Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Neuropogon pseudocapillaris (F.J.Walker) D.J.Galloway, DSIR Land Res. Sci. Rept 26: 7 (1992).

Holotype: New Zealand. Otago, Humboldt Mountains, Mt Nox, 1950 m, 31.xii.1969, D.J. Galloway s.n. – CHR 343226. Isotype – BM.

Description : Thallus 2–3 cm long (rarely to 4–5 cm), arising from a delimited, ±pigmented holdfast; erect to subpendulous or subdecumbent. Branching extensive, divergent, ±dichotomous, with numerous delicate, capillary, spreading branches, 0.1–0.3 mm diam., and short, deflexed laterals, lacking fibrils. Branches terete, yellow-green, ±continuously pigmented or variegated violaceous-black towards apices. Cortex thin. Surface smooth, waxy, without papillae, easily fracturing, forming ±regular, black-edged annulations. Medulla sublax towards axis, axis occupying 0.3–0.5 of the branch diam. Soralia small, punctiform, plane to concave or eroded. Soredia farinose, unpigmented. Apothecia rare, immature, as in U. subcapillaris.

Chemistry : Cortex K−; medulla K+ yellow-red, C−, KC+ red, Pd+ orange-red; containing usnic acid, norstictic acid, salazinic acid, and ±protocetraric acid.

S: Nelson (Kakapo Peak, Douglas Ra.), Canterbury (Mt Ward), Otago (Young Ra., Mt Jumbo, Wilkin Valley, Pope's Nose near Mt Aspiring, Mt Roy Wanaka, Park Pass, Mt Amphion, Mt Nox, Sugarloaf Saddle, Mt Earnslaw). On rock outcrops, 1200–2590 m.

Endemic

Illustration : Walker (1985: 91, fig. 27).

Usnea pseudocapillaris is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; its spreading to subdecumbent, richly branched thallus with numerous, fragile, divergent, flexuous-capillary secondary branches; with small, unpigmented soralia on secondary branches; a waxy, pigmented-annulate surface; a sublax medulla; and a chemistry comprising usnic acid with norstictic, salazinic and (±)protocetraric acids. It is the sorediate counterpart of U. subcapillaris.