Flora of New Zealand Series

Opegrapha elegans Sm. in Sm. et Sowerby, Engl. Bot. 26: t. 1812 (1807).

Thallus grey-white, continuous, minutely roughened, thick in parts, thin to disappearing in others, somewhat shiny. Lirellae prominent, very long (3-6 × 0.5 mm), black, flexuous, but unbranched, thalline margin absent, proper exciple black, prominent, furrowed into 2-5 ridges, almost closed, disc dark. Ascospores 6-8 per ascus, the largest 9-11-locular, 9-12 × 35-56 µm. Chemistry: Norstictic acid.

N: Auckland, Waitakere Ra., Cascades. On kauri bark. Known in New Zealand from only one collection (B.W. and G. C. Hayward) but is likely to be more widely distributed.

Cosmopolitan

Distinguished by the sulcate proper exciple, the large spores and the presence of norstictic acid.