Flora of New Zealand Series

Type : Teloschistes flavicans (Sw.) Norman [=Lichen flavicans Sw.]

Teloschistes, a genus of c. 22 species, after the separation of some taxa to Seirophora Poelt (Søchting & Frödén 2002; Frödén & Lassen 2004), is included in the family Teloschistaceae (Eriksson et al. 2004; Pennycook & Galloway 2004; Eriksson 2005). In full sunlight the species are conspicuous, bright orange-yellow lichens, being readily recognised and frequently collected, especially from urban environments and habitats with some degree of nutrient enrichment such as farms, orchards, bird perches etc. T. chrysophthalmus was recorded from Colenso's North I. collections (as Parmelia chrysophthalma) by Babington (1855) and Hooker (1867), and for many years was the sole species of the genus known from New Zealand. In the 20th century, Hillmann described an alpine, saxicolous species, T. fasciculatus, from southern New Zealand (Hillmann 1938) and this species, plus two others, was recorded in Zahlbruckner (1941). In the first modern study of the genus in New Zealand, Murray (1960b) recorded six species (plus many ecotypic forms of no, or doubtful, taxonomic significance) including a new species from northern New Zealand, T. xanthorioides. The Flora treatment (Galloway 1985a) largely recapitulates Murray's view of the genus, but without accepting any infraspecific taxa. Increased collecting and study of populations of Teloschistes over the past 40 years, both in New Zealand and worldwide, have led to modern reassessments of species limits, and a detailed taxonomic study of taxa from Australasia by Patrik Frödén (Lund) is presently nearing its conclusion. A preliminary report (Frödén 2000) records eight taxa from Australasia, five of which are endemic to the region, making it an area of species diversity in the genus. In New Zealand seven species are recognised. An additional species that is at present known only from a few Fiordland specimens (Lake Wapiti) may be separated in the future (P. Frödén , pers. comm.). Useful information on the genus is given in the following accounts: Hillmann (1930), Filson (1969), Honegger (1978a), Bellemére et al. (1986a), Almborn (1989, 1992), Poelt & Petuschnig (1992a), Gilbert & Purvis (1996), Søchting & Frödén (2002), Frödén & Lassen (2004), Frödén et al. (2004). [I am particularly grateful to Dr Patrik Frödén (Lund) for his considerable help with this account.]