Flora of New Zealand Series

Thallus ± closely attached, irregularly spreading, 1-3(-5) cm diam., often scattered and fragmentary, corticolous. Lobes subdichotomously to irregularly branched, 1 mm wide, plane to concave, upper surface pale yellow-green, smooth, shining, often faintly pale yellow-maculate. Perforations rounded, sparse, to 0.5 mm diam. Soralia numerous, laminal, often arising from the edge of perforations, becoming ± elevated, flange-like and then eventually helmet-shaped and vesicular. Lower surface black or brownish-black, naked, smooth, slightly shining, brownish at apices, eperforate. Apothecia unknown. Chemistry: Usnic and lecanoric acids. Cortex K+ yellow; medulla K-, C+ rose-red, KC+ red, Pd-.

S: Nelson (St Arnaud Ra.) Otago (Bold Peak above Kinloch, Old Man Ra., Maungatua, Flagstaff). Subalpine, on bark of Alnus sp., and Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides, rarely on mats of Andreaea on rock with Neuropogon acromelanus and Parmelia signifera.

Austral

M. globulifera is a small, easily distinguished species with a yellow-green thallus, characteristic vesicular soralia and thalline chemistry. A related species with vesicular soralia occurs in south-eastern Australia but is grey in colour and has stictic acid as the major medullary compound (C-).