Hypotrachyna formosana (Zahlbr.) Hale
Parmelia formosana Zahlbr., Feddes Repert. 33: 57 (1934).
Thallus lobate, closely attached, to 4 cm diam., corticolous and saxicolous. Lobes sublinear, crowded, 1-3 mm wide, to 20 mm long subdichotomously branched, apices incised, margins entire, axils sinuous. Upper surface smooth, pale greenish-grey, subpruinose at margins, becoming cracked centrally, often appearing pinkish, sorediate. Soredia in coarse, erumpent, laminal pustules or coralloid clusters, appearing glomerulate and somewhat isidiate. Lower surface black, densely rhizinate. Rhizines black, dichotomously branched. Apothecia not seen. Chemistry: Cortex K-; medulla K+ reddish, C-, Pd- or ± orange. Lichexanthone (UV+ golden yellow), colensoinic, norcolensoinic, 4-O-demethylphysodic, physodic, and lividic acids rarely protocetraric acid and, when pigmented, skyrin.
N: North Auckland (Three Kings Is, Kaiwaka, Russell). South Auckland (Mangaotaki Valley), Wellington (Pongaroa). Mainly on coastal rocks or bark of trees and shrubs.
Pantropical
This species is still very poorly known in New Zealand where it occurs in mainly coastal habitats of North I. The distinguishing feature is the copious development of pustular soredia which fluoresce a strong golden yellow in UV.
