Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Parmelia metamorphosa Gyeln., Ann. Mycol. 36: 284 (1938).

Description : Thallus loosely attached to rock, 4–6 cm diam. Lobes linear-elongate, dichotomously branched, very narrow, 0.3–0.6 mm wide, subascendent at apices and exposing lower surface. Upper surface yellow-green, smooth, glossy, maculate (×10 lens), without isidia or soredia, lobe margins glossy black or brown. Lower surface ivory to pale-brown, darker towards apices, glossy or matt, wrinkled, very sparsely rhizinate. Rhizines simple, robust, concolorous with lower surface. Apothecia sessile, 1.5–8 mm diam., disc concave to plane, distorted with age, brown to dark-brown; thalline exciple thin, involute to crenulate, becoming deeply lacerate. Ascospores 8–10 × 4–5.5 μm. Pycnidia common. Conidia bifusiform, 5–6 × 0.5 μm.

Chemistry : Cortex K−; medulla K−, C−, KC+ rose-pink, Pd−; containing usnic acid, loxodin and norlobaridone.

N: South Auckland (Coromandel Peninsula). On coastal rocks. Known also from E and S Australia (Elix et al. 1986b: 286; Elix 1994s: 262; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Australasian

Illustrations : Elix et al. (1986b: 286, fig. 28); Hale (1990: 146, fig. 50C); Kantvilas et al. (2002: 207).

Xanthoparmelia metamorphosa is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; linear-elongate, dichotomously branched, very narrow lobes; a pale lower surface; a maculate upper surface (×10 lens); and norlobaridone and loxodin in the medulla. It appears to be rare in New Zealand.