Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen cocciferus L., Sp. Pl.: 1151 (1753).

Description : Flora (1985: 109).

Chemistry : Cortex K−, KC+ yellow-orange, Pd−; two chemodemes present, (1) containing barbatic acid, ±4- O -demethylbarbatic acid and usnic acid; (2) containing zeorin, ±porphyrilic acid and ±conporphyrilic acid.

N: Wellington (Mt Holdsworth, Tararua Ra.). S: Canterbury (Edwards River), Otago (Pisa Ra., Dansey's Pass). On subalpine peat bogs and decaying stumps. Apparently very rare in New Zealand in comparison with C. pleurota. Known also from NW Europe, Scandinavia, E Asia, the Himalaya, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and North America (Stenroos 1989; Ahti & Hammer 2002).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Galløe (1954: 34, pls 49–54); Martin & Child (1972: 112, pl. 24); Moore & Irwin (1978: 15, fig. 3); Jahns (1980: 207, figs 482, 484); Moberg & Holmåsen (1982: 139); Thomson (1984: 121); Phillips (1987: 182); Wirth (1987: 142; 1995b: 305C; 323); Jørgensen et al. (1994a: 295, fig. 18); Krog et al. (1994: 152); Gilbert (2000: pl. 8A); Sérusiaux et al. (2004: 53); Pope (2005: 24).

Cladonia coccifera is characterised by: large (up to 8 mm long) basal squamules and scaly plates, irregular in shape, covering the exterior surface of the podetia and the interior of the cup. It is readily distinguished from C. pleurota and C. sulphurina by its complete absence of soredia. Stenroos (1989: 162–163) gives a concise discussion on the species, which is often confused with eirther C. borealis Stenroos or C. pleurota (q.v.).