Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen scruposus Schreb., Spic. fl. Lips.: 133 (1771).

=Diploschistes cervinus Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 264 (1941).

=Leptotrema neozelandicum C.W.Dodge, Nova Hedwigia 19: 458 (1971) ["1970"].

Diploschistes cervinus. Lectotype: New Zealand. Otago, Mt Maungatua, summit rocks, c. 800 m, J.S. Thomson T 1369 [ZA 617] – CHR 106157 [fide Galloway (1985a: 160)]. Isolectotype – OTA.

Leptotrema neozelandicum. Holotype: New Zealand. Canterbury, Rangitata Valley, Two Thumbs Peak, on sheltered rock, 2290 m, iv.1966, B.A. Fineran 3065 – CANU.

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 160–161). See also Lumbsch (1989: 185; 2002: 177–178).

Chemistry : Two chemodemes (I) K−, C+ red, Pd−, UV−; containing lecanoric acid; (ii) K+ yellow, C+ red, Pd−, UV−; containing lecanoric and diploschistesic acids.

N: Gisborne (Mt Hikurangi), Hawke's Bay (Mt Kaweka), Wellington (Mt Ruapehu) S: Canterbury (Craigieburn Ra., Rocky Peak Banks Peninsula), Otago (Rees Valley, Old Man Ra., Poolburn Reservoir, Lake Onslow, Rock & Pillar Ra., Maungatua, Black Head, Blue Mts). On coastal rocks to subalpine and alpine rocks, often in dry underhangs. The most common alpine species in New Zealand. First collected from New Zealand by William Colenso (Babington 1855). A very widely distributed species known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, Macaronesia, Cape Verde Is, Algeria, Turkey, India, Nepal, Japan, North America, Brazil and Australia (Lumbsch 1989; Pant & Upreti 1993; Lumbsch & Elix 2003; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Lettau (1937: tab. 4, fig. 54; tab. 10, fig. 127); Jahns (1980: 249, pl. 637); Moberg & Holmåsen (1982: 212); Wirth (1987: 185; 1995b: 379); Lumbsch (1989: 186, fig 29A–B); Foucard (1990: pl. 91); Dobson (1992: 139; 2000: 151, 152; 2005: 167); Pant & Upreti (1993: 35, fig. 1G–I); Hansen (1995: 88); Guderley & Lumbsch (1996: 289, fig. 13B); Malcolm & Malcolm (2000: 128 – as Diploschistes muscorum); Brodo et al. (2001: 304, pl. 314).

Diploschistes scruposus is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the verrucose, pinkish brown to yellow-brown thallus; apothecioid ascomata, 4–8-spored asci; (21–)25–35(–45) × (9–)12–18(–21) μm ascospores; and lecanoric and diploschistesic acids in the medulla.