Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen ater Huds, Fl. angl. 1: 445 (1762).

≡Lecanora atra (Huds.) Ach., Lichenogr. universalis: 344 (1810).

=Lecanora pachypolis Nyl. in W.A. Leighton, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 10: 32 (1869).

=Lecanora platylepis Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 338 (1941).

Lecanora pachypolis. Lecotype: New Zealand. Napier ad saxa. Colenso 6350 ex Herb Leighton – BM [fide Galloway (1985a: 212)].

Lecanora platylepis. Lectotype here selected: New Zealand. Otago, Mt Pisgah, on schistose rock, c. 1500 m, on schist rocks, J.S. Thomson T1460 [ZA 68] – CHR 345808. Syntype: Ibid., summit rocks, J.S. Thomson T1902 [ZA 576] – CHR 345807. [The lectotype chosen in Galloway (1985a: 212) is a specimen collected by J.S.Thomson from Mt Pisgah at c. 800 m (CHR 345806) which is not however cited in the protologue of Lecanora platylepis, and is therefore rejected here.]

Description : Flora (1985: 212).

Chemistry : Atranorin, α-collatolic and ±alectoronic acids.

N: Northland (Three Kings Is, Matai Bay, Karikari Peninsula, Poor Knights Is, Great Barrier I.), Auckland (Rangitoto), South Auckland (Waiotapu Valley, Kaimanawa Ra.), Wellington (Kapiti I. S: Nelson (Lake Sylvester, Takaka Hill, Dun Mountain, Lake Rotoiti), Marlborough (Chetwode Is), Canterbury (Arthur's Pass, Cass, Lewis Pass, Boyle River, Hanmer, Monument, Banks Peninsula, Rangitata Valley, Mt Peel, Mt Sebastopol, Governor's Bush), Otago (Mt Brewster, Timaru Creek Lake Hawea, Routeburn Valley, St Bathan's Ra., Dunstan Mts, The Remarkables, Poolburn, Alexandra, Old Man Ra., Gem Lake, Umbrella Mts, Rock & Pillar Ra, Akatore), Southland (Thomson's Bush Invercargill, Bluff Hill, Pahia Point, Manapouri, Borland Saddle). St: Ch: (Owenga). C: Throughout, on coastal and inland rocks and on bark of twigs and bark of forest trees and shrubs; especially common on canopy branches of Nothofagus menziesii and N. solandri var. cliffortioides – also on subalpine to high-alpine rocks, s.l. to 2000 m. A rather variable species having a very wide distribution in both hemispheres. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Macaronesia, Cape Verde Is, Scandinavia, Svalbard, Socotra, North and South America, Marion Is and Prince Edward Is, Antarctica, South Georgia, South Orkney Is, South Shetland Is, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Australia (Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Elvebakk & Hertel 1997; Scholz 2000; Brodo et al. 2001; Øvstedal & Gremmen 2001; Øvstedal & Lewis Smith 2001; Aptroot 2002e; Becker 2002; Coppins 2002b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Mies & Schultz 2004; Nash et al. 2004c; Santesson et al. 2004; Søchting et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Ozenda & Clauzade (1970: 569, fig. 470 – as Lecanora atra); Martin & Child (1972: 153, pl. 44 – as Lecanora atra); Jahns (1980: 199, fig. 452); Moberg & Homåsen (1982: 112); Hafellner (1984: 345, fig. 89); Hertel & Rambold 1985: 481, fig. 3A; 484, fig. 5K; 487, fig. 6C; 489, fig. 7D; 491, figs 8Q, R); Wirth (1987: 459; 1995b: 893); Phillips (1987: 167 – as Lecanora atra); Dobson (1992: 328; 2000: 374; 2005: 422); Australasian Lichenological Newsletter 38 (1996: front cover – painting by W.M. Malcolm); Australasian Lichenological Newsletter 40 (1997: front cover – painting by W.M. Malcolm); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 95, 105, 111, 125, 155, 187); Malcolm & Malcolm (2000: i, 59); Brodo et al. (2001: 677, pl. 830); Lumbsch et al. (2001: 26); Øvstedal & Lewis Smith (2001: pl. 82, pl. 83).

Tephromela atra is characterised by: the corticolous and saxicolous habit; the whitish grey or creamish, smooth, plicate, rugose, to warted-areolate thallus; conspicuous apothecia, 0.2–3 mm diam., with prominent, white, entire to crenulate thalline margins and a black, glossy, epruinose disc; a thick, dark red-brown epithecium; a dark-brown hymenium, to 120 μm tall; ellipsoidal ascospores, 10–15 × 5–8 μm; and a chemistry of atranorin and α-collatolic and ±alectoronic acids.