Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Gyalecta atrata Ach., K. Svenska Vet. Akad. Nya Handl.: 299 (1808).

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 585). See also Schwab (1986: 443–445).

S: Canterbury (Lake Sumner, Temple Basin, Mt Rolleston, Arthur's Pass, Two Thumbs Ra., Mt Cook), Otago (Ram Hill, Lake Ohau, St Marys Ra.), Southland (Takitimu Mts). On montane to alpine rocks from 1362 m to the summit rocks of Aoraki/Mt Cook (3650 m). Associating with species of Aspicilia, Bellemerea alpina, B. subsorediza, Lecanora demersa, Placopsis dennanensis, P. perrugosa, Rhizocarpon, Sporastatia testudinea, Stereocaulon caespitosum and Umbilicaria decussata. Still rather poorly collected in New Zealand. The species has a wide distribution in cool-temperate, high-alpine areas of both hemispheres being known from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, the Arctic, Tibet, North and South America (Argentina and Chile), Asia, East Africa, Marion I., Kerguelen, South Georgia, South Orkney Is, South Shetland Is, Antarctica and Australia (Hertel 1971a, 1977a, 1984b, 1985b, 1987b, 1989b, 1991, 2001a (including a map of the subantarctic distribution of the species (130: fig. 11)]; Schwab 1986; Rambold 1989; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Filson 1996; Thomson 1997; Brodo et al. 2001; Øvstedal & Lewis Smith 2001; Coppins 2002b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Hertel 2004b; Obermayer 2004; Santesson et al. 2004; Søchting et al. 2004; Elvebakk & Bjerke 2006).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Moberg & Holmåsen (1982: 128); Schwab (1986: 259, fig. 7; 275, fig. 14; fig. 28); Wirth (1987: 477); Dobson (1992: 337; 2000: 386; 2005: 434); Hansen (1995: 117); Wirth (1995b: 927); Brodo et al. (2001: 688, pl. 845). Lumbsch et al. (2001: 34); Australasian Lichenology50 : front and back covers (2002); Pope (2005: 56).

Tremolecia atrata is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; a rust-coloured, generally rather small thallus; semi-immersed to sessile coal-black apothecia with a well-developed coal-black exciple; asci with a thin I+ blue outer gelatinous coat and a well-developed apical tholus (I− or weakly I+ blue, Tremolecia -type) without a distinct ocular chamber (Malcolm & Galloway 1997: 187); and ellipsoidal ascospores, 10–13(–17) × 6–7.5(–10) μm.