Archer, Phaeographis and Phaeographina 
465 
Victoria: Cunningham, Wilson 1494, Mar 1888 (NSW); Cunningham [Gippsland], Mario, along Cape 
Conran Road, Verdon 4194, Nov 1978 (CANB). 
Norfolk Island: Rocky Point Reserve, Streimann 31806, Dec 1984 (B, CANB). 
Tasmania: Moores Hill, near Beaconsfield, Kantvilas 206/80, May 1980 (HO); Ringarooma Tier, 
Kantvilns 47/95, July 1995 (HO). 
Phaeographis australiensis is characterised by the normally closed, black, lirelliform 
apothecia, the variably carbonised proper exciple and the presence of norstictic acid. 
When the lips are open the species somewhat resembles the chemically similar Graphis 
semiaperta Mull. Arg. but that species always has a completely carbonised proper 
exciple and smaller ascospores. The ascospores in P. australiensis are usually terminally 
rounded but may sometimes be terminally acute (Hayward 1977: 574, Fig. 7; Fig. la). 
The younger ascospores are often hyaline and older ascospores are conspicuously 
brown and shrivelled; on occasion, few mature brown ascospores may be seen. 
Phaeographis australiensis is a common species which occurs in eastern Australia from 
Queensland to Tasmania and appears to be particularly abundant around Sydney. It 
occurs on a variety of substrates including species of Avicennia, Banksia, Cassia, 
Casuaritia, Erythrina, Leptospermum, Ligustrum, Hakea, Mains, Melia, Persoonia, Pultenaea 
and Telopea. It also occurs on Norfolk Island and is reported from New Zealand 
(Hayward 1977). 
Two syntypes of P. australiensis were seen. One of these is labelled 'LBn 533', a 
reference to Muller's publication in Flora, Lichenologische Beitrag no. 533, and is 
therefore selected as Iectotype. 
The type material of Graphis aulacothecia from WELT consists of 2 syntypes, Knight 7 
and Knight 46. Of these, Knight 7 is the larger of the two specimens and is here selected 
as Iectotype as the other smaller specimen has very few apothecia. Graphis aulacothecia 
was previously reported as a synonym of Phaeographis australiensis (Archer 1999). 
The morphological variation found in the types of the five names cited above falls 
within the range of variation seen in the many recent collections. The four later names 
are based on material collected within a small area near Sydney and it is therefore not 
surprising that the 11 specimens belong to the same species. 
Knight reported brown ascospores to be present in Graphis aulacothecia, and also in 
Graphis elaeina, G. subintricata and G. s ublricosa (Knight 1882) but Muller transferred 
only the last three species to his new genus Phaeographis. 
Phaeographis australiensis somewhat resembles R mucromta (Stirt.) Zahlbr., according to 
the description given by Stirton (Stirton 1876), but the two species appear to be 
distinct. Phaeographis australiensis occurs predominantly in eastern New South Wales 
whereas P. mucronata was collected in the Riverina District in the west of the State. In 
addition, P. mucronata was reported to give no colour with alkali (K-ve) (Stirton, loc. 
cit.) suggesting the absence of norstictic acid, which is present in P. australiensis. 
The chemistry of P. mucronata has not been reported and the type was not available for 
examination. 
Phaeographis elaeina (C. Knight) Mull. Arg. (Fig. lb, 2b) 
(Muller 1895: 321). 
Graphis elaeina C. Knight 
(Knight 1882: 41). 
Type: New South Wales: [near Sydney], C. Knight 51 (holo G). 
