Flora of New Zealand Series

B. tabacodes (Zahlbr.) Hafellner, Lichenologist 15: 264 (1983).

* Account prepared by Dr J. Hafellner (Graz, Austria).

Lecidea tabacodes Zahlbr., Cat. lich. univ. 3: 835 (1925).

L. tabacina Krempelh. Verhandl. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien 26: 455 (1876) non Schaerer.

Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco (prob. Wellington) C. Knight 1883. G. Isotypes in H-NYL 18028, M,W.

Thallus grey-white to creamy, matt, thin, smooth or encrusting epiphytes on bark, spreading, to 10 cm diam., over epiphytic bryophytes and ferns, also directly on bark. Apothecia to 2.5 mm diam., sessile, constricted at base, plane or becoming subconvex, distinctly marginate, discs and margins concolorous, rusty brown, older apothecia often blackened, with rust-brown granular pruina. Excipulum biatorine. Hypothecium colourless to brownish c. 50 µm tall. Hymenium colourless 180-220 µm tall, covered with brown anthraquinone crystals. Asci and paraphyses as in genus description. Ascospores 1 per ascus, colourless, muriform, ellipsoid, (90-)100-140 × 30-50 µm.

N: North Auckland (Radar Bush) to Wellington. S: Westland (Fox Glacier) to Fiordland (Dusky Sound). Among epiphytes on tree trunks (Agathis, Dacrydium, Nothofagus, Weinmannia) in lowland and coastal forest. It is readily distinguished from B. fuscolutea by the rust-brown apothecia and the differing habitat ecology.

Endemic