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(3·9–)4·3–5·3(–5·6) µm. Conidia ellipsoidea, (5·5–)5·9–6·8(–7·6) x (3·1–)3·5–3·9(–
4·2) µm.
Typus: Italy, Sicily, Prov. Palermo, Bosco della Ficuzza, road from Ficuzza to S,

910 m alt., 37°52’00,6’’N, 13°23’17,3’’E, in grazed coppice forest mainly of
oaks and ashes, on the bark of Pyrus amygdaliformis, on Ramalina fraxinea,
9.VIII.2006, W. & G. V. BRACKEL (hb IVL 3983 – holotypus; M-0044890 – iso-
typus).
Conidiomata pycnidial, immersed in the host thallus and margin of the apo-
thecia, black in macroscopical view, in section brown in lower parts and dark
brown around the ostiole, subspherical, ostiolate, 105–135 µm diam.; pycnid-
ial wall 7–10 µm thick, pseudoparenchymatous, composed of 2–4(–5) layers
of polyhedral and to the inside more subglobose cells, outer cells brown,
about 8–10 x 3–4·5 µm, inner ones hyaline, about 4–5 µm diam. Co-
nidiogenous cells lining the inner wall of the pycnidial cavity, short ampulli-
form to subglobose, hyaline, smooth-walled, (5·7–)6·0–7·6(–8·0) x (3·9–)4·3–
5·3(–5·6) µm (n=10); conidiogenesis enteroblastic. Conidia abundantly pro-
duced, arising singly, ellipsoid, rounded at both ends, hyaline, simple,
smooth-walled, with a guttule near each apex, (5·5–)5·9–6·8(–7·6) x (3·1–)3·5–
3·9(–4·2) µm (n=40), l/b = (1·4–)1·6–1·9(–2·1) (n=40).
Distribution and hosts: The species is known only from two localities in Italy,
Sicily, where it grows on the thallus of Ramalina fraxinea and R. fastigiata.
Phoma ficuzzae causes severe damage to the host. The infected parts of the
thallus are bleached and usually surrounded by a blackish line. In a later
stage they become eroded.
Observations: Phoma ficuzzae is similar to P. epiphyscia VOUAUX in the size of the
conidiomata and the length of the conidia, but in P. ficuzzae these are broader
and the lenght: breadth ratio is 1·6–1·9 instead of 2–2·3 in P. epiphyscia
(VOUAUX 1914, ALSTRUP & HAWKSWORTH 1990). In the compared specimen of
P. epiphyscia we found conidia of 5·6–7·2 x 2·8–3·3 µm. P. epiphyscia is re-
ported only for the hosts Phaeophyscia and Xanthoria. Other species of Phoma
reported from Ramalina have much narrower conidia: in Phoma cytospora
(VOUAUX) D. HAWKSW. the conidia are up to 2 µm broad, and in Phoma
lichenis PASS. circa 1 µm broad (VOUAUX 1914, ETAYO 1996). In the most re-
cent literature on Phoma (HAWKSWORTH & COLE 2004, DIEDERICH et al. 2007)
no species fitting to our material could be found.
Additional specimen: Italy, Sicily, Prov. Trapani, Érice, small park beneath the
castle, ca. 750 m alt., 38°02’24,2’’N, 12°35’15,1’’E, on twigs of Fraxinus ornus,
on Ramalina fastigiata, 8.VIII.2006, W. & G. V. BRACKEL (hb IVL 3984).
Compared specimen: Phoma epiphyscia VOUAUX: Germany, Bavaria, München,
Lochhausen, Moor am Küchenmeisterbach, 506 m alt., 48°24'08,0''N,
11°50'47,6''E, on dead twigs of Sambucus nigra, on Xanthoria parietina,
17.VII.2006, W. V. BRACKEL (hb IVL 3833).

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