Flora of New Zealand Series

Parmelia neotinctina Elix, Aust. J. Bot. 29: 363 (1981).

Holotype: New Zealand. North Auckland, Karekare Beach, on andesitic conglomerate. J. Bartlett, 8 October, 1977, CHR 314047!

Thallus foliose, lobate, loosely attached, 5-12 cm diam., saxicolous. Lobes variable, broad, rounded, to 5 mm diam., to narrow (1-2 mm diam.) and ± strap-like, often densely imbricate, margins entire, subcrenate, suffused brownish, apices rounded or slightly incised. Upper surface yellowish-green, smooth, shining at margins, wrinkled-cracked centrally, moderately to densely isidiate, maculae, pycnidia and soredia absent. Isidia laminal, often forming a dense ± areolate crust, slender, terete, simple, becoming coralloid-branched, to 1-5 mm tall. Lower surface black, with a narrow, brown, naked marginal zone, smooth and shining at margins, matt and wrinkled centrally. Rhizines sparse, simple, black or brown. Apothecia infrequent, sessile, 2-6 mm diam., deeply cupuliform at first, then shallowly convex with age, disc smooth, red-brown, imperforate, margins conspicuously isidiate, thalline exciple wrinkled, shining, becoming isidiate with age. Spores 8-10 × 4-5 µm. Chemistry: Cortex K-; medulla K+ yellow → red, C-, KC+ red, Pd+ orange. Salazinic and usnic acids.

N: Three Kings Is to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. Mainly on coastal rocks, rarely inland in subalpine habitats.

Australasian

Referred to in early accounts of New Zealand lichens as Parmelia conspersa, X. australasica is distinguished from this species in the nature and position of the isidia and in chemistry. P. neotinctina [Elix Aust. J. Bot. 29: 363-365 (1981)] is similar in all respects to X. australasica but contains also norstictic acid.