Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Phlyctella megalospora P.James in D.J. Galloway, N. Z. J. Bot. 21: 195 (1983).

Holotype: New Zealand. Canterbury, Nina Valley near Lewis Pass, on bark of Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides, 11.ix.1981, P.W. James – BM.

Description : Flora (1985: 387 – as Phlyctella megalospora).

Chemistry : Thallus K+ yellow, C−, KC−, Pd+ yellow; containing atranorin, psoromic, neopsoromic and protocetraric (±) acids.

S: Canterbury (Nina Valley, Boyle River). Overgrowing bryophytes on Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides, rarely on rock, in moist, humid habitats.

Endemic

Illustrations : Galloway & Guzmán Grimaldi (1988: 395 fig. 2B); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 177).

Exsiccati : Vězda (1997h: no. 338).

Phlyctis megalospora is characterised by: the bryophilous/saxicolous habit: the arachnoid–byssoid, white thallus; apothecia in subglobose to flattened pustules, the discs grey-white-pulverulent; 1-spored asci; large, oblong–ellipsoidal ascospores with rounded apices, 17–21(–23)-septate, cells thin-walled, lenticular, 285–390 × 75–95 μm; and a chemistry of atranorin, psoromic, neopsoromic and protocetraric acids. An undescribed sorediate species, similar to P. megalospora but containing psoromic and 2- O -demethylpsoromic acids is also known from the type locality of P. megalospora, but is in need of further collection and study.