Flora of New Zealand Series

Verrucaria polytropa Hoffm., Dtsch. Fl.: 196 (1796).

Thallus pale grey-green to yellow-brown, ± warted-areolate, often reduced to scattered granules on a dark prothallus, or absent altogether. Apothecia clustered, round to irregular, pale yellow to pale yellow-brown, rarely darkening with age, 0.02-1.5 mm diam., concave and ± marginate at first, margins entire to ± crenulate, pale yellow (paler than disc), very thin, convex and immarginate at maturity. Ascospores ellipsoid, 9-14 × 5-6 µm. Chemistry: Usnic and rangiformic acids and zeorin.

S: Throughout, on alpine rocks (mainly schists) more common east of the Main Divide.

Cosmopolitan

This alpine species is characterised by the clusters of yellow apothecia and the virtual absence of thallus.