Description. [Modified from protologue (Lücking & Cáceres 2004)] Thallus crustose, continuous, to 50 mm across; surface smooth or slightly irregular, pale greenish to yellowish grey; prothallus sometimes present, lustrous. PhotobiontTrentepohlia alga; cells angular-rounded to almost globose, in short, irregular threads. Ascomata perithecia, subglobose, 0.25–0.40 mm diam, black; perithecial setae numerous (to 50), forming a horizontal crown or more often in several layers around the ostiole, rather short, 0.05–0.08(–0.15) mm long and 15–30 μm broad at base, pure black, sometimes reduced. Involucrellum 30–40 μm thick, brownish black, K–; exciple prosoplectenchymatous, 15–20 μm thick, inner parts hyaline, outer parts brown, K–. Hamathecium of true, unbranched, 1 mm thick paraphyses. Asci obclavate to fusiform, 170–210 x 20–28 μm, 8-spored; ascospores narrowly fusiform to almost cylindrical, 21–29-septate, rarely with longitudinal septa in a few cells, without constrictions at septa, hyaline, 100–170(–200) x 5–7(–10) μm. Pycnidia not observed.
Chemistry. Not reported.
Substrate and habitat. Corticolous on trees.
Distribution. Neotropical north to coastal astern North America; in North Carolina found in the Coastal Plain ecoregion.
Literature
Lücking, R. & M. Cáceres (2004) Corticolous species of Trichothelium (Ascomycota: Porinaceae). Mycological Research108(5): 571-575.