Flora of New Zealand Series

Parmelia peloloba Esslinger, J. Hattori bot. Lab. 42: 129 (1977).

Holotype (fide Esslinger, 1977): New Zealand, Otago, Earnslaw Burn Valley, 1400 m. DJ. Galloway, 1968, CHR 375900.

Thallus appressed, moderately adnate, 4 cm diam., saxicolous. Lobes 1-2 mm broad, ± flat at apices, becoming convex centrally, linear-elongate and discrete. Upper surface reddish-brown to dark brown, ± smooth at apices, becoming weakly wrinkled and fissured centrally, ± dull, without isidia. Lower surface black, ± smooth, dull, sparsely to moderately rhizinate. Rhizines concolorous with lower surface, to 0.4 mm long. Apothecia common, sessile, flat to subconcave, becoming convex with age, to 1.8 mm diam., margins entire. Ascospores ellipsoid, 8.5-10.5 × 5.6 µm. Pycnidia common. Conidia 5.5-6.5 × 1 µm, bifusiform. Chemistry: Cortex K-, HNO3 ± dark blue-green; medulla K-, C-, KC+ rose, Pd-. Alectoronic acid (UV+ blue-white).

S: Otago, known only from the type collection.

Endemic

N. peloloba is closely related to two species endemic to the South I. mountains, N. martinii and N. pictada; differences between them are discussed under N. pictada.

Like N. peloloba, N. glabrans contains alectoronic acid (± α-collatolic acid) but differs in the flat, less elongate lobes and denser rhizines.