Psoroma apiculata
Pannaria apiculata Knight, T.N.Z.I. 12: 369 (1880) .
P. obliterans Nyl., Lich. N.Z.: 50 (1888) .
Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco. Charles Knight, WELT! Vol. 30!
Pannaria obliterans. Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco. Charles Knight, H-NYL 31190!
Thallus minutely squamulose-microphylline, very closely attached, spreading, to 8 cm diam., with a conspicuous, black, marginal prothallus, corticolous. Squamules variable in size and shape, effigurate, or forming a diffract-areolate crust, or denuded altogether. Upper surface dirty greyish-brown, matt, without isidia or soredia. Apothecia frequent, 0.8-1.5 mm diam., disc plane, dark red-brown to blackened, with a thin proper margin, often occluded, concolorous with disc or paler. Ascospores ellipsoid, often apiculate at both ends, 16-21 × 7-10 µm.
N: Wellington. Not widely collected.
Endemic
P. apiculata is a sparsely collected and poorly known corticolous species. Thalli on bark are often denuded or eroded to minute, effigurate squamules on a black, byssoid prothallus, giving the plant a blackened appearance, relieved only by the scattered dark red-brown or blackened, biatorine fruits.
