Parmelinopsis swinscowii
≡Parmelia swinscowii Hale, Phytologia 27: 4 (1973).
≡Hypotrachyna swinscowii (Hale) Krog & Swinscow, Lichenologist 19 (4): 420 (1987).
Description : Thallus loosely attached, pale to dark-grey. Lobes sublinear, subconvex, 1–2 mm wide, partly ascending. Upper cortex fragile, emaculate, sorediate. Soralia subapical, diffusely spreading. Soredia coarse, often brownish, mixed with corticate granules from eroding cortex. Medulla white. Lower surface black, moderately rhizinate. Rhizines fairly long, mainly simple but occasionally bifurcate or repeatedly branched, some growing out horizontally from margins. Apothecia not seen.
Chemistry : Cortex K+ yellow; medulla K+ yellow→red, C−, KC+ red, Pd + orange; containing atranorin and chloroatranorin, salazinic acid (major) and lobaric acid.
S: Nelson (Kerr Bay, Lake Rotoiti). Collected only once in New Zealand (Elix et al. 1991: 4). Known also from Central and South America and East Africa (Swinscow & Krog 1988).
Palaeotropical
Illustrations : Swinscow & Krog (1988: 124, fig. 59 – as Hypotrachyna swinscowii); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 120).
Parmelinopsis swinscowii is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the narrow, sublinear, subconvex lobes; the coarsely sorediate upper surface; the protruding black rhizines on the lower surface; and salazinic acid in the medulla.
