Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Sticta multifida Nyl., Syn. meth. lich. 1 (2): 363 (1860). [For typification and additional synonymy see Galloway (1988a: 199–200)].

=Sticta subvariabilis Nyl., Flora50: 439 (1867).

≡Lobaria subvariabilis (Nyl.) Hellb., Bihang K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 21 (3/13): 41 (1896).

≡Pseudocyphellaria subvariabilis (Nyl.) Vain., Philipp. J. Sci. sect. C, 18: 116 (1913).

≡Cyanisticta subvariabilis (Nyl.) C.W.Dodge, Nova Hedwigia19: 490 (1971) ["1970"].

=Sticta psilophylla f. amphicarpa Müll.Arg., Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belg. 31 (2): 30 (1892).

Sticta subvariabilis. Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco, 1867, Charles Knight – H-NYL 33465.

Sticta psilophylla f. amphicarpa. Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco, 1883, Dr Knight – G 002003.

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 459 – as Pseudocyphellaria subvariabilis). See also Galloway (1988a: 2001–201).

Chemistry : 7β-acetoxyhopan-22-ol, hopane-7β,22-diol (tr.), hopane-15α,22-diol.

N: Northland (lat. 35ºS) to Cook Strait. S. Nelson to Southland both E and W of the Main Divide. St: (N coast to Port Pegasus), A: C: Common and widespread [map in Galloway (1988a: 203, fig. 101)], in a variety of habitats from deep shade on the forest floor to full sunlight at forest margins and in scrub associations, to subalpine tussock grassland, s.l. to 1560 m. As well as colonising tree trunks it is also found on twigs and branches and on mossy rocks. It has a wide altitudinal range, being found from coastal scrub and forest to rainforest close to the Main Divide, and above treeline in subalpine scrub and tussock grassland. It is absent from the driest areas and is best developed in cool, humid sites where it is often the dominant species of Pseudocyphellaria. Known aslo from Malesia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, E Australia and Tasmania (Galloway 1994b; Galloway et al. 2001b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Palaeotropical

Exsiccati : Elix (1989: No. 189); Vězda (1997f: No. 315 – as Pseudocyphellaria subvariabilis).

Illustrations : Galloway (1988a: 200, fig. 99; 202, fig. 100); Kantvilas & Jarman (1999: 123).

Pseudocyphellaria multifida is characterised by: very variable, rather delicate lobes, rarely broadly rounded to more usually narrow and highly divided, entangled-imbricate, the margins ragged-incised to lobulate or richly phyllidiate; a smooth, undulate or shallowly wrinkled upper surface, with occasional white maculae towards margins, and occasional to densely developed, simple, squamiform, palmate-coralloid to straplike phyllidia; a white medulla; a green photobiont; a pale whitish, glabrous, glossy, smooth or shallowly wrinkled lower surface with a usually poorly developed, thin, short, velvety tomentum centrally, and scattered, white, fleck-like pseudocyphellae, most noticeable at margins; and a two-hopane chemistry. It may be parasitised by the lichenicolous fungi * Arthonia epiphyscia, * A. pseudocyphellariae and * Corticifraga fuckelii (q.v.).