Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Neuropogon acromelanus (Stirt.) I.M.Lamb, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 52: 218 (1939).

Holotype: New Zealand. Canterbury, Selwyn Gorge, on trees [most probably an error since no species of Usnea sect. Neuropogon are corticolous!], v.1894, T.W.N. Beckett L11 – BM. Isotypes – CHR 343153, GLAM [NHB 1927–8–562].

Description : Flora (1985: 317).

Chemistry : Containing usnic acid and norstictic, salazinic and ±protocetraric acids. Two additional chemodemes – (1) containing psoromic and ±2'- O -demethylpsoromic acids and usnic acid and (2) usnic acid alone – also occur rarely in Chile, Argentine, South Orkney Is and Australia, but are not known from New Zealand populations (Walker 1985: 55).

N: Taranaki (Mt Taranaki), Wellington (Tama Lakes, Tongariro National Park). S: Nelson (Cobb Ridge, Mt Arthur, St Arnaud Ra., Crimea Ra.), Marlborough (Mt Tapae-o-uenuku, Branch River), Canterbury (Mt Technical, Sugarloaf Cass, Craigieburn Ra., Torlesse Ra., Mt Sinclair Banks Peninsula, Sebastopol, Ben Ohau Ra., Kirkliston Ra., Four Peaks Ra.), Otago (Mt Avalanche, Mt Sir William, Mt Earnslaw, Humboldt Mts, The Remarkables, Coronet Peak, Pisa Ra., Old Man Ra., Poolburn Reservoir, Rock & Pillar Ra., Maungatua), Southland (West Dome, Mid Dome, Mt Barrier). St: (Mt Anglem). Ch: On rock outcrops and in fellfield on rocky pavement, (100–)550–2800 m. Known also from SE Australia, southern South America and maritime Antarctica (Filson 1974b; Walker 1985; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Øvstedal & Lewis Smith 2001; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Stevens 2004a).

Australasian

Illustrations : Filson (1974b: 34, fig. 10); Walker (1985: 51, fig. 11; 53, fig. 12); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 111); Stevens (1999: 121, fig. 77); Flora of Australia56A (2004: xvi, pl. 22) – all as Neuropogon acromelanus.

Usnea acromelana is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the erect, proliferating habit; a monopodial to moderately branched thallus often with violaceous-black pigmentation; a smooth, waxy, black-annulate surface; numerous immarginate soralia; and a compact medulla containing norstictic and salazinic acids.