Flora of New Zealand Series

S. melanocarpus var. australis f. subteres (Zahlbr.) J. Murray, T.R.S.N.Z. (Bot.) 88: 191 (1960).

Holotype: New Zealand. Westland, 8 miles west of Turiwhate. R. Harris 6343, MSC.

Thallus corticolous, elongate, producing numerous, crowded, weakly decumbent or horizontally spreading subimbricate to imbricate branches. Branches flattened with a distinct upper and lower surface, to 5 cm long and 1-2.5 mm wide, margins typically irregular, producing small branchlets or outgrowths, less often margins entire, branching irregular or anisotomic dichotomous. Upper surface green-grey, convex, smooth, basally producing outgrowths over the mazaedium, occasionally transversely cracked, lower surface pale, irregularly wrinkled to lacunose, upper cortex 40-70 µm, lower cortex 20-40 µm. Algal layer 15-25 µm continuous below upper cortex, occurring rarely as isolated groups above lower cortex. Apothecia common, irregular in outline, with minute outgrowths along lower side, 0.4-2 mm wide, subterminal, mazaedium ventral, exposed at an early stage of development, prominent, black, globose at maturity. Asci 45-65 × 5-7 µm. Ascospores spherical, brown, 9-14 µm surrounded with carbonaceous material. Chemistry: K-, Pd+ red. Sphaerophorin and protocetraric acid.

N: Wellington (Dannevirke). S: Nelson to Fiordland (Secretary I., Doubtful Sound). A:

Palaeotropical

S. murrayi is superficially similar to S. patagonicus but has more elongate and weakly decumbent branches and produces irregular outgrowths along the margins of thallus and apothecia. Protocetraric acid is absent from S. patagonicus.