Catillaria kelica (Stirt.) Zahlbr.
Lecidea kelica Stirton, Rep. Trans. Glasgow. Soc. Fld Nat. 1: 18 (1873).
L. stillata Nyl., Lich. N.Z.: 86 (1888).
Lectotype: New Zealand. Near Wellington. J. Buchanan 178, BM! Lecidea stillata. Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco (prob. Wellington). Charles Knight, 1867, H-NYL - not seen.
Thallus pale greenish-grey to greyish-white, thick, continuous to minutely areolate-cracked, areolae smooth or minutely verrucose-papillate, matt or shining, in irregular patches, 2-5(-8) cm diam., corticolous. Apothecia biatorine, sessile, immarginate, 0.1-2.0 mm diam., subconvex, matt, scattered or crowded, rounded to deformed through mutual pressure, mustard yellow to ochre yellow, epruinose. Epithecium dense yellow, 17-22 µm thick. Hymenium 60 µm tall, interspersed with yellow pigment. Hypothecium 20-30 µm thick, pale brownish. Asci I+ blue in upper part or whole ascus blue, with a distinct apical tholus (I+ blue). Ascospores straight or slightly curved, narrowly ellipsoid with pointed ends (15-)18-22(-25) × 3.4-5.1 µm.
N: North Auckland to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. St: Widely distributed on bark of trees and shrubs in coastal or lowland forest.
Endemic
Easily recognised by the distinctive immarginate, yellow fruits. In some 19th century accounts this species was named Lecidea pyrophthalma, Patellaria pyrophthalma, Biatorina pyrophthalma or Catillaria pyrophthalma.
