Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen euplocus Ach., Lichenogr. suec. prod.: 141 (1799) ["1798"].

=Heppia spectabilis Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 271 (1941).

Heppia spectabilis. Lectotype: New Zealand. Northland, Hen I., on cliff face, 15.xi.1933, L.M. Cranwell ZA25 – CHR 241712 [fide Galloway (1985a: 367)].

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 367). See also Büdel (2001a: 28).

N: Northland (Hen I.). S: Marlborough, Canterbury (Mackenzie Country), Otago (Central Otago). St: (Deceit Peaks). On acidic rocks, cliff faces or dry soil, coastal and inland in arid areas. In habitats exposed to full sun as well as in partly shaded sites (overhangs) subject to intermittent water flow. Known also from Scandinavia where it is rare and threatened in Norway and Sweden (Santesson 1993; Tønsberg et al. 1996; Thor & Arvidsson 1999), Europe (Büdel 1987a; Egea 1989; Nimis & martellos 2003), Africa (Swinscow & Krog 1979b, 1988; Büdel 1987a; Becker 2002), Canary Is (Swinscow 1982), North America (Wetmore 1971; Goward et al. 1994b; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Büdel & Nash 2002), South America and Easter I. (Büdel 1987a), Japan (Yoshimura 1974) and Australia (Filson 1988; Büdel 2001a: 28; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Cosmopolitan:

Illustrations : Yoshimura (1974: pl. 42, fig. 426); Filson & Rogers (1979: 94, fig. 18B); Swinscow & Krog (1979b: 218, fig. 3); Büdel (1987a: pls 33–35, 125–148; 1987b: 213, fig. 8); Swinscow & Krog (1988: 206, fig. 97); Büdel & Lange (1994: 264, fig. 1; 265, figs 5,6); Goward et al. (1994b: 106); Wirth (1995a: 692); Thor & Arvidsson (1999: 300); Flora of Australia 58A (2001: xv, pl. 17); Brodo et al. (2001: 524, pl. 623); Becker (2002: 251, fig. 110).

Peltula euploca is characterised by: the terricolous/saxicolous habit; orbicular to irregularly lobulate squamules, to 15 mm diam., plane or slightly undulate to strongly convex, the margins generally donwrolled and sorediate; attached to the substratum by a central umbilicus; immersed apothecia, many per squamule; asci containing 100 or more ascospores; ascospores ellipsoidal to fusiform, 6–8 × 3– 5 μm.