Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen vitellinus Ehrh., Pl. crypt. Exs.: 155 (1785).

=Candelariella neozelandica C.W.Dodge, Nova Hedwigia 19: 485 (1971) ["1970"].

Candelariella neozelandica. Lectotype: New Zealand. Canterbury, Tasman Valley, on rock outcrop on ridge near Ball Hut, 8.iv.1966, B.A. Fineran 2310 pr. min. p. selected here – CANU. [The specimen is parasitised by * Carbonea vitellinaria, and is associated with species of Aspicilia, Rhizocarpon and Neofuscelia.]

Description : Flora (1985: 73).

Chemistry : Thallus K−; containing calycin and pulvinic acid dilactone.

N: Auckland to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. St: Very widespread on siliceous and calcareous rocks, walls, bricks, decorticated wood (fenceposts, gates, painted railings etc.), footpaths, curbing, rusted iron railings, especially common in nutrient-enriched and dusty man-made and urban habitats, and on bird-perch rocks, often very abundant, coastal and inland. It is characteristic of moderately polluted and eutrophic habitats. Widespread in both hemispheres being known from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, North and South America, Asia, Japan, Australia, Chile, South Georgia, South Orkney Is, South Shetland Is, Charcot I. and Antarctica (Hakulinen 1954; Thomson 1973; Purvis 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Convey et al. 2000; Scholz 2000; Brodo et al. 2001; Øvstedal & Lewis Smith 2001; Coppins 2002b; Kurokawa 2003; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004; Westberg 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Galløe (1936: 27, pls 30, 31; Hakulinen (1954: tab. II, fig. 17; tab. V, fig. 14); Hertel (1971: 233, fig. 3); Harris & Buck (1978: 156, fig. 2; 157, fig. 8); Wirth (1987: 110; 1995b: 247; 803); Phillips (1987: 170); Dobson (1992: 91; 2000: 103; 2005: 113); Hansen (1995: 86); Malcolm & Malcolm (2000: 75, 94); Brodo et al. (2001: 209, pl. 180);Lumbsch et al. (2001: 7).

Candelariella vitellina is very variable but is characterised by: scattered to contiguous, convex to spherical granules, or compacted into small, shortly lobulate clusters of often fertile, subsquamulose rosettes; the colour ranging from yellow to dull, deep-orange or brown-yellow; the numerous, congested apothecia; and multi-spored asci.