lichenicolous habit (laminal galls on squamules of Degeliella versicolor); and the short but rather broad and smooth ascospores having ±equal cells with broadly rounded apices, 10–12(–13) × 6.5–7.5(–8.5) μm.
