Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Pannaria variegata Stirt., Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 14: 461 (1875).

Lectotype: New Zealand. Wellington 1874, J. Buchanan 42/74. BM [fide Galloway (1985a: 350)].

Description : Flora (1985: 349–350).

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

N: Wellington. On bark and on shaded rocks, very rarely collected.

Endemic

Parmeliella variegata is characterised by: the corticolous/saxicolous habit; a conspicuous blue-black marginal prothallus; orbicular, radiating squamules to 3 mm diam.; minute, flattened, cochleate lobules developing marginally and centrally and often forming a diffract-areolate crust; sessile apothecia, 0.5–1.5 mm diam., with a plane, red-brown disc and a thick, pale, persistent proper exciple; and ellipsoidal ascospores, 14–18(–20) × 7–10 μm.