Chionochloa calycantha
Primary squamules persistent or disappearing, crenate or incised-lobate, 2-6 × 5 mm, concave or involute, ascending, upper surface glaucescent or whitish-glaucescent, lower surface white, blackening towards base, esorediate. Podetia growing from upper surface of primary squamules, 10-50 mm tall, cups very shallow, flaring more abruptly than in C. cervicornis ssp. verticillata, to 5 mm wide, margins dentate, in 4-8 tiers. Cortex continuous, with plane to subconvex areolae, separated by whitish lines, grey-green, blackening at base, esorediate. Apothecia on stalks at cup margins, small, dark brown, swollen, wider than supporting stalks. Chemistry: Cortex K-, KC-, Pd+ red. Fumarprotocetraric acid.
N: Northland (Whangarei, Rangitoto I., Mt Moehau, Coromandel Peninsula). S: Otago (Wanaka) and in coastal sites from Dunedin to Invercargill, s.l. to 1000 m. Clay banks on roadsides, among moss on ground and from Leptospermum scrub and subalpine scrub; not often collected but probably more widespread than records show.
Cosmopolitan
The taxonomy and nomenclature of this species are confused, see Ahti and Lai [ Annls bot. fenn. 16: 229 (1979)].
