Flora of New Zealand Series

Description : Thallus pale olive-green, somewhat cracked, surface smooth and dull, without isidia or soredia. Apothecia verruciform, conspicuous, dispersed, sometimes confluent, concolorous with thallus, flattened-hemispherical, constricted at base, 0.8–1.5 mm diam.; ostioles inconspicuous, brown, 1 per verruca. Ascospores 8 per ascus, irregularly uniseriate, smooth, ellipsoidal to fusiform, (60–)80–120 × 30–40 μm.

Chemistry : K−, C−, KC−, Pd−; containing 4,5-dichlorolichexanthone (minor), 2,2'-di- O -methylstenosporic acid (major), 2'- O -methylstenosporic acid (minor-tr.), 2'- O -methylperlatolic acid (minor), planaic acid (tr.) and 2,2'-di- O -methyldivaricatic acid (tr.), ±methyl 2,2'-di- O -methylstenosporate (tr.) (Archer 1997: 144–145).

N: Auckland (Rangitoto I.), South Auckland (Mt Mangatawhiri, Coromandel Peninsula). On Rhopalostylis scandens bark. Known also from Australia (Archer & Elix 1992; Archer 1997, 2004a; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Australasian

Illustrations : Archer & Elix (1992: 419, fig. 5); Archer (1997: 141, fig. 53).

Pertusaria subplanaica is characterised by: the corticolous habit; 8- spored asci; and the presence of 2,2'-di- O -methylstenosporic acid.