Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lecidea superficialis Schaer., Lich. Helv. Spicil.: 125 (1828).

=Lecidea atroflavella Nyl., Lich. Nov. Zel.: 216 (1888).

≡Buellia atroflavella (Nyl.) Müll.Arg., Bull. Herb. Boissier 2, App. 1: 70 (1894).

≡Catocarpon atroflavellum (Nyl.) Hellb., Bihang K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 21(3/13): 118 (1896).

≡Rhizocarpon atroflavellum (Nyl.) Zahlbr., Cat. lich. univ. 4 (3): 322 (1926).

Lecidea atroflavella. Holotype: New Zealand. Lapidicola ad Greymouth, R. Helms – H-NYL.

Description : Flora (1985: 506).

Chemistry : Rhizocarpic, psoromic and stictic acids (Hertel 1985b: 334).

S: Nelson (Mt Arthur), Westland (summit of Mt Haast at 2965 m – with Sporastatia testudinea and Tremolecia atrata), Canterbury (Mt Peel), Otago (Bold Peak, Double Cone, The Remarkables, Old Man Ra.). On exposed high-alpine rocks, both schist and greywacke, 1340–2965 m (Hertel 1985b). Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, the Arctic, the Himalaya, East Africa, North and South America (Venezuela to Chile), Australia, and Antarctica (Runemark 1956a, 1956b; Thomson 1968a, 1979; Hertel 1971a; Purvis et al 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Hansen 1995; Wirth 1995a; Elvebakk & Hertel 1997; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Scholz 2000; Hafellner & Türk 2001; Llimona & Hladun 2001; Øvstedal & Lewis Smith 2001; Coppins 2002b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Feuerer & Timdal 2004; Santesson et al. 2004; Søchting et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Runemark (1956a: 18, fig. 4A; 21, fig. 6A; 23, fig. 7A; 24, fig. 8A; fig. 11; 51, fig. 13G; 52, fig. 14 m); Hansen (1995: 114); Øvstedal & Lewis Smith (2001: pl. 75).

Rhizocarpon superficiale is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the yellowish white to yellow-green, angular, areolate thallus, 2–10 cm diam., bordered by a narrow black prothallus; plane to subconvex, apothecia, 0.6–2 mm diam., with a minutely papillate "sooty" disc; a brown hypothecium, 60–150 μm thick; and small, 1-septate ascospores, 11–18 × 6–8 μm; and rhizocarpic, psoromic and stictic acids in the medulla.