Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen aromaticus Sm. in J.E. Smith and J. Sowerby, Engl. Bot. 25: tab. 1777 (1807).

=Lecidea amphitropa Nyl., Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 9: 256 (1866).

≡Thalloidima amphitropum (Nyl.) Müll.Arg., Bull. Herb. Boissier 2, App. 1: 46 (1894).

≡Toninia amphitropa (Nyl.) Hellb., Bihang K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 21 (3/13): 93 (1896).

Lecidea amphitropa. Holotype: New Zealand. Otago, on ground near Dunedin, 30.x.1861, W.L. Lindsay – H-NYL 20148. Isotype – E.

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 582). See also Timdal (1991: 40–41).

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

N: Northland (Waipu Cove, Warkworth, Leigh), Auckland (Karekare), Hawke's Bay (Te Mata Peak, SE of Havelock North) S: Nelson (Kaihoka), Marlborough (Kaikoura), Canterbury (Nape Nape, Weka Pass), Otago (near Dunedin), Southland (Clifden, Castle Rock near Dipton). Ch: ("Big Bush" near quarry). On limestone and coastal rocks. Widespread in the Northern Hemisphere, including, Great Britain, Europe Scandinavia, Asia, North Africa, Macaronesia, North and Central America, and in Australia (Timdal 1991, 2002c; Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Scholz 2000; Llimona & Hladun 2001;Coppins 2002b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004; Elvebakk & Bjerke 2006).

?Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Timdal (1991: 40, fig. 12); Dobson (1992: 333; 2000: 381; 2005: 429).

Toninia aromatica is characterised by: the saxicolous (basicolous) habit; a thallus of congested, dark-grey to blackish, verrucose to nodular-papillate, or hummocky squamules; sessile, black, marginate, epruinose plane apothecia; a bright-green to dark-green epithecium (K−, N+ violet); a dark reddish brown hypothecium; and ellipsoidal to oblong-cylindrical, 1–3-septate ascospores, 13–25 × 4–6 μm.