Strigula nitidula
Family
Strigulaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Crustose
Current conservation status
2018 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, SO
Brief description
Characterised by the foliicolous habit; the pure black, glossy perithecia; 1-septate ascospores, rather easily broken apart, 8–12 × 2–3 μm; and the exposed pycnidia not covered by thallus tissue.
Distribution
North Island: Wellington (Manawatu Gorge).
Known also from Central and South America, Madeira, West, East and South Africa, Madagascar, Réunion, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Java, Philippines, New Guinea, Cocos Islands, Galapagos Islands, Lord Howe Island, Tonga and Australia.
Habitat
On leaves of Alectryon excelsus
Detailed description
Thallus subcuticular, ± indistinctly effigurate, rounded to irregular 3-7(-10) mm diam., continuous, without distinct lobes, margins ± entire, often with scattered black points or irregularly wavy lines, between these points or lines, bright green to greyish-green, shining, without a prothallus. Perithecia 0.35-0.65 mm diam., almost conical on top and sides, round, totally exposed, black, shining. Asci cylindrical or almost thread-like, very numerous and dense 30-80 × 3.5-5 µm. Ascospores uniseriate, 1-septate, ± ellipsoid, with obtuse ends 8-12 × 2-3 µm. Pycnidia rather few, 0.1-0.15 mm diam., convex, exposed, black, shining. Macroconidia simple, bacillar 4-5 × 2 µm. Microconidia simple, fusiform 4 × 1.5 µm.
Substrate
Foliicolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (19 January 2024). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features and Similar taxa sections copied from Galloway (1985) & Galloway (2007).
References and further reading
Galloway D.J. 1985: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens. Wellington: PD Hasselberg, Government Printer. 662 pp.
Galloway D.J. 2007: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens, including lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi. 2nd edition. Lincoln, Manaaki Whenua Press. 2261 pp.