Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. Otago, Tautuku Bush, on Weinmannia racemosa, xii.1934, J.S. Thomson T1675 [ZA 596] – CHR 374739. Isotypes ?OTA, W.

Description : Flora (1985: 266).

Chemistry : K−, C−, KC+ yellow, Pd−; containing usnic acid and zeorin.

N: Northland to Wellington. S: Throughout, both E and W of the Main Divide, in coastal forest, on bark of Dacrydium cupressinum, Nothofagus, Phyllocladus and Weinmannia, s.l. to 1000 m. Sometimes overgrowing bryophytes or epiphyte roots, generally on soft, rather decayed bark. Also on Lord Howe I. (Sipman 1983) and in Queensland (Sipman 1986b: 559; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Australasian

Exsiccati : Vězda (1990: No. 2403).

Illustrations : Sipman (1983: pl. 20A, B); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 76).

Megalospora atrorubicans ssp. australis is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the yellowish, warty–papillate thallus; the large size (0.5–3.1 mm diam.) of the apothecia; the K+ red reaction of the exciple; a finely warted epispore; usnic acid in the thallus; and 1-septate ascospores, 1 per ascus, 60–120 × 20–40 μm.