Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Usnea florida var. pusilla Räsänen, Revta Univ. (Santiago) 21: 139 (1936).

Description : Flora (1985: 601).

Chemistry : Medulla K−; containing usnic acid.

N: Northland (Kawerua, Great Barrier I.), Auckland (Cornwall Park). S: Nelson (Aniseed Valley, Lake Rotoiti), Canterbury (Cass, Andrews Stream, Flock Hill), Otago (Mihiwaka, Otakou Bush, Ridley's Bush Glenledi, Taieri Mouth, Akatore, Maungatua), Southland (Borland Bog). On twigs of Dracophyllum longifolium and Halocarpus bidwillii and on divaricating shrubs. Known also from Chile (Räsänen 1936, 1937; Galloway & Quilhot 1999).

Austral

Illustrations : Martin & Child (1972: 122, pl. 34 – as Usnea florida); Malcolm & Malcolm (2000: 37).

Usnea pusilla is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the rather delicate, shrubby to decumbent-straggling thallus, 1–2.5(–4) cm tall, blackened at base, and 1–3-branched at base. Branches 1 mm thick at base, tapering apically, terete and distinctly papillate and without isidia, pseudocyphellae, soredia or spinules; moderately frequent, subterminal apothecia; and no secondary compounds in the medulla.