Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lecidea schistiseda Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien Math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 300 (1941).

Holotype: New Zealand. Otago, Mt Maungatua, near Dunedin, summit rocks, iii.1934, J.S. Thomson T 1356 [ZA 269] – W 1191. Isotype – OTA 029459.

Description : Flora (1985: 236 – as Lecidea schistiseda). See also Knoph (1990: 136–137).

Chemistry : K−, C−, KC+ orange-red, Pd−; containing arthothelin, thiophanic acid, 4,5-dichlornorlichexanthone and zeorin (Knoph 1990; Knoph & Leuckert 2000).

S: Otago (Old Man Ra., Rock & Pillar Ra., Mt Maungatua), Southland (Mararoa River). On high-alpine rocks in exposed cushion vegetation, and on riverine rocks among rosettes of Placopsis (Hertel 1989b; Knoph 1990: 138).

Endemic

Exsiccati : Hertel (1987a: No. 169, topotype).

Lecidella schistiseda is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the dingy whitish, creamish or buff, verrucose to areolate thallus (KC+ orange-red), often only developed around apothecia; prominent, black, 1–6-confluent, slightly wrinkled–roughened apothecia, 0.2–2 mm diam.; a dense green-black epithecium; a colourless to pale yellow-brown hypothecium; and subcylindrical–oblong ascospores, 8–13.5 × 3.5–5.5 μm.