Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen pallescens L., Sp. Pl.: 1142 (1753).

=Lecidea implicata Stirt., Rep. Trans. Glasgow Soc. Field Nat. 1: 19 (1873).

=?Ochrolechia californica f. crenata Verseghy, Beih. Nova Hedwigia 1: 113 (1962).

Lecidea implicata. Isotype: New Zealand. Wellington, John Buchanan B17 – WELT.

Ochrolechia californica f. crenata. Holotype: New Zealand. Auckland, on Avicennia officinalis, 1933, H.H. Allan – W.

Description : Flora (1985: 322).

Chemistry : Cortex K−, C+ rose, KC+ rose, Pd−; apothecial disc K−, C+ rose, KC+ red, Pd−; containing gyrophoric acid.

N: Northland (Te Paki, Awanui Swamp, Poor Knights Is., Whangarei, Tokatoka), Auckland (Rangitoto), South Auckland (Moerangi), Hawke's Bay (Ball's Clearing), Wellington (Silica Springs Track, Ohakune, Desert Road, Kapiti I., Rimutaka Ra.). S: Nelson (Kaihoka Lakes, Cobb Lake), Marlborough (Resolution Bay), Canterbury (Arthur's Pass, Broken River), Otago (Rees Valley, Silver Peaks), Southland. St: (Islet Cove Port Pegasus). On bark of trees in forest, especially Avicennia marina, Coprosma, Leptospermum scoparium, Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides, Weinmannia racemosa and in subalpine scrub (Dracophyllum longifolium) and maritime scrub. Associating commonly with Buellia griseovirens, Lecidella elaeochroma and Menegazzia neozelandica. Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, being known from Great Britain, W Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, Mexico, Chile, Hawai'i, Marquesas, New Caledonia, Norfolk I., and Australia (Verseghy 1962; Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Elix & McCarthy 1998; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Coppins 2002b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004).

Bipolar

Illustrations : Ozenda & Clauzade (1970: 546, fig. 453); Foucard (1990: pl. 223); Wirth (1995a: 615); Malcolm & Malcolm (2000: 96, 106); Lumbsch et al. (2001: 23).

Ochrolechia pallescens is characterised by: the corticolous habit; whitish or cream or greyish, continuous, wrinkled, irregularly warted or granular to diffract–areolate thallus; large (2–3 mm diam.), scattered apothecia with entire, swollen margins and densely white-pruinose discs (C+ rose); and ovoid ascospores, 49–58 × 25– 30 μm.