Cladia retipora
≡Baeomyces reteporus Labill. Nov. Holl. Pl. 2 : 110 (1806).
≡Cladonia retipora (Labill.) Fr., Nov. Sched. Crit.: 21 (1826).
Description : Flora (1985: 97).
Chemistry : Thallus K− or + yellow, C−, KC− or KC+ orange, Pd−; containing usnic protolichesterinic, ursolic, rangiformic and norrangiformic acids, atranorin, and unidentified terpenoids and other compounds.
N: Northland to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. St: Ch: A: C: Ant: On peaty soils, among tussocks or low vegetation in Leptospermum and Dracophyllum heaths, at margins of Nothofagus forest, in fellfield, more rarely on rocks, logs and sand dunes, s.l. to 1200 m. Also in SE Australia and New Caledonia (Filson 1992b: 106; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).
Australasian
Exsiccati : Vězda (1985: No. 2065; 1997d: No. 296).
Illustrations : Labillardière (1806: tab. 254, fig. 2 – as Baeomyces reteporus); Hooker (1842: tab. × – as Cenomyce retipora); Martin (1965: pl. 1); Galloway (1966: pl. 1, fig. 1); Martin & Child (1972: 53, pl. 3); Filson (1981: 53, pl. 7; 62, pl. 16b); Galloway (1985a: fig. 8); Galloway (1988a: 101, pl. 3; 103, pl. 6); Stenroos (1988b: 209, fig. 1A); Malcolm & Malcolm (1989: 98); Galloway (1990b: 236, fig. 4); Grgurinovic (1992: xvii, fig. 28); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 97, 150, 172); Kantvilas & Jarman (1999: 43); Hammer (2000: 43, figs 37–42); Malcolm & Malcolm (2000: 99); Parkinson (2001: 181); Poppleton (2001: 113); Johnson & Gerbeaux (2004: 131, fig. 123); The Lichenologist 37 (2005: front cover).
Cladia retipora occurs widely throughout New Zealand, being particularly common on subalpine peat bogs. It is of considerable beauty, closely resembling lace or coral and is occasionally used in floral decoration, and in architectural models. It is often associated with C. sullivanii, Cladonia confusa and Stereocaulon ramulosum (Martin 1965; Galloway 1966; Galloway & Simpson 1978: 511, fig. 4). The history of its discovery is recorded in Galloway (1988b, 2002a).
