Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Sphaerophorus whakapapensis Wedin in M. Wedin & L. Tibell, N. Z. J. Bot. 29: 287 (1991).

Holotype: New Zealand. Wellington, Tongariro National Park, along track to Silica Springs, 1990, M. Wedin 2322 – UPS. Isotypes – AK, BM, CANB, CHR, HO.

Description : Thallus small, forming small patches or discrete tufts. Fertile branches short (13–)18–30(–35) mm long and 1–2.5(–3) mm wide, flattened to subterete. Upper surface greenish to yellowish grey, smooth. Lower surface pale, sparsely wrinkled. Apothecia frequent, terminal, 1.2–(1.4–2.2(–2.6) mm diam. Mazedium small, subapically to ventrally exposed, not enclosed by thalline receptacle, which is ruptured early in development. Ascospores 4.5–8(–9.5) μm, dark-grey, sometimes with a greenish tinge. Pycnidia frequent at apices and along lower side of terminal branches. Conidia bacillar, 3.5–4.5 × 1.5 μm.

Chemistry : Medulla K−, Pd+ pale-orange or – (reaction is often very weak or localised at branch tips); containing sphaerophorin (minor in apothecia, major in thallus), isousnic acid (major), stictic acid and constictic acid (major in apothecia minor in thallus), cryptostictic acid (tr.).

N: Wellington (Ohakune). In mountain beech forests 1100–1300 m, in moderate to deep shade. Also in southern Chile (Wedin 1995b).

Austral

Illustrations : Wedin & Tibell (1991: 288, fig. 1); Wedin (1995b: 85, fig. 42B).

Bunodophoron whakapapaense is characterised by: the corticolous habit; its small, slightly flattened, yellowish thallus that forms small, sparse tufts. Similar to B. microsporus, which has smaller spores and a different chemistry (the two taxa are difficult to distinguish in the field).