Flora of New Zealand Series

Parmelia scabrosa Taylor, Hook. Lond. J. Bot. 6: 162 (1847).

P. scabropustulata Elix, Aust. J. Bot. 29: 369 (1981).

Thallus foliose, closely attached, rosette-forming or spreading and ± loosely attached, to 8 cm diam. Lobes very variable, sublinear-elongate, subdichotomously branched to densely imbricate, complex, margins entire or variously incised, black, shining. Upper surface yellowish-green, smooth, shining, moderately to densely isidiate, maculae and soredia absent. Isidia small, simple to coralloid-branched, terete to ± pustularscurfy at maturity. Lower surface pale brown, pinkish or creamish-white, smooth to subcorrugate. Rhizines sparse, simple, pale brown. Apothecia very rare, pedicellate, disc to 5 mm diam., matt, red-brown, concave to ± undulate, margins concolorous with thallus, entire to crenate, ± ragged-incised, isidiate. Pycnidia not seen. Chemistry: Cortex K-; medulla K-, C-, KC+ pink, Pd-. Norlobaridone, norlobariol, loxodin, loxodinol and usnic acid.

N: Three Kings Is to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. Widely distributed; coastal to subalpine and alpine, to 1900 m in areas of both high and low rainfall. On rock, soil, wood, glass, concrete, tile, slate and bitumen.

Western Pacific

Variation in X. scabrosa in New Zealand populations is discussed by Galloway ( loc. cit., pp.541-542). Forms having pustular, rather than corticate isidia are defined by Elix [ Aust. J. Bot. 29: 369-370 (1981)] as Parmelia scabropustulata Elix.