Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lecidea erratica Körb., Parerga Lich.: 223 (1861).

=Lecidea chalybeiza Nyl., Flora 50: 440 (1867).

≡Micarea chalybeiza (Nyl.) Hertel, Beih. Nova Hedwigia 79: 455 (1984).

=Lecidea nigrescens C.Knight, Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, Bot. 1: 276 (1877).

=Lecidea sylvicolella Nyl., Lich. Nov. Zel.: 108 (1888).

Lecidea chalybeiza. Holotype: New Zealand. Otago "ad saxa, ex herb. Jones" – H-NYL 20312 [In the Flora (1985: 227) I indicated that the type of L. chalybeiza was collected in Otago by Admiral Theobald Jones. This however, is incorrect as pointed out by Mitchell (1996: 43) who states "...In a letter to Nylander of 24 November 1866 (Nylander correspondence, University of Helsinki Library), Jones mentioned that he had been sent some lichens by 'A young Friend from Otago' and promised to forward them, which he did on 4 February 1867. Nylander (1867) described 2 new species on the basis of this material, 'ex hb. Jones'." The identity of Jones's Otago collector is not known, but could possibly have been John Buchanan, who was collecting Otago lichens at this time].

Lecidea nigrescens. Isotype. New Zealand. Sine loco [probably Wellington], Charles Knight s.n. – BM, M.

Lecidea sylvicolella. Holotype: New Zealand. Westland, Greymouth, "lapidicola cum L. atroflavella", 1886, Richard Helms 252 – H-NYL 10640 pr. p.

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 227 – as Lecidea chalybeiza). See also Rambold (1989: 228–229).

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

N: S: Throughout on small, waterworn pebbles and stones on stream sides and beaches. Known also from Great Britain, Scandinavia, North America, North and Central Europe, Java, Australia and Chile (Rambold 1989: 229; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Scholz 2000; Coppins 2002b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Dobson (2000: 232; 2005: 270).

Micarea erratica is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the dark-grey or grey-blue thallus of small, dispersed granules, appearing as a greyish stain on waterworn pebbles and rocks; minute, black apothecia, 0.2–0.3 mm diam.; a thin, green-black epithecium; and simple ascospores, 5–8.5 × 2.5–3.5 μm.