Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen leucomelos L., Sp. pl. ed. 2 (2): 1613 (1763).

Description : Flora (1985: 184 – as Heterodermia leucomela ssp. boryi).

Chemistry : Atranorin and zeorin.

N: Three Kings Is to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. St: On twigs and bark of trees and shrubs. Widespread in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions viz. Great Britain, Europe, Japan, East Africa, Réunion, North America, Mexico, South America, Hawai'i, Fiji, New Caledonia, and Australia (Kurokawa 1962, 1973; Yoshimura 1974; Swinscow & Krog 1976, 1988; Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Moberg & Purvis 1997; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Brodo et al. 2001; Coppins 2002b; Moberg & Nash 2002; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Geiser et al. 2004; Moberg 2004a, 2004b; Santesson et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Fée (1825: tab. II, fig. 23 – as Borrera boryi); Martin & Child (1972: 43 pl. 2 – as Anaptychia leucomela); Yoshimura (1974: pl. 3, fig. 13 – as Anaptychia boryi); Swinscow & Krog (1976b: 125, fig. 2B – as Heterodermia leucomela ssp. boryi); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 143 – as Heterodermia leucomelos); Brodo et al. (2001: 339, fig. 364); Moberg (2004a: 457, fig. 2); Dobson (2005: 187).

Heterodermia leucomela is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the entangled mass of elongate, linear lobes with long black marginal cilia; an ecorticate lower surface with thickened, corticate margins and subapical soralia.