Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lecanora perrugosa var. brevilobata Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 349 (1941).

Holotype: New Zealand. Otago, Abbott's Hill near Dunedin, J.S. Thomson ZA25 – W. Isotypes – CHR 347956; OTA 030302.

Description : Flora (1985: 401).

Chemistry : Cortex K− or + pale-yellow, C−; medulla C−. C+ red, Pd−; containing gyrophoric acid.

N: Wellington (Ruapehu). S: Westland (Fox Glacier), Otago (Mt Watkin, Mopanui, Swampy Hill, Flagstaff, Mt Cargill, Abbott's Hill). Southland (Cascade Creek, Lake Monowai, Takitimu Forest, Bluff Hill). On subalpine rocks in scrub and grassland and on disturbed roadside cuttings in areas of high rainfall. The dominant species of Placopsis on rock outcrops around the summit of Flagstaff, Dunedin.

Austral

Illustration : Lamb (1947: pl. I, fig. 1).

Placopsis brevilobata is characterised by: regular rosettes closely attached to rock, without any marginal prothallus; distinctly convex, narrow, parallel and radiating marginal lobes with a distinctive wrinkled–knobbly or verrucose surface that may be matt, slightly glossy or slightly delicately pruinose in parts; characteristically congested, verruculose–areolate centrally; scattered, sessile, rather large apothecia (1–2.5 mm diam.) with a swollen, wrinkled–verruculose thalline margin; and ellipsoidal ascospores, (16.5–)18–23 (–25) × 8–12 μm, with one or two conspicuous vacuoles.