Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. Canterbury, Four Peaks Range, Blue Mountain, 1612 m, on rocks in summit fellfield, 23.iv.1979, D. J. Galloway – CHR 381023. Isotypes – BM, UPS.

Description : Flora (1985: 43).

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative.

S: Canterbury (Godley Valley, Mt Peel, Four Peaks Ra., Kirkliston Ra.), Otago (Treble Cone, Symmetry Peaks Eyre Mts, Coronet Peak, Old Man Ra., Poolburn Reservoir, Rough Ridge, Mt Ida, Rock & Pillar Ra., Lammerlaw Ra.). In high-alpine fellfield on rock outcrops amongst moss and other lichens especially Menegazzia aeneofusca, M. castanea, Usnea acromelana, U. ciliata, U. contexta, U. subcapillacea, U. torulosa, Parmelia signifera and species of Umbilicaria. Known also from Argentina (Staten I.), the Falkland Is, and South Orkney Is (Øvstedal & Lewis Smith 2004).

Austral

Illustration : Jørgensen & Galloway (1983: 337, fig. 1A, B).

Bryoria austromontana is a characteristic lichen that cannot be confused with any other in New Zealand. The species is pale and matt at the base, shining and blackish brown in distal parts of the thallus. It belongs to the difficult B. fuscescens group, a critical, very variable and poorly understood species complex in the Northern Hemisphere (Brodo & Hawksworth 1977: 85). B. austromontana appears to be most closely related to B. lanestris (Ach.) Brodo & D.Hawksw.; however, this species has uneven, brittle branches with a matt cortex and is predominantly corticolous. B. trichodes (Michx) Brodo & D.Hawksw., much more divergent branching, a very shiny brown cortex and is also primarily corticolous; it also has a different chemistry. It is noteworthy that no corticolous members of the B. fuscescens complex are known from New Zealand (Jørgensen & Galloway 1983).