Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen confinis O.F.Müll., Fl. Dan. 5: tab. 879, 2 (1782).

=Lichina pygmaea var. intermedia C.Bab. in J.D. Hooker, Fl. Nov. Zel. 2: 311 (1855).

Lichina pygmaea var. intermedia. Holotype: New Zealand. Otago, on coastal rocks, 1850, Dr Lyall – BM.

Description : Flora (1985: 255).

N: Northland to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. St: Ch: (Waitangi). A: C: Widely distributed on coastal rocks. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, North and South America, Oceania, and Australia (Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Scholz 2000; Coppins 1992b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Babington (1855: pl. CXXVIII, fig. C− as Lichina pygmaea var. intermedia); Ozenda & Clauzade (1970: 298); Jahns (1980: 227, fig. 555); Moberg & Holmåsen (1982: 168); Dobson (2000: 221; 2005: 252); Schultz & Büdel (2002: 40, fig. 1B); Sérusiaux et al. (2004: 102).

Lichina confinis is characterised by: the saxicolous habit (coastal rocks); the fruticose, glossy, dark-brown, olive-green to black thallus in clumps or swards; terminal globose apothecia; and simple, colourless, ellipsoidal ascospores, 18–22.5 × 6.5–9.5 μm.