Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Parmelia molliuscula Ach., Lichenogr. universalis: 492 (1810).

Description : Flora (1985: 613).

Chemistry : Cortex K−; medulla K+ yellow-orange, C−, KC−, Pd± orange; containing stictic (major), constictic, cryptostictic (tr.), connorstictic (tr.), norstictic (tr.) and usnic acids.

S: E of Main Divide in dry, inland basins of Marlborough (also at mouth of Wairau River), Canterbury and Otago. Especially noticeable on silty soils beneath Thymus vulgaris near Alexandra and along the Raggedy Ra., commonly associating with Siphula coriacea, Xanthoparmelia concomitans, X. reptans and X. semiviridis. Known also from South Africa (the type locality is Table Mountain), Western Australia, South Australia, California, Arizona and Mexico (Galloway 1981a, 1985a; Elix et al. 1986b; Elix 1994s: 265; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nash & Elix 2004).

Palaeotropical

Illustrations : Galloway (1981b: 539, fig. 7); Hale (1990: 150, fig. 51B); Elix (1994s: 264, fig. 100D).

Xanthoparmelia molliuscula is characterised by: the terricolous habit; revolute lobes; a pale lower surface; development of highly branched subterete to cylindrical lobules in the centre of the thallus; and the presence of the stictic acid complex in the medulla.