Flora of New Zealand Series

Description : Thallus crustose, pale-brown or creamish, with a rusty tinge, conspicuously areolate, surface smooth and dull, without isidia or soredia. Apothecia disc-like, the disc black, epruinose or white-pruinose, 0.2–0.35 mm diam. Asci clavate–pyriform, 8-spored. Ascospores biseriate, oval–ellipsoidal, thin-walled, 16–24 × 8–16 μm. Pycnidia globose, resembling immature apothecia, punctiform with a black ostiole. Conidia filiform, straight to slightly curved, 18–24 × 0.5 μm.

Chemistry : K+ yellow→red, C−, KC+ red, Pd+ orange; containing norstictic acid (major) and connorstictic acid (minor) (Messuti & Archer 1995: 464).

S:

Austral

Illustration : Messuti & Archer (1995: 463, fig. 2).

Pertusaria monticola is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; disc-like apothecia; 8-spored asci with small ascospores; and the presence of norstictic acid. It is similar to P. perfida, but this species has larger ascospores (30–45 × 15–25 μm).