Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Collema nigrescens var. β leucocarpum (Hook.f. & Taylor) C. Bab. in J.D. Hooker, Fl. Nov. Zel. 2: 308 (1855).

≡Synechoblastus leucocarpus (Hook.f. & Taylor) Müll.Arg., Flora 65: 294 (1882).

Description : Flora (1985: 140–141).

N: Northland (Mahurangi), South Auckland (Rotorua), Taranakai (Mt Taranaki), Wellington (Tararua Ra.). S: Nelson (Cobb River, Lake Rotoiti), Westland (Otira Gorge), Canterbury (Arthur's Pass, Banks Peninsula), Otago (Huxley River, Lake Ohau, Routeburn Valley, Flagstaff Dunedin), Southland (Homer Tunnel, Eglinton Valley, Yerex Creek, Longwood Ra.). St: A: (Carnley Harbour, Hanfield Inlet). From both coastal and inland areas, mainly corticolous, found on trunks and branches of many trees and shrubs, rarely on rocks or on decorticated wood, s.l. to 1200 m. In habitats similar to those for C. laeve. Known also from Australia (McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

?Palaeotropical

Exsiccati : Weber (1969: No. 253).

Illustrations : Degelius (1974: 130, fig. 37; 131, fig. 38); Grgurinovic (1992: 219, fig. 70); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 98, 173); Kantvilas & Jarman (1999: 59).

Collema leucocarpum is characterised by: the corticolous habit; a smooth surface; strongly pruinose apothecia; the corticate thalline exciple; and large, fusiform, 6-celled ascospores, 30–65(–75) × 4.5–8.5 μm.