Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. Campbell I., just below summit of Mt Lyall. On stones in fellfield scree, 365 m, 20.i.1981, C.D. Meurk – BM. Isotype – CHR.

Description : Flora (1985: 368).

A: (Adams I., S of Mt Dick). C: M: On rocks in exposed fellfield and scree. Associating with: Cladia aggregata, Hypogymnia lugubris, Placopsis subgelida, Pseudocyphellaria glabra, Steinera sorediata and Usnea xanthopoga.

Endemic

Illustrations : Jørgensen & Galloway (1984: 190, fig. 1; 191: fig. 2; 192, fig. 3; 193, fig. 4).

Peltularia crassa is characterised by: the foliose, ±umbilicate thallus; matt or scabrid upper surface; cyanobacterial photobiont; and the laminal soralia. It is one of a group of relict lichen taxa (Argopsis, Icmadophila splachnirima, Steinera are others) developed in the subantarctic, which should be closely looked for in the mountainous areas of southern New Zealand, especially in Fiordland.