Pseudocyphellaria degelii
Holotype: New Zealand. South I., Nelson, Mt Haast, on Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides at treeline, 28.xii.1978, D.J. Galloway s.n. – CHR 381020. Isotype – BM.
Descriptions : Flora (1985: 436–437). See also Galloway (1988a: 118–120).
Chemistry : Pulvinic acid, pulvinic dilactone, calycin, pseudo-cyphellarin A, 2α-acetoxystictane-3β,22-diol, 3β-acetoxystictane-2,22-diol, stictane-3β,22-diol, 22α-hydroxy-3,4-secostict-4(23)-ene-3-oic acid, 22α-hydroxy-3,4-secostict-4(23)-en-3-ol and 3-acetoxy-3,4-secostict-4(23)-en-22α-ol (Goh et al. 1978; Elix 1987).
N: Gisborne (Raukumara Ra., Huiarau Ra., Lake Waikaremoana), Wellington (Kaimanawa Ra., Tararua Ra.). S: Nelson to Fiordland, close to Main Divide, eastwards on foothill ranges of Canterbury and Otago to Silver Peaks and Maungatua near Dunedin, and Forest Hill and Waihopai Scenic Reserve (near Invercargill). St: (Mt Anglem), C: (Mt Azimuth) [map in Galloway (1988a: 121, fig. 53)]. Mainly subalpine to alpine in grasslands, often at the base of Dracophyllum, or on bark and canopy branches of silver beech and mountain beech, especially at treeline, 450–1800 m (rarely at s.l.).
Endemic
Exsiccati : Elix (1987: No. 142); Vězda (1997a: No. 268).
Illustrations : Martin & Child (1972: 117, plate 29 [above right]); Galloway (1988a: 119, fig. 51; 120, fig. 52); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 106, 179); Malcolm & Malcolm (2000: ii).
Pseudocyphellaria degelii is characterised by: broadly rounded to linear-elongate lobes with entire margins; an undulate to scrobiculate to strongly reticulate-faveolate upper surface that is occasionally scabrid-areolate and maculate (×10 lens); a yellow medulla; a green photobiont; a pale-yellow to red-brown or blackened lower surface with a continuous to patchy tomentum and scattered yellow pseudocyphellae; sessile to pedicellate apothecia, with a well-developed coarsely corrugate-scabrid exciple; colourless, 1–3-septate, fusiform ascospores; and a chemistry containing yellow pigments and seco-stictane triterpenoids.
