Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. Canterbury, Mt Misery, Cass, upper subalpine belt, 1927, G. Einar & Greta Du Rietz 1468 : 16 – S.

Description : Flora (1985: 403–404).

Chemistry : Thallus K−, C+ red, KC+ red, Pd−; containing gyrophoric acid.

S: Nelson (Mt Arthur, St Arnaud Ra., Mt Lakeman), Canterbury (Phipps Peak, Temple Basin, Arthur's Pass, Craigieburn Ra., Two Thumbs Ra., Sebastopol, Mt Cook National Park, Mt Peel), Otago (Mt Ida, Swampy Hill, Flagstaff Hill Dunedin). On exposed subalpine to high-alpine rocks, 650–2000 m. Associating with Placopsis bicolor, P. dennanensis, P. gelidioides, Umbilicaria cylindrica.

Endemic

Illustrations : Lamb (1947: pl. XV, figs 45, 46); Martin & Child (1972: 116, pl. 28); Malcolm & Malcolm (1989: 92; 2000: 31); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 104).

Placopsis lateritioides is characterised by: the rosette-forming to irregularly spreading, rusty-orange-coloured thallus; and the grey-blue, scattered soralia.