Flora of New Zealand Series

Thallus unattached, small-foliose, dichotomously branching, dorsiventral when wet, rounded into a ball when dry. Upper surface smooth, yellow-green (usnic acid). Lower surface pale yellow, smooth or wrinkled, lacking any organs of attachment. Apothecia rare, sessile, laminal. Ascospores colourless, simple, 8 per ascus.

Chondropsis is a monotypic genus in the family Parmeliacae found only in the Southern Hemisphere in Australia (including Tasmania, where it is rare) and New Zealand on arid soils [Galloway N.Z. J. Bot. 18: 528-529 (1981)]. For synonymy see Bibby [ Muelleria 1: 60 (1955)].

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* Chondropsis Nyl., is a later homonym of Chondropsis Rafinesque, and is in need of conservation, see, Cannon and Hawksworth [ Taxon 32: 475-476 (1983)].