Cladonia cryptochlorophaea
Description : Primary thallus squamulose, squamules persistent or evanescent, small, 1 × 1–2 mm. Podetia arising from upper surface of squamules, scyphose, scyphi flaring gradually, goblet-shaped, regular or irregular, rarely with marginal proliferations, 10–25 mm tall, dark greyish green, base of podetia rough corticate, upper parts and interior of scyphi ecorticate and granular-sorediate. Apothecia on margins of scyphi, brown, convex.
Chemistry : Cortex K−, C−, KC+ red (fading fast), Pd+ red or Pd−; containing cryptrochlorophaeic acid (major), 4- O -methylcryptochlorophaeic acid (minor), ±paludosic acid (tr.), ±subpaludosic acid (tr.), fumarprotocetraric acid (major), and protocetraric acid (tr.).
N: South Auckland (Mt Moehau, Coromandel Peninsula, near Taupo), Wellington (Hihitahi State forest near Taihape). S: Nelson (Cobb Valley, Tasman Mts). On soil or among moss, less commonly on wood. Known also from Europe, Asia, North and South America and Australia (Ahti 2000; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).
Cosmopolitan
Illustration : Thomson (1968b: pl. 13, fig. 62).
Cladonia cryptochlorophaea is distinguished from the morphologically similar C. chlorophaea and C. mereochlorophaea by the presence of cryptochlorophaeic acid.
