Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen articulata L., Sp. Pl. 2: 1156 (1753).

=Usnea capillacea Motyka, Lich. Gen. Usnea 2: 438 (1937).

Usnea capillacea. Holotype: New Zealand. Otago, Saddle Hill, [on twigs], J.S. Thomson [T155], [19.v.]1933, Herb. Motyka – not seen. Isotypes – CHR 343971, OTA 029074 [labelled (erroneously) in red ink in J.S.Thomson's hand as "Usnea contexta"].

Description : Flora (1985: 598– as Usnea capillacea).

Chemistry : Thallus K+ brownish; containing fumarprotocetraric and usnic acids.

N: South Auckland (Coromandel Ra., Kaimanawa Ra.), Taranakai (Mt Taranaki), Wellington (Tama Lakes, Tararua Ra.). S: Nelson (Cobb Valley, Mt Arthur, St Arnaud Ra., Black Hill Lake Rotoiti, Lake Rotoroa), Marlborough (Ure River), Canterbury (Lewis Pass, Arthur's Pass, Craigieburn Ra., Porter's Pass, Riccarton Bush, Mt Sinclair Banks Peninsula, Governor's Bush, Ben Ohau Ra., Mt Peel, Kirkliston Ra.), Otago (Mt Brewster, Rees Valley, Moke Lake, St Mary Ra., Ben Nevis, Silver Peaks, Flagstaff, Mt Charles, Maungatua, Tautuku), Southland (Cascade Creek, Eglinton Valley, Pleasant Ra., Monowai, Manapouri, Doubtful Sound Fiordland, Hauroko Burn, Waikaia Valley). St: (Ulva I.). C: (Filhol Peak, Lyall Ridge). A common forest canopy and treeline species and on twigs and branches of Nothofagus, and on Halocarpus bidwillii and Dracophyllum in subalpine scrub. A characteristic canopy species where the thickly draped twigs and branches are visually arresting, often from a great distance. The species seems most common E of the Main Divide and is a characteristic mist species at or near treeline. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, India, Africa, SE Asia, Victoria, and Tasmania (Swinscow & Krog 1976c; Stevens 1991, 1999, 2004b; Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Wright 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Exsiccati : Vězda (1997e: No. 310).

Illustrations : Martin & Child (1972: 182, pl. 54 – as Usnea capillacea); Swinscow & Krog (1976c: 264, fig. 6); Purvis et al. (1992: 623, fig. 26E); Kantvilas & Jarman (1999: 150 – as U. capillacea); Stevens (1999: 15, fig. 4D); Flora of Australia 56A (2004: 99, pl. 28); McCarthy & Malcolm (2004: 60); Dobson (2005: 441).

Usnea articulata is characterised by: the corticolous habit: the long, fine, soft, pendent branches, to 0.7 mm diam. at base and attenuating towards apices; the dichotomous to sympodial branching pattern; the absence of isidia, pseudocyphellae, papillae or soredia; and the presence of fumarprotocetraric acid (see Swinscow & Krog 1976c).