Flora of New Zealand Series

L. pecten F. Wilson, J. Linn. Soc. Lond. Bot. 28: 358 (1891).

Holotype: New Zealand. Ad cortices, Greymouth. Richard Helms, 1886, H-NYL 41461!

Thallus lobate, erect to semi-erect, pulvinate, 1-3(-18) cm diam., lead grey to bluish, red-brown at apices, often ± totally brownish, corticolous or saxicolous. Lobes orbicular, 1-4 mm wide, margins irregularly incised, ragged to lobulate or denticulate, crowded, subascending. Upper surface smooth to ± uneven, not noticeably wrinkled or plicate, ± densely isidiate. Isidia squamiform, marginal and laminal, crowded. Lower surface smooth to finely wrinkled-plicate, glabrous, rarely isidiate, concolorous with upper surface or paler. Apothecia rare, sessile to subpedicellate, disc plane, pale red-brown, 0.5-1 mm diam., immarginate. Ascospores subellipsoid, submuriform, 3-4 transverse septa and 1 longitudinal septum, apices rounded to pointed, 16-24 × 6-9 µm.

N: Three Kings Is, Kapiti I. Sine loco (Colenso BM). S: Westland (Greymouth), Canterbury (Cave Stream, Kirkliston Ra.), Otago (Saddle Hill near Dunedin); coastal to 2100 m.

Australasian

Characterised by a small, dark cushion-like thallus. In early accounts of New Zealand lichens this species was named L. scotinum (=L. sinuatum) however the Southern Hemisphere material differs from this Northern Hemisphere plant in the smaller spores, and the lack of distinctly irregular wrinkles on the upper surface.