Flora of New Zealand Series

Lichen parellus L., Mant. Pl. 1: 132 (1767).

Thallus white, cream or greyish-white, effuse to subdeterminate, areolate-cracked, areolae irregular 0.1-0.7 mm diam., often convex-humped; saxicolous. Apothecia immersed at first then adnate to sessile, 1-2.5 mm diam., disc concave, rose, white-pruinose, flat, smooth, thalline margin concolorous with thallus, 0.3-0.5 mm thick, swollen, entire, subcrenulate. Ascospores 6-8 per ascus, ellipsoid, 49-55 × 18-22 µm. Chemistry: Cortex K-, C-, KC-, Pd-. Disc K-, C+ red, KC+ red, Pd-. Variolaric acid.

N: Wellington (Ruahine Ra., Tararua Ra.). S: Nelson (St Arnaud Ra., Mt Technical), Canterbury (Eastern foothill ranges and Arthur's Pass, Mt Peel), Otago (Central Otago mountains). C: (Jacquemart I.). An alpine species rock, still rather poorly known in New Zealand.

Cosmopolitan