Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Parmelia osseoalba Vain., Ann. Soc. Zool.-Bot. fenn. Vanamo 1: 39 (1921).

=Parmelia formosana Zahlbr., Repert.Spec.Nov.Regni Veg. 33: 57 (1934).

≡Hypotrachyna formosana (Zahlbr.) Hale, Smiths. Contr. Bot. 25: 38 (1975).

Description : Flora (1985: 198–199 – as Hypotrachyna formosana). See also Elix (1994h: 57).

Chemistry : Cortex K−, UV+ yellow; medulla K+ reddish, C−, Pd−; containing lichexanthone (major), colensoic acid, 4- O- methylphysodic acid, lividic acid (major), physodic acid and oxyphysodic acid.

N: Northland (Three Kings Is, Kaiwaka, Russell), South Auckland (Mangaotaki Valley near Pio Pio), Wellington (Pongaroa). Mainly on coastal rocks and on bark of trees and shrubs in northern districts – still poorly known in New Zealand. Known also from subtropical and temperate regions, Thailand, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Australia (Elix 1994h; Becker 2002; Louwhoff & Elix 2002a: 83; 2002b; Wolseley et al. 2002; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Pantropical

Illustrations : Hale (1975: 30, fig. 11c); Swinscow & Krog (1988: 114, fig. 55); Elix (1994h: 60, fig. 39A); Brodo et al. (2001: 358, pl. 392); Louwhoff & Elix. (2002a: 85, fig. 40).

Hypotrachyna osseoalba is characterised by: the corticolous/saxicolous habit; its cortical pustules (fluorescing strongly golden yellow in UV); sublinear lobes; dichotomously branched rhizines; and cortical lichexanthone (UV+ yellow).