Flora of New Zealand Series

=Ramalina leiodea var. condensata Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss Kl. 104: 363 (1941).

Ramalina leiodea var. condensata Lectotype: New Zealand. Otago, Kakanua Ra., on Discaria toumatou,?1935, J.S. Thomson T1442 [ZA 590] – CHR 378200 [fide Blanchon et al. (1996a: 80)].

Description : Flora (1985: 500). See also Blanchon et al. (1996a: 81).

Chemistry : Usnic acid, sekikaic acid, ±divaricatic acid.

N: South Auckland (Waikatao, Te Awamutu), Gisborne, Hawke's Bay, to Wellington (Wanganui – Manawatu, Rangatikei). S: Nelson to Southland, E of the Main Divide [map in Bannister et al. (2004: 131, fig. 7)]. Most common in inland Otago and Canterbury. On bark of both introduced and native trees and shrubs, on fence posts, gates, bird nests, insect cases and rarely from rocks, s.l. to 1650 m. The highest recorded specimen grows on a tanalised wooden snowfence on the summit of the Old Man Ra. at 1650 m. Also in S and E Australia and Tasmania (Stevens 1987: 166; McCarthy 2003c, 2006) and Norfolk I. (Elix & McCarthy 1998).

Australasian

Exsiccati : Vězda (2000: No. 457).

Illustrations : Stevens (1987: 164, pl. 8 figs 1–12; 214, pl. 13, fig. 4); Blanchon et al. (1996a: 78, fig. 7B; 85, fig. 9C); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 73).

Ramalina glaucescens is characterised by: the corticolous/lignicolous (rarely saxicolous) habit; rather variable thallus, size and form depending on habitat; branches flat to occasionally subterete and sometimes appearing almost inflated; pseudocyphellae rare; apothecia crowded, terminal or subterminal; and sekikaic acid in the medulla.