Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Pilophoron colensoi (C.Bab.) C.Knight, Trans. N. Z. Inst. 16: 400 (1884).

≡Corynophoron colensoi (C.Bab.) Nyl., Lich. Nov. Zel.: 15 (1888).

=Stereocaulon colensoi var. caliginosum I.M.Lamb, J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 43: 288 (1977).

Holotype: New Zealand. Ruahine Ra. summit, Colenso 2746 – BM.

Stereocaulon colensoi var. caliginosum. Holotype: New Zealand. North I., Kaimanawa Ra., Thunderbolt Peak, 1500 m, on rock, 1972, D.J. Galloway s.n. – FH. Isotype – CHR.

Description : Flora (1985: 545).

Chemistry : Atranorin, colensoinic acid, unidentified tetrahydroxy fatty acids, and traces of unidentified compounds (Fox & Huneck 1970; Fox et al. 1970).

N: Taranaki (Mt Taranaki), Wellington (Kaimanawa Ra., Ruapehu, Ruahine Ra., Tararua Ra.). S: Nelson (Mt Aorere, Mt Arthur Ra., Lake Rotoiti, Denniston Plateau), Marlborough (d'Urville I., Mt Stokes), Canterbury (Arthur's Pass, Temple Basin, Andrews Stream, Hill's Peak, Mt Herbert Banks Peninsula, Mt Peel, Hooker Valley), Otago (Lake Mackenzie, Flagstaff, Maungatua), Southland (Secretary I., Resolution I., Dusky Sound, Grebe Valley): St: (Table Hill, Fraser Peaks, Smith's Lookout Port Pegasus). C: On rocks in subalpine grassland.

Endemic

Exsiccati : Vězda (1997c: Nos 287, 288).

Illustrations : Babington (1855: pl. CXXXA); Knight (1884: pl. XXXIX, fig. 1 – as Pilophoron colensoi); Duvigneaud (1956: 29, fig. 6); Martin & Child (1992: 161); Galloway (1980b: 267, fig. 4; 268, fig. 5); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 115).

Stereocaulon colensoi is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; a large, robust thallus to 8 cm tall; corticate or decorticate pseudopodetia, the surface smooth, wrinkled to verrucose-areolate, never sorediate; corticate, glossy, smooth, terete, finger-like to branched phyllocladia; very distinctly stalked ficoid, single or clustered cephalodia, the surface distinctly convoluted and maculate or scabrid-areolate; lateral and terminal apothecia with prominent, black or dark brown-black, marginate discs; and a chemistry of atranorin, colensoinic acid, unidentified tetrahydroxy fatty acids, and traces of unidentified compounds.