Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Parmelia subalbicans Stirt., Scott. Nat. 4: 254 (1878).

≡Parmelina subalbicans (Stirt.) D.J.Galloway, N. Z. J. Bot. 21: 195 (1983).

Lectotype: New Zealand. Near Wellington, J. Buchanan – BM [fide Galloway & Elix (1984: 443)].

Description : Flora (1985: 352–353 – as Parmelina subalbicans).

Chemistry : Cortex K+ yellow; medulla K−, C+ red, KC+ red, Pd−; containing ±atranorin, ±chloroatranorin and lecanoric acid (major).

N: Wellington. S: Canterbury (Christchurch). On tree bark (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides). Still very poorly understood and collected in New Zealand. Common in drier areas of southern and eastern Australia (Galloway & Elix 1984; Elix 1994q; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Australasian

Illustrations : Galloway & Elix (1984: 442, fig. 2; 444, fig. 3); Elix (1994q: 166, fig. 57B).

Punctelia subalbicans is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the lack of vegetative propagules; the distribution of laminal pseudocyphellae (restricted to lobe margins and thalline exciple of apothecia); and the presence of lecanoric acid in the medulla.