Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Physcia obscurata Nyl., Annls Sci. nat. Bot. sér. 4, 19: 310 (1863).

Description : Flora (1985: 185).

Chemistry : Atranorin, zeorin and pigments.

N: Three Kings Is to Wellington. On bark and rocks. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Asia, North, Central and South America, Hawai'i, Fiji, New Caledonia, East and South Africa, Socotra, Mauritius and Australia (Kurokawa 1962; Yoshimura 1974; Swinscow & Krog 1976b, 1988; Nimis 1993; Elix & McCarthy 1998; Aptroot 2002e; Coppins 2002b; Moberg & Nash 2002; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Mies & Schultz 2004; Moberg 2004a, 2004b)

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Yoshimura (1974: pl. 3, fig. 9 – as Anaptychia obscurata); Swinscow & Krog (1988: 98, fig. 45); Dobson (2000: 169); Brodo et al. (2001: 340, pl. 365); Moberg (2004a: 460, fig. 4).

Heterodermia obscurata is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the robust lobes; the distinct labriform soralia; and the rusty brown or orange-pigmented lower surface (K+ purple) that is also ecorticate.