Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Neuropogon antarcticus (Du Rietz) I.M.Lamb, Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 52: 210 (1939).

Description : Flora (1985: 317).

Chemistry : Medulla K+ brown, C−, KC−, Pd+ red; containing fumarprotocetraric and usnic acids. Three chemodemes known (Walker 1985) of which the fumarprotocetraric acid chemodeme occurs here.

S: Canterbury (Kirkliston Ra.), Otago (Mt Earnslaw, Pisa Ra., Old Man Ra.). On exposed fellfield rocks, 1450–2100 m, rather rare. Known also from southern South America, Falkland Is, Kerguelen, Bouvetøya, Marion and Prince Edward Is, Heard I., South Sandwich Is, South Orkney Is, South Georgia, South Shetland Is and continental Antarctica (Walker 1985; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Øvstedal & Gremmen 2001; Øvstedal & Lewis Smith 2001; Søchting et al. 2004).

Austral

Illustrations : Walker (1985: 57, fig. 13; 60, fig. 14); Øvstedal & Lewis Smith (2001: pl. 88, pl. 93, pl. 94); Articus (2004: 930, fig. 4 – as Neuropogon antarcticus).

Usnea antarctica is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the erect, richly branched thallus arising from a delimited holdfast pigmented towards the apices; the matt, papillate to grossly papillate surface without annulations; a compact medulla; and plane, crateriform soralia.