Flora of New Zealand Series

Description : Primary thallus evanescent. Podetia (5–)7–10(–12) cm tall, 1–3 mm diam., upper parts brownish, pale greenish below, the dying base persistent, c. 3–6 cm long, whitish to yellow-brown to blackened, simple to slightly branched. Cups absent or very scarce, when present 0–6 per podetium, 2–7 mm wide with lateral perforations, margins with 8–10 teeth of which 1–3 develop into long proliferations, cups rather irregular, flaring abruptly and developing many coarse marginal teeth. Surface of podetia without squamules, minutely wrinkled to areolate, with narrow black, brown or whitish interspaces and cracks between areolae, longitudinal or rounded perforations (vulnerae) abundant in basal and central parts. Apothecia not seen. Pycnidia 0.2–0.3 mm diam., constricted at base.

Chemistry : K+ red-brown, Pd+ red; containing fumarprotocetraric and protocetraric acids.

S: Otago (Mt Kyeburn, on dead tussock, CHR 396959). Known also from Alaska (Ahti 1980b).

?Bipolar

Illustrations : Ahti (1980b: 209, fig. 6); Goward (1999: 122, fig. 12B; 129, fig. 16B).

Cladonia gracilis ssp. vulnerata is characterised by: podetia intermediate in width between the above two subspecies; generally subulate to minutely cup-forming, with distinct longitudinal openings (vulnerae) that form in even quite young podetia.