Flora of New Zealand Series

Description : Thallus effuse, white, to 0.2 mm thick, of scattered convex or subglobose areolae, 0.05–0.16(–0.2) mm diam., often coalescing. Medulla I−. Apothecia black, up to 20 or more confluent in irregularly shaped botryose clusters, to 2.5(–3) mm wide, orbicular, to irregular through mutual pressure, 0.12–0.3(–0.4) mm diam., sessile, constricted at base, lecideine, mostly urceolate with a deeply concave disc, largely hidden by a prominent, roughened proper margin (0.04–0.06 mm wide). Exciple cupulate, 20–45 μm wide, dark-brown, K−. Epithecium brown to olive-brown, somewhat patchy or scarcely developed. Hymenium 45–60(–65) μm tall, pale olive-brown (K+ dull red-brown, N–), I+ blue. Paraphyses branched, 1–1.5 μm thick, not swollen or moniliform at apices. Hypothecium 50–95 μm thick, mottled dark reddish brown and dilute orange-brown (K+red dissolving, N+ intensifying orange-yellow). Asci clavate, 40–60 × 9.5–13 μm, Trapelia -type, with well-developed, very weakly amyloid or non-amyloid tholus, sometimes with a thin, strongly amyloid cap and/or weakly amyloid flanks. Ascospores colourless or tinged brownish with age, ellipsoidal, (7–) 9–11.5(–13) × (4–)4.5–5(–6) μm. Pycnidia not seen.

Chemistry : Thallus K+ faint yellow, C−, KC−, Pd−, UV−; containing porphyrilic acid.

C: (Mt Lyall, Mt Sorenson, Filhol Peak, Mt Honey). Overgrowing bryophytes on the ground in peat bogs and subalpine scrub and on moribund stems of Dracophyllum (Fryday 2004a). Known also from Tasmania (Coppins & Kantvilas 2001; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Australasian

Illustrations : Coppins & Kantvilas (2001: 38, fig. 2C; 39, fig. 3C; 42, fig. 5).

Rimularia hepaticola is characterised by: the bryicolous habit; the granular, globose-areolate thallus; the crowded, confluent apothecia in botryose clusters; the mottled reddish brown to orange-brown hypothecium (K+ red); and porphyrilic acid in the medulla.