Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Sphaerophorus ohlssonii Wedin in M.Wedin & L. Tibell, N. Z. J. Bot. 29: 290 (1991).

Holotype: New Zealand. Wellington, Tongariro National Park, vicinity of Whakapapa Village, close to Whakapapanui Stream, 1981. L. Tibell 13508 – UPS. Isotype – CHR.

Description : Thallus large, forming discrete tufts, repeatedly and richly branched. Fertile branches flattened to subterete (25–)30–70(–80) mm long and (2.2–)2.5–4(–4.6) mm wide. Upper surface greyish green, smooth but deeply wrinkled or ridged around and above base of apothecia. Lower surface white, sparsely and irregularly wrinkled. Apothecia frequent, terminal (2–)2.5–5.5(–7.5) mm wide. Mazedium large, conspicuous, exposed at an early stage but partially surrounded by flaps of thalline tissue even at maturity. Ascospores 11.5–16 μm diam., reddish brown. Pycnidia frequent at apices and on lower side of terminal branches. Conidia bacillar, apices sometimes pointed, 3.5–4.5 × 1.5–2 μm.

Chemistry : Medulla K+ faint yellow or −, Pd+ orange-red or −; containing sphaerophorin (major), stictic acid (minor) and constictic acid (minor) and two accessory compounds (minor or tr.). In some specimens only sphaerophorin detected (Wedin 1995b).

N: Wellington (Tongariro National Park, Whakapapanui Stream). S: Westland (Whataroa). Ch:

Endemic

Illustrations : Wedin & Tibell (1991: 291, fig. 4 – as Sphaerophorus ohlsssonii); Wedin (1995b: fig. 32).

Bunodophoron ohlssonii is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the large thallus and the large, reddish brown spores. B. ohlssonii is similar to large specimens of B. australe in gross morphology, but the latter differs in having smaller, smooth apothecia and medium (6–9 μm diam.) grey spores. B. macrocarpum differs from B. ohlssonii in having smaller spores (8–10 μm diam.) and in having apothecia held on slender, terete supporting branches. B. notatum differs in being altogether slender and terete and in having isousnic acid as a major compound.