Flora of New Zealand Series

Physcia endococcinodes Poelt, Ergebn. Forsch. Unternehmens Nepal Himal. 6: 77 (1974).

Thallus closely attached to substratum, irregular to ± orbicular, 2-5 cm diam., terricolous or saxicolous. Lobes radiating, 0.3-0.5 mm wide, rarely to 1 mm wide, plane or weakly convex, ± imbricate. Upper surface grey-brown to brown, ± shining, without isidia, pruina or soredia. Lower surface black except for pale extreme lobe tips. Rhizines black, projecting slightly from lobe margins or inapparent. Upper and lower cortex paraplectenchymatous, cells isodiametric with dark brown walls in lower cortex. Medulla of loosely interwoven hyphae, with orange pigment (skyrin) present in lower part. Apothecia abundant, sessile, to 1.5 mm diam., concave to plane, disc red-brown, matt, epruinose, margins persistent, crenulate or lobulate, concolorous with thallus. Ascospores with thick walls and rounded to elongate lumina (Pachysporaria -type), 20-26 × 9-12 µm. Chemistry: TLC skyrin and zeorin.

S: Westland (near Haast). On maritime rocks, associating with Pannaria fulvescens, Pseudocyphellaria crocata, Stereocaulon ramulosum and Xanthoparmelia scabrosa.

Pantropical

P. endococcinodes is a characteristic species somewhat reminiscent of Hyperphyscia plinthiza, but is terricolous or saxicolous and has an orange pigment in the medulla which is readily seen when lobes are eroded, damaged or broken. First discovered in New Zealand by J.K. Bartlett near Haast in 1982 but probably more widely distributed and overlooked.