Flora of New Zealand Series

Description : Basal squamules small, 0.5–1 mm long, 0.3–0.5 mm wide, persistent, without soredia, margins crenate, yellow-green above, white below. Podetia arising from upper surface of basal squamules 10–35 (rarely to 60) mm tall, 0.7–2 mm diam., pale yellow, subcylindrical, without scyphi, simple and subulate or with shallow, deformed scyphi with subulate marginal proliferations; podetia rough corticate at base and then becoming densely farinose-sorediate above; esquamulose or with a few squamules on the lower part of podetia. Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry : Cortex K−, C−, KC− yellow, Pd−; containing usnic, barbatic and 4- O -demethylbarbatic acids.

S: Nelson (Red Hill Ra.) to Otago (Ocean Peak Humboldt Mts, French Ridge, West Matukituki Valley, Remarkables, Old Man Ra., Old Woman Ra., Pisa Ra., Dunstan Mts, Mt Pisgah, Rock & Pillar Ra.). In alpine and subalpine tussock grasslands of the Southern Alps – on exposed soils and fellfield and on dead wood where it is easily recognised by its yellowish squamules and small ±deformed, yellow, sorediate podetia. Also in alpine regions of Australia and Tasmania (Archer 1985a, 1988, 1992b; Archer & Bartlett 1986; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Australasian

Cladonia bimberiensis is a characteristic alpine lichen distinguished by: the simple, pale-yellow, somewhat scyphose podetia and the K−, Pd− reactions. It is distinguished from C. macilenta and C. corniculata by the yellow colour and the K− and Pd− reactions.