Flora of New Zealand Series

Lecidea versicolor var. subtuberculosa Knight, T.N.Z.I. 7: 358 (1874).

Lectotype: New Zealand. Sine loco (prob. Wellington). Charles Knight 4.5.79, WELT Herb. Knight Vol. 51, p. 14.

Thallus yellowish to greenish-grey, thin, nearly smooth or subverrucose, sorediate. Soralia rounded, subtuberculate, 0.4-1.0 mm diam., soredia 20-35(-50) µm diam. Apothecia scattered, often sparse, 0.8-3.0 mm diam., disc plane to subconvex, brown to black, dull, margins prominent, rather thick, concolorous with disc or darker, glossy. Epithecium brown, not granular, 12-18 µm thick. Hymenium 170-230 µm tall, I+ blue. Ascospores 1-septate, slightly curved, 32-42 × 19-25 µm. Chemistry: KC+ yellow, Pd-. Usnic acid and zeorin.

N: Auckland (Waitakere Ra.) to Wellington. On smooth, thin bark (on Nikau at the northern part of its range), lowland and coastal. Still poorly collected and understood.

Endemic

M. subtuberculosa. is an usnic-acid containing species characterised by its smooth thallus and subtuberculate soralia.