Flora of New Zealand Series

B. hypolepidna (Stirton) Müll. Arg., Bull. Herb. Boissier 2, App. 1: 71 (1894).

Lecidea hypolepidna Stirton, Proc. phil. Soc. Glasg. 10: 298 (1877).

L. melaxanthella Nyl., Lich. N.Z.: 112 (1888).

Lectotype: New Zealand. Wellington, Sine loco. J. Buchanan 45/74, GLAM!

Lecidea melaxanthella. Type: New Zealand. Sine loco (prob. Wellington) Charles Knight. H-NYL!

Thallus obscure greenish-yellow or pale greenish-white, thin, granular-uneven or minutely granular-verrucose to minutely verrucose-areolate, delimited by a thin black prothallus, corticolous or lignicolous. Apothecia scattered, solitary to 1-2-confluent 0.05-0.2 mm diam., black, epruinose, slightly sunk in thallus, disc plane, matt black, margins thin, slightly raised, concolorous with disc, entire. Ascospores biseriate, greenish-grey to dark brown, oval with slightly pointed apices, slightly constricted at septum (11-)15.3-21(-24) × 5.1-8.3 µm.

N: Wellington. S: Canterbury (on Hoheria in several eastern coastal habitats).

Endemic

The type collections of both Lecidea hypolepidna and L. melaxanthella are from rimu bark, and it is probable that this species is widespread on this substrate.