Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Heterothecium pauciseptata Shirley, Pap. Proc. Roy. Soc. Tasm. 1893: 218 (1894).

≡Lopadium pauciseptatum (Shirley) Zahlbr., Cat. lich. univ. 5 (2): 309 (1927).

Description : Flora (1985: 24).

Chemistry : Thallus K−, C−, KC−, Pd+ orange; containing pannarin and zeorin.

N: Auckland (Anawhata), South Auckland (Moehau, Coromandel Peninsula; Te Aroha), Gisborne (Mt Hikurangi), Taranaki (Mt Taranaki) to Wellington. S: Nelson (Mt Cobb, Cobb Lake, Mt Aorere, Dun Mt, Mt Glasgow, Mt Rochfort, Springs Junction), Westland (Lake Mahinapua, Fox Glacier), Southland (Wilmot Pass, Percy Saddle). St: (Tin Ra., Noble I. Port Pegasus). On bark and lignum of Dracophyllum traversii, Griselinia littoralis, Libocedrus bidwillii, Phyllocladus asplenifolius ssp. alpinus, Rhopalostylus sapida, rarely on rock. Common in stunted podocarp forest in wetter western areas, less commonly on Nothofagus solandri var. cliffortioides, 500–1000 m. Also in Tasmania (Sipman 1983; Kantvilas 1994b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Australasian

Illustrations : Sipman (1983: 45, fig. 6F); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 95, 160, 186); Malcolm & Malcolm (2000: 13); Australasian Lichenology 48 (2001: front cover).

Austroblastenia pauciseptata is characterised by: the corticolous/saxicolous habit; greyish white or whitish verrucose thallus with scattered, capitate soralia; prominent, large, brownish or dark red-brown, convex, waxy apothecial discs with a thin, pale margin; and 3-septate ascospores (34–40 × 14–20 μm) that have thick, transverse septa.