Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lecanora babingtonii (A.Massal.) Nyl., Bull. Soc. linn. Normandie sér. 2, 2: 69 (1868).

≡Lecania babingtonii (A.Massal.) Müll.Arg., Bull. Herb Boissier 2, App. 1: 50 (1894).

=Haematomma puniceum, sensu Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 349 (1941) non [(Sw.) A.Massal., Atti. I. R. Istit. Veneto ser. 3 (5): 253 (1860)].

=Haematomma puniceum f. rufopallens, sensu Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 350 (1941) non [(Nyl.) Vain., Étude Lich. Brésil I: 73 (1890)].

Holotype: New Zealand. North I., sine loco, W. Colenso, ex Herb. C. Babington – VER.

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 180). See also Rogers & Bartlett (1986: 251) and Staiger & Kalb (1995: 74).

Chemistry : Atranorin, haematommone and pseudoplacodiolic acid (Staiger & Kalb 1995).

N: Northland (Maungataniwha State Forest), Taranaki (Whangamomona Stream), Wellington (Waimarino, Hihitahi, Rangitikei Gorge). S: Nelson (Owen Ra., Mt Arthur), Marlborough (Seaward Valley), Canterbury (Cass, Castle Hill, Pigeon Bay, Montgomery Scenic Reserve Banks Peninsula), Otago (Lindis Pass) to Southland. St: (Halfmoon Bay). Coastal and inland more common in drier, eastern areas, s.l. to 1100 m. A common and prominent epiphyte of Cassinia, Cytisus, Discaria, Hoheria, Juglans, Malus, Melicope, Pittosporum, Ribes, Prunus, Salix and Sophora. Rarely on rocks in streams in subalpine habitats. Parasitised by the lichenicolous fungus * Arthonia haematommatum (Kalb et al. 1995: 201).

Endemic

Exsiccati : Vězda (1999a: No. 384).

Illustrations : Massalongo (1863: tab. II, figs 1–9); Lindsay (1866b: pl. LXII, figs 18,19); Knight (1880: pl. XII, fig. 11 – as Lecanora babingtonii); Rogers & Bartlett (1986: 248, fig. 1B; 253, fig. 5B).

Haematomma babingtonii is characterised by: the white-pruinose apothecial discs (apothecial discs of H. alpinum are epruinose) and the presence of pseudoplacodiolic acid.