Lecidea capensis
=[Lecidea ochroidea Stizenb., Ber Tätigk. St Gall. Naturwiss. Ges. 1889–90: 159 (1891) non. Ach., Methodus: 72 (1803)].
Description : Thallus areolate to squamulose–areolate, in patches to 11 cm diam., 0.3–1.1 mm thick. Prothallus black, between areolae or not developed. Surface areolate, areolae angular to irregularly angular, plane to convex, pale-brown to brown, smooth to shining, 0.5–1.5(–2.5) mm diam.; epinecral layer 15–60 μm thick. Medulla I−. Apothecia irregular to rounded, scattered to crowded, sessile to subimmersed, constricted at base, 0.5–1(–1.8) mm diam. Disc plane to subconvex, black, matt sometimes white-pruinose, margins distinct, persistent, black, matt to rarely shining. Hypothecium dark-brown, 120–300 μm thick, subhymenial layer colourless, 15–35 μm thick. Hymenium (40–)45–55(–70) μm tall, colourless, pale-grey to reddish, I+ blue to brown; epithecium greenish-black to brown-black, 8–18 μm thick. Asci 35–45 × 7.5–10 μm, tholus 7–9 μm thick. Ascospores ellipsoidal to oblong–ellipsoidal, (7–)8.5–12.5(–14) × (3–)4–4.5(–5.5) μm. Pycnidia immersed, 110–140 × 70–100 μm. Conidia (5–)6–8.4(–11) × 1–1.2 μm.
Chemistry : Thallus and medulla K−, C−, KC−, Pd−: containing 2'- O -methylperlatolic acid. (Rambold 1989: 168–169).
S: Nelson (Kaihoka coast). On rocks in coastal forest. Known also from South Africa, and Australia (Hertel 1989b; Rambold 1989; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).
Western Pacific
Illustration : Rambold (1989: 169, fig. 16).
Lecidea capensis is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the large, areolate thallus; convex, shining, pale-brown to yellow-brown areolae with an epinecral layer (reminiscent of L. fuscoatra (L.) Ach.); apothecia with ±pruinose discs; I− medulla; and 2'- O -methylperlatolic acid as major secondary compound.
