Parmelina subalbicans (Stirt.) D.J.Galloway
Parmelia subalbicans Stirton, Scott. Nat. 4: 254 (1878).
Lectotype: New Zealand. Wellington. J. Buchanan, BM!
Thallus small, rosette-forming, to 4 cm diam., lobes narrow to subrotund, to 3 mm wide, margins sinuous. Upper surface plane to convex, smooth or wrinkled-plicate, not faveolate, pale greenish-grey, matt, waxy, occasionally covered with a crazing of fine black lines, without isidia, soredia or pruina. Lower surface pale buff or creamish, wrinkled-papillate. Rhizines pale buff, simple, to margins. Apothecia common, sessile to subpedicellate, disc concave, imperforate, brown-red, to 5 mm diam., margins crenate, inflexed, obscuring disc at first, thalline exciple wrinkled, striate-verrucose, thick. Ascospores 9-11(-14) × (6-)7-8 µm. Pycnidia common, punctiform, red-brown to black, widely scattered. Chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow: medulla K-, C+ rose, KC+ rose, Pd-. Lecanoric acid and atranorin.
N: Wellington. Known only from the type collection in New Zealand but more widely distributed in eastern Australia.
Australasian
Similar in appearance and habitat requirements to P. pruinata but distinguished by the pale lower surface and the lack of surface pruinosity and the thicker, verrucose-striate Apothecial margins. This species must now be included in Punctelia Krog, as P. hypoleucites (Nyl.) Krog. [ Nord. J. Bot. 21: 291 (1982); basionym, Parmelia hypoleucites Nyl., Flora 41: 379 (1858)].
