Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lecidea stigmatea Ach., Lichenogr. universalis: 161 (1810).

=Lecidea imitatrix Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien Math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 303 (1941).

Lecidea imitatrix. Holotype: New Zealand. Southland: Clifden, on limestone rocks, J.S. Thomson T 2212 [A7] – W 1939/3446 [Hertel 1970c: 56]. Isotype – CHR 347055, OTA 029440.

Description : Flora (1985: 233 – as Lecidea imitatrix).

Chemistry : Thallus K+ yellow or −, C− or C+ orange, Pd− or + yellow; three chemodemes containing (1) atranorin and zeorin, (2) zeorin alone, and (3) zeorin and lichexanthone (Knoph & Leuckert 2000).

S: Canterbury (Weka Pass, Flock Hill, Cave Stream, Castle Hill, Coal Creek, Rangitata Co., White Rock), Otago (Poolburn, Lake Onslow on old bones), Southland (Castle Rock, Clifden). On limestone and basicolous rocks and on old, bleached bones in grassland. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, the Arctic, Greece, Asia, North Africa, North and South America, Australia, South Shetland Is, and Antarctica (Hertel 1970c, 1971a, 1977a, 1977b, 1981, 1985b, 1989b, 1991, 2001a; Rambold 1989; Knoph 1990; Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Thomson 1997; Scholz 2000; Brodo et al. 2001; Øvstedal & Lewis Smith 2001; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Knoph & Leuckert 2004; Santesson et al. 2004; Søchting et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Dobson (1992: 183; 2000, 209; 2005: 240); Brodo et al. (2001: 394, pl. 442).

Lecidella stigmatea is characterised by: the basicolous (limestone rocks) habit; the dingy olivaceous-brown or ochraceous, granular to areolate thallus (C+ orange); solitary to 1–3-confluent, black apothecia; a green-black to black epithecium; a hyaline hypothallus; and ellipsoidal to suboval ascospores, 11.5–17 × 6.5–8.5 μm.