Flora of New Zealand Series

Description : Thallus endolithic, not apparent. Apothecia crowded, rounded to incised, 0.5–0.7(–1) mm diam., disc pale-to dark-brown, epruinose or with a thin, white pruina. Thalline exciple 0.05–0.15 mm thick, white, K− or KC+ yellowish, KC− or KC+ yellow, smooth, not or only slightly crenulate. Hymenium to 50 μm tall. Ascospores broadly ellipsoidal, 8–12 × 5.5–7 μm.

Chemistry : Very variable TLC−, or with vinetorin, 7-chlor-3- O- methylnorlichexanthone, 2,7-dichlorolichexanthone and several other unidentified compounds (Poelt et al. 1995; Fröberg 1997).

N: S: Throughout, in urban environments on concrete and mortar and on dust-impregnated trees in parks and along roadsides; it is often extremely common in scattered, small patches on old, well-used, tar-sealed pavement (with Candelariella vitellina), also elsewhere on basic rocks (limestone) and coastal rocks. Also on old, bleached bones (of birds, sheep or rabbits) in grassland where it associates with Caloplaca, Physcia and Xanthoria, and it has been collected on an abandoned leather shoe on the seashore, copiously colonised by Xanthoria ligulata. It is a "weedy" species in urban environments (as Lecanora dispersa) and the most pollution-tolerant lichen known (Hawksworth & Dalby 1992: 304). Recently reported from polystyrene partially buried in soil (Mayrhofer et al. 2001a: 357), an unusual substratum for lichens. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, North America, Africa, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Marion I., South Georgia, Bouvetøya, South Sandwich Is, South Orkney Is, Antarctic Peninsula and Australia (Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Poelt et al. 1995; Fröberg 1989, 1997; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Brodo et al. 2001; Øvstedal & Gremmen 2001; Øvstedal & Lewis Smith 2001; Becker 2002; Scutari et al. 2002a; Laundon 2003; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Lumbsch & Elix 2004; Ryan et al. 2004b: 218–219; Santesson et al. 2004; Søchting et al. 2004).

Bipolar

Illustrations : Poelt et al. (1995: 297, fig. 1C, D; 298, fig. 2; 299, fig. 3C; 305, fig. 5C; 318, fig. 8C; 329, fig. 9D); Fröberg (1997: 32, fig. 1D); Dobson (2005: 221).

Lecanora flotoviana is characterised by: the saxicolous habit (basic substrata); the endolithic thallus; crowded apothecia with pale- to dark-brown, epruinose discs and a thick, white, entire (rarely crenulate) thalline exciple; and a rather variable chemistry (see above). Earlier, saxicolous records of L. dispersa (Galloway 1985a) refer to L. flotoviana, with L. dispersa s. str., being a corticolous species (see Poelt et al. 1995: 316–319; and Fröberg 1997: 31, for further discussion of this question).