Flora of New Zealand Series

Description : Flora (1985: 501).

Chemistry : Two chemodemes present: (1) usnic, salazinic (K+ red) and, ±protocetraric acids, and (2) usnic acid (K−).

K: (Raoul I.) N: Northland (Three Kings Is, Great Barrier I.) to Wellington (Wanganui – Manawatu) [map in Bannister et al. (2004: 129, fig. 5)]. Most common in mainland and offshore island habitats north of Auckland, on Avicennia marina var. resinifera and Metrosideros excelsa and also in forest remnants on Agathis australis, Crataegus, Dacrycarpus dacrydioides, Fuchsia excorticata, Leptospermum scoparium, Meryta sinclairii, Pittosporum crassifolium, Pinus radiata, Podocarpus totara, Salix fragilis and occasionally on rocks, mainly coastal but with a few inland records. Known also from Burma/Bangladesh, Japan, Indonesia (Java), Mariana Is, South Africa, Australia, New Hebrides, Cook Is, Norfolk I., Bonin Is (Stevens 1987: 202; Elix & McCarthy 1998; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Palaeotropical

Illustrations : Stevens (1987: 196, pl. 11, fig. 1; 215, pl. 14, fig. 8); Kashiwadani & Kalb (1993: 15, fig. 3F); Blanchon et al. (1996a: 85, fig. 9F).

Ramalina pacifica is characterised by: the corticolous (occasionally saxicolous) habit; compressed branches, broader basally and narrowing towards apices; soralia with prominent margins; and salazinic acid (K+ red) in the medulla.