Flora of New Zealand Series

Lichen cocciferus L., Sp. Pl.: 1151 (1753).

Primary squamules persistent or disappearing, to 12 × 5 mm, irregularly crenate-incised or lobed, upper surface yellowish to glaucescent-olive, lower surface white to rarely yellowish, base orange to blackish-brown, esorediate. Podetia to 55 mm tall, normally shorter, cups broad, shallow, goblet-shaped, flaring gradually, simple or with marginal proliferations bearing apothecia or more rarely a second tier of cups. Cortex yellowish to glaucescent, subcontinuous at base becoming verrucose-areolate above, verruculae continuous or dispersed, esorediate, ± squamulose, decorticate parts opaque, white to yellow-white. Apothecia large, red. Chemistry: Cortex K-, KC+ yellow-orange, Pd-. Two chemodemes present, (i) Barbatic, ± 4-O-demethyl barbatic and usnic acids; (ii) Zeorin, ± porphyrillic, ± conporphyrillic and usnic acids.

N: South of Lake Taupo. S: St: Throughout, on subalpine peat soils and decaying stumps, ± common in Nothofagus forests and on coastal peat bogs near Foveaux Strait.

Cosmopolitan