Xanthoparmelia alexandrensis
Holotype: New Zealand: Otago, Tucker Hill, Alexandra, on rocks in arid grassland, 295 m, 6.i.1982, J.A. Elix 9900 – CHR 421558.
Description : Thallus loosely adnate on rock, to 5 cm diam. Lobes loosely imbricate, plane, linear to sublinear-elongate, subdichotomously or digitately branched, 0.3–1(–1.5) mm wide, marginal lobes slightly wider, apices of laciniae subascendent. Upper surface yellow-green, glossy, emaculate, smooth, isidiate, lacking soredia, margins and apices often blackened. Isidia scattered, simple at first becoming gnarled and sparingly branched, apices epicorticate and becoming inflated and erupting but not sorediate. Lower surface matt, wrinkled, black, rhizinate. Rhizines sparse, simple, robust, black. Apothecia unknown. Pycnidia rare. Conidia bifusiform, 6–7 × 0.5 μm.
Chemistry : Cortex K−; medulla K+ yellow→dark-red, C−, Pd+ intense yellow; containing norstictic, connorstictic, salazinic (tr.) and usnic acids.
S: Otago (Central Otago). On dry, sunny rocks in upland areas. Known also from SE Australia and Tasmania (Elix 1994s: McCarthy 2003c, 2006).
Australasian
Illustrations : Elix et al. (1986b: 186, fig. 2); Hale (1990: 64, fig. 25B).
Xanthoparmelia alexandrensis is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the loosely adnate thallus; linear to sublinear-elongate lobes with a black lower surface; rarely erumpent isidia; and norstictic acid in the medulla.
