Trapeliopsis flexuosa
≡Biatora flexuosa Fr., Sched. crit. lich. Suec. part 2 (fasc. 8): 11 (1826).
Description : Thallus white, pale-greyish, greenish grey to grey-green, of crowded, granular areolae, 0.08–0.25 mm diam., scattered or marginal areolae often ±flattened and effigurate, to 0.4 mm diam. Soralia at first discrete, 0.2–0.4 mm diam., sometimes confluent, farinose to finely granular, grey-green to ±aeruginose. Apothecia scattered, dark greenish grey to green black, rarely pale, or pinkish, 0.2–0.7 mm diam., plane to subconvex. Hymenium 40–50 μm tall. Asci 30–50 μm long. Ascospores 7–9 × 2.5–4 μm.
Chemistry : Thallus and soralia C+ red (fading fast); containing gyrophoric acid.
N: South Auckland (Hamilton, Mamaku). S: Nelson (Mt Arthur) to Westland (Haast Beach). On Dracophyllum traversii and old fence posts and tanalised fenceposts (Prof. R. Türk, pers. comm.) (Wirth 1997: 13). Commonly found in the Northern Hemisphere on lignum and acid bark (especially conifers) and rarely on sandstone (Purvis et al. 1992; Tønsberg 1992; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Egea 1996; John 1996; Kondratyuk et al. 1996a; Scholz 2000; Brodo et al. 2001; Hafellner & Türk 2001; Llimona & Hladun 2001; Egan et al. 2002; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Printzen & McCune 2004; Elvebakk & Bjerke 2006). It is also known in Australia, including from Tasmania (Hafellner et al. 1989; Kantvilas 1994b; Filson 1996; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).
Cosmopolitan
Illustrations : Coppins & James (1984: 260, fig. 3F); Foucard (1990: fig. 331); Dobson (2000: 384; 2005: 432); Brodo et al. (2001: 686, pl. 842).
Trapeliopsis flexuosa is characterised by: the lignicolous habit; the pale-greenish or green-grey, granular, crowded areolate thallus; the farinose to finely granular soralia, concolorous or paler than thallus; grey-green to blackish apothecia; hymenium 40–50 μm tall; and ascospores 7–9 × 2.5–4 μm.
