Ramalina celastri (Spreng.) Krog & Swinscow
Parmelia celastri Sprengel, Syst. orb. veg. 4 (2): 328 (1827).
For additional synonyms see Krog and Swinscow (loc. cit.).
Thallus erect, rigid, (1-)5-10(-12) cm tall, sparingly to moderately branched from an open broad base, holdfast prominent. Branches flattened, ± lanceolate, plane or canaliculate, width variable, 1-20 mm wide, commonly 3-10 mm wide, smooth or uneven, undulate, plicate or ridged, pale greenish- grey to pale stramineous or fawn-grey, young branches thin, ± smooth and even, older branches longitudinally ribbed- striate or reticulately ridged from subcorticular strands of cartilaginous strengthening tissue, often lacerate-cracked or fenestrate, pseudocy-phellae common and often prominent, white, shortly linear to irregular, cortex sometimes eroding to reveal ± clathrate arrangement of subcortical cartilaginous strands, margins sinuous, entire, slightly thickened, apices narrow, entire to broad and ± ragged, in well-developed thalli small lobules or adventitious thalli growing from lamina, soralia absent. Apothecia numerous, marginal in young thalli, then laminal in older thalli, pedicellate, 0.2-0.5 mm diam., deeply cupuliform when young with a thin margin, becoming plane when convex and ± immarginate with age, disc flat or convex, sometimes papillate, white- or pinkish-pruinose, thalline exciple smooth at first, becoming coarsely wrinkled scabrid, glossy. Ascospores straight, apices rounded or acute, 10-16 × 4-7 µm. Chemistry: No medullary substances.
N: Northland (Three Kings Is) to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. St: Very widespread and polymorphic. On coastal trees and shrubs, and on coastal rocks; inland on fenceposts and introduced trees especially fruit trees. One of the most commonly collected lichens in New Zealand. In earlier accounts referred to as R. ecklonii, R. menziesii or R. yemensis.
Palaeotropical
