Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Stereocaulon macrocarpum var. argus (Hook.f. & Taylor) Th.Fr., Stereoc. Piloph. Comment.: 22 (1857).

=Stereocaulon argodes Nyl., Compt. Rend. Hebd. Séanc. Acad. Sci. Paris, sér. D, 83: 87 (1876).

Lectotype: New Zealand. Campbell I., J.D. Hooker – FH [fide Lamb (1977: 286)]. Isolectotype – UPS.

Stereocaulon argodes. Holotype: New Zealand. Campbell I., sine loco, 1874, M. Filhol – H-NYL 40013. Isotypes – BM, FH, MEL, US, UPS [see Dodge (1929: 109); Lamb (1977: 286, 319); Galloway (1980b: 266)].

Description : Flora (1985: 544)

Chemistry : Atranorin and perlatolic acid, and possibly stenosporic acid and traces of unidentified compounds.

St: (Smith's Lookout). C: (Mt Fizeau, Mt Sorenson, St Col Peak). A: M: Ant: On open winsdswept grasslands of the subantarctic islands, on rock outcrops.

Endemic

Illustrations : Fries (1858: pl. VII, fig. 4); Lamb (1951: pl. 1, fig. 2); Duvigneaud (1956: 33, fig. 9, 2 – as Stereocaulon argodes); Galloway (1980b: 266, fig. 3).

Stereocaulon argus is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the coarse and strongly rugose to verrucose or areolate cortex; the corticate phyllocladia with smooth, white, glossy tips, finger-like and often restricted to the base of podetia, becoming flattened and coralloid-branched at maturity, also often ridged and cracked; the small, globose cephalodia, 1.5–2(–5) mm diam., smooth or coarsely rugose, sessile or very shortly stalked, grey-white, surface smooth, matt, never areolate or maculate; and the distinctive chemistry (atranorin and perlatolic acid).