Leptogium (Ach.) Gray
Type : Tremella lichenoides L. [=Leptogium lichenoides (L.) Zahlbr.] see Jørgensen et al. (1994a: 371).
Description : Flora (1985: 248–249).
Key
Leptogium, a genus of some 180 widespread species (Jørgensen & Nash 2004), included in the family Collemataceae (Eriksson et al. 2004; Pennycook & Galloway 2004; Eriksson 2005), is most highly speciose in tropical regions (Malme 1924b), and consequently it is not surprising that northern New Zealand should have more species than elsewhere in the country. During the past 25 years, northern areas have been particularly well-collected, thanks especially to the efforts of the late John Bartlett (his collection is in AK), and more recently, of Bruce Hayward and Anthony Wright, with the result that Leptogium in New Zealand is now much better known than it was when the Flora was compiled. That work recorded nine species (L. azureum [=L. aucklandicum], L. brebissonii [=L. coralloideum], L. burgessii, L. crispatellum, L. cyanescens, L. laceroides, L. limbatum [=L. malmei], L. menziesii and L. plicatile). This was too conservative a view as additional collections and study, and the results of Doug Verdon's Australasian work, subsequently showed (Verdon 1990, 1992a; Verdon et al. 1996). Subsequent New Zealand lichen checklists recorded 10 taxa (Galloway 1992d), and 14 taxa (Malcolm & Galloway 1997), adding L. biloculare, L. coralloideum, L. pecten, L. tasmanicum (=L. limbatum) and L. victorianum to the species known from New Zealand.
Building on the secure foundations provided by recent accounts of Northern Hemisphere (Jørgensen 1996a, 1997a; Jørgensen & James 1983; Bjelland 2001; Aragón & Otálora 2004; Aragón et al. 2004); East African (Swinscow & Krog 1988); Australian (Verdon 1990, 1992a; Verdon et al. 1996; Jørgensen & Nash 2004); and temperate South American (Galloway & Jørgensen 1995) populations of Leptogium, this account discusses 20 taxa following Galloway (1999) and Galloway & Knight (1999).
