Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lobaria fuliginosa Hoffm., Dtschl. Fl. 2: 109 (1796).

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 556). See also Galloway (1994c: 246–249; 1997: 137).

N: Northland to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. Throughout [map in Galloway (1997: 139, fig. 26)], in warm, humid habitats often on successional shrubs (Coprosma, Leptospermum, Macropiper, Olearia) in humid gullies or at bush margins on tree ferns, Cordyline australis and on forest trees and shrubs, occasionally on dry rock faces; mainly lowland, s.l. to 1000 m. It has a characteristic fishy smell (polyamines) when wet. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, North and South America, Thailand, Australia and Prince Edward I. (Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Galloway 1994c, 1998e, 2001f; Øvstedal & Gremmen 2001; Aptroot 2002e; Coppins 2002b; Wolseley et al. 2002; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Galloway (1994c: 247, fig. 20; 1997: 138, fig. 25); Goward et al (1994b: 126, fig. 5A); Wirth (1995a: 64, pl. 17B; 1995b: 25, 75, 885); Kantvilas & Jarman (1999: 145); Dobson (2000: 371; 2005: 419); Brodo et al. (2001: 672, pl. 823); McDonald et al. (2003: 65, fig. 2G; 69, fig. 3G, J); Sérusiaux et al. (2004: 162).

Sticta fuliginosa is characterised by: the corticolous/saxicolous habit; a cyanobacterial photobiont; broadly rounded, ± monophyllous lobes that are dark brownish grey, bluish or blackened, with numerous, delicate, granular-coralloid isidia on margins and upper surface of lobes; and a pale-creamish white or buff-pink lower surface with pale tomentum and large, flat, conspicuous white cyphellae. S. limbata has a somewhat similar morphology but the upper surface is smooth and at times ± glossy, and it has conspicuous erose soralia on margins and upper surface.