Flora of New Zealand Series

Parmelia minuta Esslinger, J. Hattori bot. Lab. 42: 125 (1977).

Holotype (fide Esslinger, 1977): New Zealand. South Auckland, Mt. Tarawera. A.E. Wade, 1966, BM.

Thallus ± subcrustose, closely appressed or slightly raised at periphery, rather tightly adnate, 2 cm diam., saxicolous. Lobes 0.25-0.6 mm broad, ± flat, somewhat elongate and sinuous, discrete to contiguous. Upper surface reddish-brown, slightly paler and more yellow at apices, smooth at periphery, becoming wrinkled and fissured centrally, developing small, irregular papillae and lobules, dull centrally, shining at apices and on central lobules, without isidia. Lower surface dark brown to black, smooth to weakly wrinkled, dull, sparsely rhizinate. Rhizines concolorous with lower surface, to 0.2 mm long. Apothecia absent. Pycnidia rare. Conidia 5.5-7 × 1 µm. Chemistry: Cortex K-, HNO3+ dark blue-green; medulla K-, C+ rose, KC+ rose, Pd-. Gyrophoric acid.

N: South Auckland, known only from the type collection.

Endemic

Although gyrophoric acid is a common accessory compound in Neofuscelia, only in N. minuta is it the major medullary compound. N. minuta is distinguished by chemistry and its small size, and by characteristic central lobules which should not be confused with isidia.