Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Parmelia pertransita Stirt., Proc. phil. Soc. Glasgow10: 294 (1877).

=Parmelia (Menegazzia) amabilis Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss Kl. 104: 359 (1941).

=Parmelia (Menegazzia) amabilis var. subsessilis Zahlbr., Denkshr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 360 (1941).

=Parmelia (Menegazzia) amabilis var. glaucothalla Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 360 (1941).

Holotype: New Zealand. Near Wellington, J. Buchanan – BM. Isotypes ?

Parmelia amabilis. Lectotype selected here: New Zealand. Otago, Silver Peaks near Dunedin, on Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides, i.1934, J.S. Thomson ZA 206 – W. Isolectotype ? CHR [In the Flora treatment (1985: 287) James mistakenly assigned this specimen as holotype. However, the protologue cites six specimens from both North I. and South. I. localities without making a formal designation of any particular one as holotype. The W specimen is therefore here designated as lectotype].

Parmelia amabilis var. subsessilis. Lectotype selected here: New Zealand. Otago, Silver Peaks near Dunedin, J.S. Thomson ZA 685.

Parmelia amabilis var. glaucothalla. Holotype: New Zealand. Westland, Greymouth, on Nothofagus, W. Mackay W46 – W. Isotype –?CHR.

Description : Flora (1985: 286–287).

Chemistry : Cortex K+ yellow; medulla K−, C−, KC−, Pd−; containing atranorin, chloroatranorin, lichesterinic and protolichesterinic acids and a UV−, yellow pigment.

N: Wellington (National Park) E to Lake Waikaremoana and S to Cook Strait. S: Marlborough (Pelorus Bridge) E and W of the Main Divide to Southland (Longwood Ra., Borland Saddle, Lake Wapiti, Homer). Lowland and coastal to inland, subalpine, widely distributed and frequently collected from tree bark, more rarely from rocks or mosses on the ground in humid habitats, s.l. to 1065 m. Probably the most commonly collected non-sorediate species of the genus in New Zealand. Known also from Australia and southern South America (Santesson 1942; James & Galloway 1992; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Kantvilas & Louwhoff 2004).

Austral

Exsiccati : Elix (1989: No. 189); Vězda (1997c: No. 283).

Illustrations : Martin & Child (1972: 114, pl. 26); Galloway (1985: fig. 7); Malcolm & Malcolm (1989: 113; 2000: 7, 116); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 71, 101, 118, 152, 154, 163, 168); Australasian Lichenology 46 (2000: front cover).

Menegazzia pertransita is characterised by: the corticolous habit; large, gaping perforations with inrolled edges; pedicellate apothecia with a coarsely scabrid exciple and stalk; 8-spored asci; a non-granular epithecium; and the presence of fatty acids in the medulla. The relationship of this taxon to the Australian species M. weindorferi (Zahlbr.) R.Sant., needs closer assessment. In some forms of M. pertransita the tomentum of the internal cavity may be ±pigmented pale-yellow; however, the pigment is not the same as that found in M. foraminulosa and in any case these two species are readily distinguished by differences in medullary chemistry. M. pertransita is a very variable species, ranging from specimens with small, narrow, radiating lobes to examples with broad, contorted or imbricate lobes. The occurrence of perforations is also variable, and in some collections only 1 or 2 perforations (usually at the margins of the thallus) may be present in an otherwise well-developed specimen. Some specimens from exposed, often subalpine, habitats may be ±suffused brownish.