Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lecidea versicolor var. subtuberculosa C.Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 7: 358 (1875).

≡Lecidea taitensis var. subtuberculosa (C.Knight) C.Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 7: 359 (1875).

≡Megalospora versicolor var. subtuberculosa (C.Knight) Zahlbr., Cat. lich. univ. 4 (1): 93 (1927).

Lectotype: New Zealand. Sine loco [probably Wellington], 4.v.1879, Charles Knight – WELT (Herb. C. Knight Vol. 51, p. 14) [fide Sipman (1983: 123)].

Description : Flora (1985: 269).

Chemistry : K−, C−, KC+ yellow, Pd−; containing usnic acid and zeorin.

N: Auckland (Waitakere Ra.) to Wellington. On smooth, thin bark (on nikau (Rhopalostylis sapida) at the northern part of its range), lowland and coastal. Still poorly collected. Known also from New South Wales and Tasmania in Australia (Sipman 1986b; Kantvilas 1994d; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Australasian

Illustrations : Knight (1875a: pl. XXIII, fig. 8A–C – as Lecidea versicolor var. subtuberculosa).

Megalospora subtuberculosa is characterised by: the corticolous thallus; the smooth, yellowish thallus containing usnic acid and zeorin; scattered, rounded, subtuberculate soralia; sulphurata -type ascospores, (2–)6–8 per ascus, 32–42 × 19–25 μm; and a non-granular epithecium.