Flora of New Zealand Series

Thallus foliose, lobate, closely attached, 2-12 cm diam., orbicular to spreading. Upper surface paraplectenchymatous, brownish or greyish-brown. Photobiont green, Trebouxia -type. Lower surface brownish, often difficult to detect because of close attachment to substrate, prosoplectenchymatous. Apothecia lecanorine, laminal, sessile, disc brown or black. Paraphyses swollen at apices, brownish. Ascospores brown, 1-6(-8)-septate of Pachysporaria -type, 8 per ascus. Pycnidia immersed. Conidia filiform.

Hyperphyscia is a cosmopolitan genus of c. 10-15 species found in temperate regions. Originally segregated from Physcia on the basis of the septate spores [Müller Argoviensis Bull. Herb. Boissier 2, App. 1: 41 (1894)], it is discussed more fully by Hafellner, Mayrhofer and Poelt [ Herzogia 5: 39-79 (1979)] and as Physciopsis M. Choisy, by Moberg [ Symb. bot. upsal. 22: 77-80 (1977)]. Two species are known in New Zealand, one, H. plinthiza, being the type of the genus.