Flora of New Zealand Series

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 90); Tibell (1987: 115).

Chemistry : Thallus K−, C−, KC−, Pd−; no secondary compounds detected.

N: Gisborne (Mt Honokawa) to Wellington (S of National Park). S: Canterbury (Arthur's Pass), Otago (Cameron Flat near Makarora). On lignum of silver and black beech, in fairly well lit and moderately humid sites, 360–940 m. Widely distributed in cool temperate to temperate regions in the Northern Hemisphere (Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, North America) and also from South America (Tibell 1999c: 39; Hermansson & Pystina 2004; Tibell & Ryan 2004b).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Tibell (1987: 115, fig. 82; 1999c: 85; 2002: 74, fig. 1E–F; 75, fig. 2D–F); Goward (1999: 81, fig. 18A).

Chaenotheca xyloxena is characterised by: its immersed thallus, the rather slender apothecia, the thick, white pruina on the lower side of the exciple and on the upper part of the stalk, on the thickened outer part of the exciple, and in the association with Stichococcus.