Flora of New Zealand Series

Parmelia plana Esslinger, J. Hattori bot. Lab. 42: 132 (1977).

Holotype (fide Esslinger, 1977): New Zealand. Otago, Ahuriri Valley, Mt Heim, 2300 m. P. Walsh, 1963, CHR 375899.

Thallus closely appressed, rather tightly adnate, 2-3 cm diam., saxicolous. Lobes 1-3 mm broad, flat, elongate and discrete, mostly distinctly wider at ends and narrowing towards centre. Upper surface dark red-brown or blackening, paler and more yellow-brown at apices, smooth to weakly pitted at apices, becoming fissured and weakly wrinkled centrally, dull, slightly shining at apices, without isidia. Lower surface black, paler at apices, flat, smooth and ± dull, moderately rhizinate. Rhizines concolorous with lower surface, to 0.2 mm long. Apothecia not seen. Pycnidia common. Conidia bifusiform, 5-6 × 1 µm. Chemistry: Cortex K-, HNO3+ dark blue-green; medulla K-, C-, KC+ rose fading, Pd-. Glomelliferic acid.

S: Otago, known only from the type collection.

Endemic

N. plana is a characteristic species with a stellate thallus and flat lobes which are wider at apices than centrally. It is distinguished from N. adpicta only in the medullary chemistry and may be merely a chemical strain of that species.