Description: Thallus not evident, not lichenized, developing on the resin of conifers. Apothecia long-stalked, pin-like, 0.3-1 mm high, the stalk slender, 0.03-0.8 mm thick, shiny black, sometimes branched, in section consisting of more or less parallel hyphae, the cells 4-5 µm wide, with unevenly thickened, strongly wine-red or wine-brown septa and walls, the strong contrast between light reflecting cell lumina and dark cell walls giving the stalk the appearance of zebra stripes under the microscope. Capitulum black, lenticular to subglobose, 0.12-0.35 mm across; mazaedium absent. Exciple well-developed, consisting of more or less parallel hyphae, the cells 3-4 µm wide, with unevenly thickened, strongly wine-red or wine-brown septa and walls (structure and colour similar to those of the stalk); epithecium wine-red; paraphyses straight, sparingly branched, septate, partly covering the ascus tips below the epithecium, 45-65 x 1.3-1.5 µm; hypothecium pale wine-red to greyish red. Asci 8-spored, cylindrical, formed with croziers, with a variously thickened apex penetrated by a narrow canal, persisting until the spores are mature. Ascospores 1-celled, reddish brown, ellipsoid to subcylindrical, (4.2- )4.8-6.3(-6.8) x (1.8-)2.1-3.2 µm, with a smooth wall. Photobiont absent. Spot tests: all parts of ascomata usually K-, N-, outer parts I+ red. Chemistry: without lichen substances, except an unidentified wine-red pigment often forming small crystals not dissolving in K in mature apothecia.
Note: a species described from North America and also known from Spain and Switzerland, growing on the resin of conifers (the European samples of Abies, see Tuovila & al. 2011). To be looked for in Italy.
