Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Sticta damaecornis var. subcaperata Nyl., Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 9: 247 (1866).

≡Lobaria subcaperata (Nyl.) Hellb., Bih. K. Sv. Vet.-Akad. Handl. 21 (3/13): 33 (1896).

=Sticta variabilis var. lyalliana Müll.Arg., Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belg. 31 (2): 27 (1892).

=Ricasolia beckettii Stirt., Trans. N. Z. Inst. 30: 392 (1898).

≡Lobaria beckettii (Stirt.) Zahlbr., Cat. lich. univ. 3 (2): 298 (1925).

=Ricasolia beckettii var. consentiens Stirt., Trans. N. Z. Inst. 30: 392 (1898).

≡Lobaria beckettii var. consentiens (Stirt.) Zahlbr., Cat. lich. univ. 3 (2): 298 (1925).

=S. cinereoglauca var. hilaris Zahlbr., Denkschr. Akad. Wiss. Wien math.-naturwiss. Kl. 104: 288 (1941).

Lectotype: New Zealand. Otago, Dunedin, on trunks of trees, 5.xi.1861, W. Lauder Lindsay – H-NYL 33738 [fide Galloway (1985a: 561)]

Sticta variabilis var. lyalliana. Holotype: New Zealand. Sine loco. Charles Knight 1883 – G 002180 [annoted "Sticta cinereoglauca Tayl." by Knight].

Ricasolia beckettii. Holotype: New Zealand. Canterbury, Banks Peninsula, Mount Bossu, on trunks of totara trees (Podocarpus), T.W.N. Beckett L3 – BM. Isotype – CHR.

Ricasolia beckettii var. consentiens. Holotype: New Zealand. Canterbury, Banks Peninsula, Tarwera, xi.1896, T.W.N. Beckett 41 – BM. Isotype – CHR.

Sticta cinereoglauca var. hilaris. Lectotype: New Zealand. Lake Kariori, Volcanic Plateau, c. 600 m, xi.1935, J.E. Attwood A 113 – W [fide Galloway (1997: 155)].

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 561); Galloway (1997: 155–157).

N: Northland to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland. St: Throughout [map in Galloway (1997: 158, fig. 39)], coastal and inland, lowland to subalpine, s.l. to 1200 m, on bark of trees and shrubs in humid forested areas of medium to high light. Often a conspicuous epiphyte at forest margins where the olive-green to lettuce-green thallus lobes and the bright yellow-orange apothecia are noteworthy. It may also ocasionally be infected with galls of the lichenicolous fungus * Plectocarpon sticticola (q.v.).

Endemic

Exsiccati : Lojka (1886: No. 116 – as Sticta sinuosa); Vězda (1997c: No. 289).

Illustrations : Martin & Child (1972: 121, pl. 33 – as Sticta caperata); Galloway (1997: 156, fig. 37; 157, fig. 38); Malcolm & Malcolm (2000: 107).

Sticta subcaperata is characterised by: the corticolous habit; coriaceous lobes with rounded margins, conspicuous orange-yellow apothecia, and a pale lower surface. It is similar to Lobaria adscripta (q.v), and in many habitats in lowland, eastern South I. the two species are sympatric. However, it is readily distinguished by the colour of the apothecia when fertile, and the presence of cyphellae on the lower surface. It is distinguished from S. cinereoglauca, which has thinner, more papery thalli, red apothecial discs, and longer spores that are 5–7-septate. S. subcaperata appears to be the fertile, non-isidiate counterpart of S. squamata.