Phyllopsora corallina
≡Lecidea corallina Eschw. in C.F.P. Martius, Fl. bras. enum. pl. 1 (1): 256 (1833).
=Lecidea parvifolia var. corallina Tuck., sensu C. Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 12: 375 (1880).
Description : Thallus effuse, squamiform. Prothallus indistinct to partly well-developed, white to reddish brown. Squamules medium, adnate to ascending, isodiametric to elongated, scattered at first, later becoming contiguous to imbricate, crenulate to incised, plane to weakly convex, medium-green, glabrous on upper surface, usually faintly pubescent at margins, Isidia common, attached marginally to squamules, thin to thick, long, simple or rarely branched. Apothecia common, to 1.5 mm diam., rounded to irregular, solitary, plane to subconvex, pale- to medium-brown, with an indistinct, usually slightly paler, glabrous to minutely pubescent margin. Exciple pale-brown to hyaline. Hypothecium tan or partly red-pigmented, K− or K+ purplish brown. Hymenium to 45 μm tall. Ascospores simple, ellipsoidal to short-fusiform, 6.5–13 × 2–3.5 μm.
Chemistry : Atranorin (±). Brako (1991: 37) defines six varieties based on chemical compounds present, noting besides atranorin: argopsin, norargopsin, vicanicin, norvicanicin, phyllopsorin, chlorophyllopsorin, parvifoliin and zeorin.
N: Wellington. Recorded by Charles Knight (1880: 375). Known also from North and South America, India, South Africa, East Africa, the Seychelles and Australia (Kalb 1990; Brako 1991; Timdal & Krog 2001; Aptroot 2002e; Upreti et al. 2003).
Pantropical
Illustrations : Knight (1880: pl. XIII, fig. 36 – as Lecidea parvifolia var. corallina); Brako (1991: 6, fig. 1E); Timdal & Krog (2001: 75, fig. 8).
Phyllopsora corallina is characterised by: the corticolous habit: its chemistry of atranorin; and the presence of laciniate, coralloid, non-flattened isidia.
