Opegrapha stellata
Lecotype: New Zealand. Sine loco, [probably Wellington], Charles Knight, Herb. Knight Vol. 65A: 8, lower piece on page – WELT [fide G. Hayward (1977: 580)].
Description : Flora (1985: 327).
Chemistry : Thallus K+ yellow→red, C−, KC+ red, Pd+ orange; containing norstictic acid.
N: Northland (Hen I.), Wellington. S: Otago (Cascade Creek), Southland (George Sound). On smooth bark. Known also from Tasmania and Victoria (Kantvilas & James 1991: 280–281; Kantvilas et al. 1994; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).
Australasian
Illustrations : Knight (1884: tab. 11, fig. 14); Hayward (1977: 580, fig. 12B; 581, fig. 13F).
Opegrapha stellata is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the long, flexuous, dendroid lirellae; simple to 1-septate ascospores, 12–17 × 3–6 μm; and the presence of norstictic acid (K+ yellow→red).
