Flora of New Zealand Series

Holotype: New Zealand. Westland. Lake Ianthe, c. 40 km S of Hokitika, 168 º E, 45 º S, 18.ix.1981, A. Henssen 27487a – MB. Isotypes – CHR, UPS.

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 517). See also Kantvilas (2004c).

Chemistry : K−, C−, KC−, Pd+ red; containing protocetraric and squamatic acids and traces of two unidentified compounds.

N: Northland (Waipoua Forest, near Tane Mahuta, Mt Tutamoe, Waima State Forest, Mt Auckland, Great Barrier I., Little Barrier I.), sine loco (Colenso – BM), Auckland (Waitakere Ra.), South Auckland (Table Mountain, Camel's Back, Coromandel Ra.), Taranaki (Mt Taranaki), Wellington (Tararua Ra., Orongorongo Valley). S: Nelson (Marborough (Mt Maud, d'Urville I., Mt Stokes), Westland (Ngahere, Greymouth, Hokitika, Kelly Ra.), Southland (Fiordland, Milford Sound, Doubtful Sound, Henry Saddle, Grebe Valley, Borland Lodge, Monowai). St: (Islet Cove, Port Pegasus). On bark among mosses and ferns in deep shade in high-rainfall, forested areas, where it grows on bark, tree fern brush, vines, mosses, liverworts and ferns (common on dead filmy ferns) or directly on the leaves and stems of shrubs. Known also from Tasmania (Henssen et al. 1982; Kantvilas 1990a, 2004c; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Australasian

Exsiccati : Moberg (1991: No. 95).

Illustrations : Henssen et al. (1982: 589, figs 2, 5; 596, figs 37–52; 597, figs 53–59); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 113, 140).

Roccellinastrum neglectum is characterised by: the soft, terete, byssoid-spongiose richly branched lobes; apothecia borne mainly at the lobe tips; the frequently long, stipitate fruiting bodies; simple spores; and the presence of protocetraric and squamatic acids (Pd+ red). It is distinct from Sagenidium molle, which has Trentepohlia as photobiont, spreading rosettes rather than discrete lobes, a blue-grey rather than a creamish tinge, inhabits the very dry underside of mature, inclined tree trunks and large branches, has 5-septate spores, and contains lepraric acid (Pd –).