Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Verrucaria contorta Hoffm., Descr. Adumbr. Pl. Crypt. Lich. 1: 97 (1794).

Description : Thallus saxicolous or terricolous, areolate, grey-white, greenish white to olivaceous, sometimes variegated; areolae to 1–2.5(–3.5) mm diam., connected by thick, branched, rhizinate strands (terricolous forms), or with a radiating marginal prothallus (saxicolous forms). Apothecia immersed, 1 per areola, with 1 to several openings; disc black, white-pruinose. Ascospores 4 per ascus, colourless, simple, globose, 20–30 × 10–25 μm.

S: Nelson (Kaihoka). On coastal limestone. Known also from Europe (Nimis & Martellos 2003), Bolivia (Feuerer 2004), Argentina (Scutari et al. 2002a).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Foucard (1990: pl. 28); Dobson (2000: 66 ; 2005 : 74); Brodo et al. (2001: 169, pl. 121); Scutari et al. (2002a: 374, fig. 3; 375, fig. 4).

Aspicilia contorta is characterised by: the saxicolous (basicolous) habit; the grey-white to greenish white to olivaceous or variegated, areolate thallus, the areolae delimited and joined by a radiating prothallus; immersed apothecia, 1 per areola; 4-spored asci; and globose ascospores, 20–30 × 10–25 μm.