Flora of New Zealand Series

P. murrayi Elix & A.W.Archer, in J.A. Elix, W.M. Malcolm & A.W. Archer, Mycotaxon 53: 276 (1995).

Holotype: New Zealand. Otago [Westland sic], Routeburn Hut, Routeburn Track, on beech trunk, i.1952, J. Murray s.n. – OTA 819.

Description : Thallus off-white, areolate, surface smooth and dull, without isidia or soredia. Apothecia verruciform, inconspicuous, scattered, concolorous with thallus, flattened-hemispherical, not constricted at base, 0.4–0.8 mm diam., becoming split and torn to reveal black epithecium. Ascospores 2 per ascus, ellipsoidal, smooth (125–)130–162 × 50–65 μm.

Chemistry : K−, C−, KC−, Pd−; containing gyrophoric acid (major), lecanoric acid (tr.) and orsellinic acid (tr.) (Elix et al. 1995b: 276).

S: Otago (Routeburn). Known only from the type collection.

Endemic

Illustration : Elix et al. (1995b: 277, fig. 4).

Pertusaria murrayi is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the torn verrucae revealing the epithecium of the apothecia below. It is distinguished from P. celata by the 2-spored asci and the absence of salazinic and norstictic acids.