Genus Coniocybe Ach.

Thallus crustose; apothecia small, stipitate; spores more or less globose, simple, hyaline or very pale yellowish or greyish, forming a well-developed mazedium.

Coniocybe otagoënse Murray, sp. nov.

Thallus albidus vel griseus, obsoletus aut partim nullus, K-, gonidia non certe includans, apothecia circa 1.5 mm alta, stipite fusco, moderate crasso, hyphibus longitudine dispositibus, K+ purpurascens, capitulo parvissimo, epruinoso, strato hyalino nullo; asci haud visi; mazedium pallidum subobscurumve, globosum capitem formans; sporae hyalinae, globosae aut pro parte ellipsoidae, 4–6 × 3–4μ, paraphyses tenuissimi, simplices. Pycnidia nigra, globosa, substipitata, 50 (-100)μ dia., pycnidiosporae non visae.

Thallus very thin, mostly 10μ thick with scattered green cells 10μ dia. (perhaps not truly associated with thallus) but penetrating 10–20μ below wood surface, white or greyish, K-, or obsolete; apothecia about 1.5 mm high, stipe about 250μ thick at base tapering to about 180μ upwards, K+ purple; capitula brown, epruinose, little wider than stem and funnel–shaped with grey spore mass forming a nearly spherical head; asci none remaining, paraphyses slender, aseptate; spores simple, hyaline or nearly so, globose to rather oblong, 4–6 × 3–4μ with wall 0.8μ thick. Pycnidia black, elevated, 50μ dia. or sometimes larger, pycnidiospores not clearly seen.

Habitat. On old wood.

Distribution. Otago: Maungatua, 2,500ft, 0585.

The type specimen is not in good condition, nearly all the spore heads having disappeared, leaving the resistant stems with a few spores remaining in the indented.