Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen pubescens L. Sp. Pl. 2 : 1155 (1753). 

Description : Flora (1985: 420).

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

N: Gisborne (Mt Hikurangi), Hawke's Bay (Mt Kaweka), Wellington (Mt Ruapehu). S: Nelson (upper Cobb Valley, St Arnaud Ra.), Marlborough (Gordon Stream, Waihopai Pass), Canterbury (Craigieburn Ra.), E of the Main Divide to Otago (The Remarkables and Central Otago mountains). St: (Mt Anglem). On rock in fellfield debris and on rock outcrops, 900–2200 m. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, the Arctic, North America (Brodo & Hawksworth 1977; Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Elvebakk & Hertel 1997; Goward 1999; Ryan 2002d; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004), Charcot I. (Convey et al. 2000); South Georgia and maritime Antarctica (Filson 1974b; Øvstedal & Lewis Smith 2001; Søchting et al. 2004), SE Australia and Tasmania (Kantvilas 1994b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Bipolar

Illustrations : Lamb (1959: pl. X, fig. 34; 1964: 26, fig. 8; pl. VIIIA, B); Filson (1974b: 33, fig. 9); Brodo & Hawksworth (1977: 18, fig. 13A); Wardle (1979: 134, fig. 51A); Moberg & Holmåsen (1982: 106); Thomson (1984: 374); Wirth (1987: 398; 1995a: 177, pl. 28C; 1995b: 781); Dobson (1992: 282; 2005: 368); Hansen (1995: 58); McCune & Gieser (1997: 249); Goward (1999: 204. fig. 1B); Brodo et al. (2001: 588, pl. 711); Øvstedal & Lewis Smith (2001: pl. 68); Kantvilas et al. (2002: 4, 143).

Pseudephebe pubescens is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the prostrate, felted, mat-like, spreading thallus (3–10(–12) cm diam.), of loosely entangled, black, or brown-black, dichotomously to complexly branching, terete branches that are rarely flattened. It is distinguished from P. minuscula by its terete branches, stouter habit and wider main stems. It is also a larger, more straggling lichen.