Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Caloplaca pyracea f. cerinelloides Erichsen, Verhandl. Bot. Ver. Prov. Brandenburg 72: 35 (1930).

Description : As for C. cerinella but with 8-spored asci.

Chemistry : Thallus K−, apothecial disc K+ purple; containing parietin.

S: Otago (Teviot Valley). On smooth bark of young deciduous wayside trees such as Populus, Salix and on Juglans in parks and gardens. A distinctive pioneer species associated with Candelariella, Hyperphyscia adglutinata, Lecanora hagenii, Physcia adscendens; Rinodina pyrina; Xanthoria parietina. Known also from Europe, Scandinavia, the Ukraine and the Himalaya (Poelt 1969; Degelius 1982; Poelt & Hinteregger 1993; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Kondratyuk et al.1996a; Scholz 2000; Hafellner & Türk 2001; Llimona & Hladun 2001; Fletcher & Coppins 2001b; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Wirth (1987: 93); Dobson (2005: 97).

Caloplaca cerinelloides is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the closely grouped, minute apothecia (0.05–0.3 mm diam.); 8-spored asci; and oval ascospores, 8.5–12 × 5–7 μm; septum 3–5 μm thick, ⅓ to ½ the length of the spore. Apothecial discs are sometimes parasitised by * Lichenodiplis lecanorae (q.v.).