Flora of New Zealand Series

P. simulans Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 334 (1941), non Malme [Ark. Bot. 28A (9): 19 (1936)].

Holotype: New Zealand. Otago, Silver Peaks near Dunedin. On rocks in tussock grassland October, 1933, J.S. Thomson ZA 3890, W!

Thallus thick, chalky-white or dingy creamish, areolate-cracked, areolae angular, convex, lumpy, separated by deep or shallow cracks, 0.3-1.0 mm diam. Fertile verrucae concolorous with thallus, 1-4 mm diam., rounded to irregular, ± hemispherical, apex flattened. Apothecia 1-12 per verruca, immersed, ostiole black, punctiform impressed, 0.01-0.02 mm diam. Asci clavate 1-spored. Ascospores broadly ellipsoid, 174-304.5 × 70-95 µm, wall 17-21 µm thick, to 52 µm thick at ends, complex, double. Chemistry: K+ yellow → red, C-, KC+ red, Pd+ orange. Norstictic acid.

S: Known only from the type collection.

Endemic

P. otagoana is related to P. subverrucosa but is 1-spored.