Flora of New Zealand Series

X. imitatrix (Taylor) O.Blanco, A.Crespo, Elix, D.Hawksw. & Lumbsch, Taxon 53 (4): 968 (2004).

≡Parmelia imitatrix Taylor, Lond. J. Bot. 6: 161 (1847).

≡Neofuscelia imitatrix (Taylor) Essl., Mycotaxon 7: 50 (1978).

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 303–304 – as Neofuscelia imitatrix). See also Elix (1994k: 73).

Chemistry : Cortex K−, HNO3+ dark blue-green; medulla K−, C− or C+ very pale yellow, KC+ rose-red, Pd−, UV−; containing physodic acid (major), 4- O -methylphysodic acid (tr.) and unidentified compounds.

N: Gisborne (Mt Hikurangi). S: Nelson (Lake Cobb), Canterbury (Arthur's Pass), Otago (Mt St Mary, West Matukituki Valley, Mt Earnslaw, Alexandra, Maungatua). On alpine rocks, 800–1500 m. Widely distributed in the Southern Hemisphere including southern Africa, Australia, and southern South America (Esslinger 1986b; Elix 1994k; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Adler & Calvelo 2002; Kantvilas et al. 2002; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Austral

Xanthoparmelia imitatrix is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the loosely to moderately adnate thallus; the dark-brown to black lower surface; and medullary physodic acid. It is a member of the X. pulla agg. A large percentage of specimens from New Zealand have distinctly reticulate ridged and pitted upper surfaces, but there is a complete intergrade between ridged and plane forms (Esslinger 1986b).