Flora of New Zealand Series

R. peloleuca (Nyl.) Müll. Arg., Nuova G. Bot. ital. 23: 125 (1891).

* Account prepared by Dr H. Mayrhofer (Graz).

Lecanora peloleuca Nyl., Flora 48: 338 (1865).

Lectotype (fide Mayrhofer loc. cit.): New Zealand. Otago, Dunedin, on basalt. October 1861. W.L. Lindsay, H-NYL 28504.

Thallus thin, sordid whitish or pale grey, membranous or rimose to rimose- areolate, prothallus evanescent or blackish, cortex with granular inclusions, saxicolous. Apothecia cryptolecanorine to lecanorine, innate or adnate, frequent, to 1 mm diam., disc blackish, plane, becoming convex. Hymenium 90-130 µm tall. Epihymenium red-brown. Hypothecium colourless. Ascospores of Sicula - type, torus small, not well-developed, 17-25 × 10-14 µm, wall finely warted. Chemistry: Zeorin and four unidentified triterpenoids.

S: Otago (Brighton, Otago Heads, Green Island). A: On coastal rocks especially near high tide mark.

Endemic