Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lecanora subparellina (Nyl.) Hue, Nouv. Archs Mus. Hist. Nat. Paris, sér. 3, 3: 59 (1891).

Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco, W. Colenso 4734 – H-NYL 23869.

Description : Flora (1985: 408).

Chemistry : Thallus K−, C+ red, KC+ red, Pd−; containing gyrophoric acid.

N: South Auckland (Lake Rotomahana), Wellington (Desert Road). S: Nelson (Mt Weld), Marlborough (Branch River), Otago (Alexandra, Poolburn Reservoir, Lake Onslow, Sandymount Otago Peninsula), Southland (Mararoa River). A small, soil-encrusting species occurring on open, bare soil; s.l. to 1200 m. It is often found on compacted clay or soil of farm tracks in subalpine to alpine grassland, subject to periodic wetting through runoff and/or where thalli are often baked dry in high temperatures during the day in summer, but moistened with frequent fog in the evenings or early morning. Associating with Dibaeis arcuata and species of Micarea and Mycobilimbia, Peltigera didactyla and Xanthoparmelia in these environments.

Endemic

Illustration : Lamb (1947: pl. VII, fig. 23).

Exsiccati : Vězda (1998a: 3, No. 348).

Placopsis subparellina is characterised by: the terricolous habit; the verrucose-uneven thallus of closely contiguous to somewhat scattered, convex squamules, 0.2–1 mm diam., forming compacted patches 1–4 cm diam., without a marginal prothallus; scattered, lumpy, convex, sessile cephalodia, 0.5–1.5 mm diam., often overgrown by thalline squamules, their surface wrinkled, without pruina; rather rare, sessile apothecia, 1–2.5(–3) mm diam., the disc plane to concave, dark red-brown, with a thin white pruina; thalline margins persistent, white-pruinose; asci cylindrical, 90–120 × 12–17 μm; and ascospores biseriate in ascus, fusiform–ellipsoidal, (15–) 17–21(–24) × 5–6 (–7.5) μm.