Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2002. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 1.
Life habit: non-lichenized, saprophytic Thallus: endosubstratic to absent, or a superficial subiculum (a net-like array of hyphae under the perithecia) photobiont: absent Ascomata: perithecial, usually arising singly, scattered or loosely aggregated, erumpent, ± superficial when mature, usually with an applanate base involucrellum: absent ascomatal wall: black, conspicuously cellular (pseudoparenchymatous), continuous and built-up of specialized large cells, which are in part radially arranged below the hamathecium (in the corners) hamathecium: branched pseudoparaphyses, cellular, anastomosing above the asci, non-amyloid or rarely amyloid asci: bitunicate, fissitunicate, cylindrical, with tholus, non-amyloid, 4 (-8)-spored ascospores: blackish brown, ellipsoid to clavate, 1-septate with one euseptum, 12.5-55 x 5.5-20 micrometer; walls: sometimes ornamented with tiny warts Conidiomata: hyphal conidia: brown, septate, formed on the subiculum Secondary metabolites: absent Geography: mostly temperate Substrate: mostly on bark but also frequently on wood. Notes: The genus is characterized by the blackish brown, 1-septate ascospores and the wide, large-cellular exciple. In many respects the genus is similar to Peridiothelia (see Table 1, p. 51 in Hawksworth (1985b), but the pseudoparenchyma of the exciple are substantially smaller in Peridiothelia and its center is I+ blue (versus I- in Kirschsteiniothelia). The hyphomycete anamorphs known for Kirschsteiniothelia are not known in Peridiothelia.