Flora of New Zealand Series

P. graphica C.Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 8: 313 (1876). Trans. Linn Soc. ser. 2, Bot. 1: 275 (1877).

=Pertusaria dinota Stirt., Proc. phil. Soc. Glasgow 10: 296 (1877).

=Pertusaria graphica f. tardiva Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 333 (1941).

=Pertusaria thomsoniana Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss Kl. 104: 336 (1941).

Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco [probably Wellington], Charles Knight 4.ix.1875, No. 2. – WELT [Herb. Knight Vol. 32, p. 14].

Pertusaria dinota. Lectotype: New Zealand. Near Wellington, 1874, J. Buchanan no. 67/74 – BM [fide Galloway (1985a: 374)]. Isolectotype – OTA, WELT.

Pertusaria graphica f. tardiva. Holotype: New Zealand. Southland, Pahia Point, on coastal rock J.S. Thomson T2258A [H 15] – W. Isotypes – CHR 160072A–D, OTA 047402.

Pertusaria thomsoniana. Lectotype here selected: New Zealand. Otago, Goat I. near Dunedin, [Jan. 1934], on coastal rock, J.S. Thomson T1033 [ZA 304] – CHR 374707. Isolectotype – OTA 030244.

Description : Flora (1985: 374).

Chemistry : K+ yellow→red, C−, KC+ red, Pd+ orange; containing norstictictic and connorstictic acids.

N: S: St: Sn: Ch: (SW of Waitangi). A: C: B: Ant.: Throughout on coastal rocks at high tide mark, common and visually striking. Forming spreading, uniform colonies and/or mixed communities on the tops and sides of rocks and boulders. Often a dominant component of the "grey-white zone" at high tide mark and associating with Caloplaca circumlutosa, Carbonea phaeostoma, Opegrapha diaphoriza, Rinodina thiomela, Tephromela atra, Tylothallia pahiensis. The beetle genus Antarcticodomus is commonly associated with P. graphica communities in southern New Zealand and the subantarctic islands (Dr John Marris, pers. comm.).

Endemic

Exsiccati : Vězda (1982a: No. 1832).

Illustrations : Knight (1876: pl. XI, fig. 2; 1877: pl. XXVII, fig. 2); Moore & Irwin (1978: 15, fig. 9); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 103).

Pertusaria graphica is characterised by: the saxicolous (coastal rocks) habit; the thick, chalky-white to buff or greyish buff thallus; fertile verrucae with 1–5 apothecia per verruca; 4-spored asci; uniseriate ascospores, 60–90(–115) × 30–45 μm; and the presence of norstictic acid. Snares material identified by Carroll Dodge as Chiodecton macquariensis C.W.Dodge (Fineran 1969: 246) is referable to P. graphica.