Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen orbicularis Neck., Deliciae gallo-belgicae: 509 (1768).

Description : Flora (1985: 385).

Chemistry : TLC−, all reactions negative; or occasionally with traces of skyrin (K+ purple).

N: Northland (Whangarei) to Wellington. S: Canterbury (Christchurch), Otago (Dunedin), Southland (Invercargill, Awarua). Throughout in urban areas on bark of introduced deciduous trees along roadsides and in parks and gardens; also on bird perching rocks in inland areas; and on old iron, and asbestos and fibrolite roofing materials of fertiliser works in Whangarei and New Plymouth and Awarua. It appears to be tolerant of moderate to heavy levels of atmospheric pollution. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, North America, Africa, and Australia (Goward et al. 1994b; Coppins 2002b; Moberg 2002f, 2004b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Moberg (1977: 45, fig. 21); Jahns (1980: 243, pl. 612); Moberg & Holmåsen (1982: 198); Moberg & Hansen (1986: 7, fig. 6): Wirth (1987: 363; 1995b: 718, 719, 736); Dobson (1992: 258, pl. 15; 2000: 298; 2005: 334); Goward et al. (1994b: 107, fig. 7A); Johnson et al. (1995: 339); Brodo et al. (2001: 543, pl. 651); Nordic Lichen Flora Vol. 2 (2002: 97); Sérusiaux et al. (2004: 132).

Phaeophyscia orbicularis is characterised by: the corticolous/saxicolous habit; the adnate thallus; laminal, capitate to eroded soralia; apothecia sometimes with sorediate margins; and ascospores 18–26 × 7–11 μm.