Flora of New Zealand Series

Parmelia subtinctoria Zahlbr., Symb. sin. 3 Lich.: 193 (1930).

Thallus orbicular to spreading, loosely attached, 5-15 cm diam., corticolous or saxicolous. Lobes rounded, 10-15 mm wide, margins crenate, sinuous, sparsely ciliate, cilia 1-1.5 mm long. Upper surface pale greenish-yellow to greyish, shining, distinctly white-maculate (×10 lens) becoming irregularly cracked with age, moderately to densely isidiate. Isidia small, terete, simple to branched, to 1 mm tall, rarely ciliate. Lower surface pale brown, rarely darkening centrally, with a wide, pale brown, papillate, naked marginal zone. Rhizines black, simple, frequent, central. Apothecia not seen. Chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow; medulla K+, C-, KC+ pink, Pd+ orange. Salazinic acid, norlobaridone and atranorin.

N: North Auckland (including Three Kings Is); South Auckland (Kaimanawa Ra., Waipakihi Valley), Hawke's Bay, (Wairoa). Rather rarely collected, mainly from coastal rocks in northern localities.

Pantropical

P. subtinctorium differs from P. crinitum in having a pale lower surface, a maculate upper surface and a different chemistry.