Flora of New Zealand Series

≡*Lecidea parmeliarum Sommerf., Suppl. Fl. Lappon.: 176 (1826).

Description : Lichenicolous, deforming host with numerous small, black convex apothecia, sometimes noticeably green-pruinose when young. Apothecia sessile, black, 0.3–0.7 mm diam., with an iridescent greenish pruina at first Asci fissitunicate, clavate, 8-spored. Ascospores biseriate in ascus, ellipsoidal to obovoid, 1-septate, olive-brown to brown-black, constricted at septa (10–)12–20(–22) × 5–8 μm, perispore finely granular to warted.

Anamorph :* Vouauxiomyces santessonii D.Hawksw.

S: Marlborough (Charwell River Bridge), Otago (Rees Valley, Routeburn Valley, Dunedin), Southland (Cascade Creek). Probably much more widespread than records show, but still very poorly collected here. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, Greenland, Turkey, Siberia, Tenerife, Morocco, North America, Bolivia, Venezuela, Chile, Argentina, Kenya, Tasmania (Vouaux 1913c; Schaechtelin & Werner 1926; Keissler 1930; Dennis 1981; Hawksworth 1981, 1983a; Diederich 1986; Noble et al. 1987; Kalb 1988; Clauzade et al. 1989; Alstrup & Hawksworth 1990; Triebel et al. 1991; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Hansen 1995; Etayo & Breuss 1996; John 1996; Alstrup & Cole 1998; Diederich & Sérusiaux 2000; Scholz 2000; Llimona & Hladun 2001; Triebel & Scholz 2001; Bernasconi et al. 2002; Martínez 2002; Diederich 2003; Zhurbenko & Laursen 2003; Santesson et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Hosts : In New Zealand – Flavoparmelia haysomii, Parmelia saxatilis (forming galls), P. sulcata, Sticta limbata. Elsewhere on these lichens plus Menegazzia albida, M. magellanica, M. opuntioides, Parmelia hygrophila, P. fraudans, P. omphalodes, Punctelia punctilis (Santesson 1986a; Alstrup & Hawksworth 1990; Bernasconi et al. 2002; Diederich 2003, 2004b; Santesson et al. 2004).

Illustrations : Schaechtelin & Werner (1926: tab. XLII, pl. XIII); Keissler (1930: 5, fig. 1; 202, fig. 43; 204, fig. 45); Hertel (1971: 229, fig. 2); Hawksworth (1983a: 37, fig. 2); Bellemère et al. (1986b: 82, pl. XI; 84, pl. XII; 86, pl. XIII); Hansen (1995: 74); Boqueras (2000: 60, fig. 4A, B); Bernasconi et al. (2002: 531, fig. 5A, B); Laundon (2005: 495, fig. 5).

* Abrothallus parmeliarum is characterised by: the lichenicolous habit (Flavoparmelia, Parmelia spp. and Sticta limbata as hosts); the prominent, sessile, convex black apothecia, often with an iridescent greenish tinge, 0.3–0.7 mm diam.; and the brown, 1-septate ascospores, (10–)14–18(–22) × 5–7 μm, with a warted perispore, and constricted at the septum.