Coccocarpia erythroxyli (Spreng.) Swinscow & Krog
Lecidea erythroxyli Sprengel, K. Vet.-Akad. nya Handl. 1: 47 (1820).
Thallus ± orbicular, to 8 cm diam. Lobes 0.3-0.7(-1.0) cm wide, adjacent and often imbricate, broadly cuneate to flabellate, apices rotund. Upper surface smooth, matt or shining, without isidia, lobes sometimes with distinct, transverse, concentric ridges. Rhizines numerous, pale to bluish-black (then often white-tipped), sometimes projecting beyond margins. Apothecia ± frequent, ± adnate, to 0.6 cm diam., orbicular at first, becoming irregular with age, disc pale brown-red to black, short, white hairs projecting from disc margins. Ascospores 9-12 × 3-4 µm.
N: Three Kings Is, North Auckland (Radar Bush, Rangitoto I., Red Mercury I.), South Auckland (Mangaotaki River, Waimea Stream). S: Nelson (Anatoki River, St Arnaud Ra., Cobb Ridge), Canterbury (Hope River). An epiphyte of twigs or small branches or bark of Leptospermum and Metrosideros (rarely on rock) in warm, humid habitats, s.l. to 1000 m.
Cosmopolitan.
The ± wide lobes (often ridged) and the large, irregular, adnate apothecia are characteristic of C. erythroxyli and the lack of isidia distinguishes it from both C. palmicola and C. pellita. In New Zealand populations there is considerable variation in the colour of the apothecial disc and the rhizines but such variation is of no taxonomic importance. In older thalli small regenerating lobules or phyllidia are commonly seen.
