Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Sphaerophorus flaccidus Kantvilas & Wedin. Nova Hedwigia 54 : 494 (1992). 

Description : Thallus decumbent, normally forming loosely pendent tufts of rather scattered branches. Fertile branches markedly flattened, 30–70(–85) mm long, (1.5–)2–3.5(–3.8) mm wide, sparingly branched, sparsely dichotomously divided 0–2–4 times, and with occasional, lateral, flattened, usually neatly tapering branchlets to 7 mm long and 1 mm wide. Upper surface greyish green, occasionally olivaceous, yellow-green, smooth, sometimes weakly wrinkled over apothecia. Lower surface white, mainly smooth to undulate, rarely weakly faveolate on oldest branches. Apothecia sparse to frequent, normally slightly broader than the branches, (2–)2.5–4.5(–5.5) mm diam., terminal or ventral through extension of main branch with later production of apothecia on extending branchlets, margins of thalline receptacle entire, later flaring, commonly with 3–5 flattened, tapering branchlets on margins of older apothecia, giving a palmate appearance. Mazedium exposed ventrally early in development, prominent, often large. Ascospores pale to dark reddish brown, (9–)10–12.5(–14) μm. Pycnidia rare, in apices or along underside of terminal branchlets. Conidia oblong, slightly thickened at ends 3–4 × 1–1.5 μm.

Chemistry : Medulla K−, Pd+ red; containing protocetraric acid, ascomatic acid and methyl ascomatate (Wedin 1995b, 2001a: 6).

N: Northland (Tutamoe to Little Barrier I.). S: Westland (W of Turiwhate). In lowland coastal forest. Still rather rarely collected in New Zealand. Known also from western Tasmania from where it was first collected and described (Wedin 1995b, 2001a; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Australasian

Illustrations : Wedin (1995b: 48, fig. 16A); Flora of Australia58A (2001: xi, pl. 4).

Bunodophoron flaccidum is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the sparingly branched thallus with a decumbent, flaccid growth habit, and often with flattened marginal branchlets of older apothecia appearing distinctively palmate. Together with B. murrayi and B. palmatum, it is one of the few taxa to have protocetraric acid, but lack sphaerophorin.