Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Parmelia sorocheila Vain., Hedwigia 38: 123 (1899).

≡Cetrariastrum sorocheilum (Vain.) W.L.Culb., & C.F.Culb., Bryologist 84: 292 (1981).

Description : Flora (1985: 83–84 – as Cetrariastrum sorocheilum). See also Elix (1994f: 39).

Chemistry : Cortex K+ yellow; medulla K+ yellow→red, C−, KC+ red, Pd+ orange; containing atranorin, chloroatranorin, salazinic acid (major), consalazinic acid and protolichesterinic acid.

N: Northland (Whangarei), South Auckland (King Country) to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. St: A: Ant: A characteristic twig species often on divaricating shrubs in successional habitats, but also known from bark of exotic trees in plantations (e.g. on the trunks of Nothofagus menziesii in humid habitats as at Hanmer Forest). Generally in shaded, humid habitats. Known also from North, Central, and South America, Africa, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Australia (Hale 1976a; Sipman 1980; Culberson & Culberson 1981; Swinscow & Krog 1988; Elix 1994f; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Kurokawa 1999b; Kurokawa & Lai 2001; Nash et al. 2002a; Wolseley et al. 2002; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Palaeotropical

Illustrations : Sipman (1980: pl. 2A); Culberson & Culberson (1981: 293, fig. 13 – as Cetrariastrum sorocheilum); Elix (1994f: 38, fig. 35B); Kurokawa 1999b: 253, fig. 2B – as Parmelia sorocheila).

Everniastrum sorocheilum is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the strap-like lobes, which are frequently subcanaliculate; the long, simple or dichotomously branched black cilia; and salazinic acid in the medulla.