Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Sticta pickeringii Tuck., U. S. Expl. Exped. 17 (Bot.): 138 (1874).

=Sticta durvillei, sensu C.Bab. in J.D. Hooker, Fl. Nov. Zel. 2: 298 (1855) non Delise.

=Sticta durvillei var. flavicans f. laceratula Kremp., Reise Novara Bot. 1: 117 (1870).

=Pseudocyphellaria flavicans, sensu D.J.Galloway Fl. N. Z. Lichens: 443 (1985) non (Hook.f. & Taylor) Vain.

Sticta durvillei. Holotype: New Zealand. Bay of Islands, Wilkes Expedition, sine collectoribus nomine – FH. For notes on typifications see Galloway (1988a: 219–221).

Sticta durvillei var. flavicans f. laceratula. New Zealand. Sine loco, sine collectoribus nomine – M not seen.

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 443–444 – as Pseudocyphellaria flavicans). See also Galloway (1988a: 221–222) and Galloway at al. (2001: 68–69).

Chemistry : Pulvinic acid. pulvinic dilactone, calycin, 2α,3β,22α-triacetoxystictane, 2α,3β-diacetoxystictane-22-ol, stictane-3β,22α-diol, 2α-acetoxystictane-3β,22α-diol, 3β-acetoxystictane-2α,22α-diol, stictane-2α,3β,22α-triol, 3β-acetoxystictane-22-ol, pseudocyphellarin A, nephroarctin, phenarctin, 2'- O -methylphenarctin. 1'-chlorophenarctin, 2'- O -methylpseudocyphellarin A and 2'- O -methylisopseudocyphellarin A.

N: Northland (Three Kings Is) to Cook Strait. S: Nelson to Southland, mainly close to and E of the Main Divide. St: (Mt Anglem to Port Pegasus). Ch.: Widespread [map in Galloway (1988a: 223, fig. 112)], occupying a variety of habitat niches, from coastal scrub to subalpine tussock grassland, also on rocks (lava, basalt, greywacke, schist) and on soil in forest floor or beneath successional shrubs (especially Leptospermum). It colonises both bark and twigs of a number of forest trees and shrubs and is especially common on Nothofagus bark. Although flourishing in moderate to high-light habitats, it will also tolerate moderate shade. Known also from the palaeotropics (Philippines, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Norfolk I., Samoa, Hawai'i, Marquesas) and E Australia from Queensland to New South Wales (Galloway 1994b; Galloway et al. 2001b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Palaeotropical

Exsiccati : Vězda (1997g: No. 327 – as Pseudocyphellaria flavicans).

Illustrations : Martin & Child (1972: 117, plate 29 – as Pseudocyphellaria endochrysea; 118, plate 30 – as Pseudocyphellaria flavicans); Galloway (1988a: 218, fig. 110; 219, fig. 111); Flora of Australia 58A (2001: 100, pl. 43).

Pseudocyphellaria pickeringii is characterised by: variable, rounded to complexly divided, rather ragged, incised lobes with isidiate–phyllidiate margins; upper surface coriaceous, smooth to faveolate to minutely scabrid-areolate (×10 lens), with laminal and marginal isidia (terete) and phyllidia (flattened-dorsiventral); a yellow medulla; a green algal photobiont; a pale-yellow to yellow-brown or red-brown lower surface, a velvety tomentum and scattered yellow pseudocyphellae; apothecia sparse or absent, when present sessile, with a conspicuous whitish to buff, coarsely scabrid-areolate exciple; hypothecium red-brown turning blue-green in K; ascospores colourless, 1–3(–5)-septate, fusiform ellipsoidal; and a complex chemistry of pigments and stictane trirterpenoids (Chin et al. 1973; Galloway et al. 2001b). It may be parasitised by the lichenicolous fungus * Pyrenidium actinellum (q.v.).