Flora of New Zealand Series

Parmelia imitatrix Taylor, Hook. Lond. J. Bot. 6: 161 (1847).

Thallus appressed to strongly pulvinate, loosely to tightly adnate, 3-11 cm diam., saxicolous and terricolous. Lobes (0.4-)1-3(-4) mm broad, ± flat, short and rounded to rather elongate and angular, ± discrete to imbricate or entangled. Upper surface yellowish-brown to olive-brown, reddish-brown or dark-brown, paler at apices becoming strongly wrinkled-pitted centrally, rarely developing ± subfruticose branches, dull throughout or shining at apices, without isidia. Lower surface dark-brown to black, ± smooth to weakly and irregularly wrinkled, dull to subnitid in parts, moderately to sparsely or densely rhizinate. Rhizines concolorous with lower surface, 1-1.5 mm long. Apothecia common, sessile or short-pedicellate, ± flat at first, becoming strongly concave and often infolded, to 10 mm diam., margins entire at first, becoming ± crenate or lacerate. Ascospores ellipsoid to subglobose 7-11.5 × 4.5-6.5 µm. Pycnidia common. Conidia bifusiform, 5.5-8 × 1 µm. Chemistry: Cortex K-, HNO3 + dark blue-green; medulla K-, C-, KC+ rose, Pd-. Physodic and 4-O-methylphysodic (tr.) acids.

S: Canterbury (Arthur's Pass), Otago (Mt St Mary, West Matukituki Valley, Mt Earnslaw, Alexandra, Maungatua). N. imitatrix is a widely distributed species in the N. pulla group and shows considerable morphological variation.

Austral