Xanthomendoza novozelandica
≡Xanthoria novozelandica Hillmann, Reprium Spec. nov. Regni veg. 45: 176 (1938).
≡Oxneria novozelandica (Hillmann) S.Kondratyuk & Kärnefelt, Ukrayins'kyi Botanichnyi Zhurnal 60 (4): 432 (2003).
Lectotype: New Zealand. South I., Canterbury, Godley Peaks, c. 750 m, 'ad ramos Hymenantherae alpinae cum Haematommate Babingtonii Mass.', H.H. Allan – CHR 381014 [fide Galloway (1985a: 620)].
Description : Flora (1985: 619–620 – as Xanthoria novozelandica).
Chemistry : Cortex K+ purple; containing parietin, teloschistin, fallacinal, and parietinic acid.
N: Taranaki (Stratford). S: Marlborough, Canterbury (Oxford, Godley Valley, Lake Ohau), Otago (Matukituki Valley, Teviot Valley, Pomahaka River, Taieri River, Brighton), Southland (Waikaia, West Dome, Waituna Lagoon, Tiwai Point). Probably more widely distributed. Records of X. novozelandica from Bird I. in Foveaux Strait (Fineran 1966) need confirmation. A corticolous species growing mainly on twigs and small branches of both native (Carmichaelia compacta, Hoheria angustifolia, Olearia odorata, O. paniculata, Sophora microphylla) and introduced (Acer pseudoplatanus, Crataegus monogyna, Cytisus scoparius, Fagus sylvatica, Malus ×domestica, Pinus pinaster, Salix fragilis) trees and shrubs. It is generally a small but regular component of the prominent orange-yellow "Xanthorion" association developed on introduced roadside trees and scrub (mainly Cytisus scoparius) where it associates with Teloschistes chrysophthalmus, T. velifer and X. parietina and with the grey or grey-green species Physcia adscendens, P. jackii, Ramalina celastri and R. glaucescens. Other lichens associating with X. novozelandica include: Candelaria concolor, Candelariella reflexa, Haematomma babingtonii, Hyperphyscia adglutinata, Lecanora carpinea, L. flavidomarginata, L. symmicta, Lecidella eleaochroma, Melanelia inactiva, Phaeophyscia orbicularis, Punctelia subalbicans. Its small size, and the fact that it appears to be readily overgrown or displaced by its larger, faster-growing associates, has led to its being very much under-collected. It is not at all a rare species as earlier recorded (Galloway 1985a: 620).
Endemic
Illustrations : Kondratyuk & Poelt (1997: 176, fig. 2B; 181, fig. 5C – as Xanthoria novozelandica); Scherrer & Honegger (2003: 381, fig. 2O – as Xanthoria novozelandica).
Distinguishing features : Xanthomendoza novozelandica is characterised by: the corticolous habit; rather small, rounded to irregular thalli, 1–1.5(–3.5) cm diam., with rather closely attached lobes, 1–3 mm long and to 1 mm wide, distinctly rhizinate at their margins; rhizines white, short, 40–250 μm long, often projecting beyond margins, and also found projecting from the thalline exciple below the disc of older apothecia; apothecia 0.6–2.6(–3.6) mm diam.; ascospores (13–)15–16(–20) × 7–8(–9) μm; conidia 3.8–4.1 × 0.9–1 μm; paraphyses inflated at their tips and filled with oil cells (Kondratyuk & Galloway 1996: 192; Kondratyuk & Poelt 1997: 184–186). Xanthomendoza novozelandica is a rather constant species throughout its range in New Zealand and like species of Xanthoria (q.v.), it varies in colour depending on the light regime of the substratum, though generally it is yellow-grey or yellow-green.
