Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. Otago, Mt Cargill near Dunedin, near summit on more or less bare rocks, with Menegazzia neozelandica, 9.i.1963, P.W. James NZ2099/2 – BM. Isotypes – CHR, MB, US.

Description : Flora (1985: 542).

N: Taranaki (Mt Taranaki). S: Otago (Garvie Mts, Old Man Ra., Mt Cargill, Flagstaff Hill near Dunedin). C: (Mt Honey, Mt Azimuth). Among moss on rocks and boulders, subalpine to high-alpine, 500–1800 m. Still very poorly collected, probably more widespread in alpine fellfield, but its small size and the colour of the thallus often make it difficult to detect in the field. In the type locality, it is surprisingly common on both north- and south-facing rocks on the summit, but its subtle colouring makes it not very easy to detect at first. It is worth searching for!

Recently recorded from the subantarctic Marion and Prince Edward Is (Øvstedal & Gremmen 2001).

Austral

Illustrations : Henssen & James (1982: 237, fig. 8; 241, fig. 13B; 250, fig. 20; 251, fig. 21).

Steinera sorediata is distinguished from other species in the genus by the presence of soredia. The multiseptate, ±acicular ascospores suggests that it is possibly closely related to the non-sorediate S. polymorpha. However, there are features of the anatomy and ontogeny of the two species which suggests they cannot be considered as a species pair.