Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Parmelia celastri Spreng., Syst. orb. veg. 4 (2): 328 (1827).

Description : Flora (1985: 498–499).

Chemistry : Usnic acid.

K: (Raoul I.). N: Northland (Three Kings Is) to Wellington. S: Nelson to Southland (absent from Fiordland), both E and W of the Main Divide. Ch.: (Wharekauri, Te Whanga Lagoon, Stony Creek) [map in Bannister et al. (2004: 130, fig. 6)]. Very widespread and the most common species of the genus in New Zealand (Bannister et al. 2004), though with conspicuous gaps in distribution (e.g. Fiordland and Stewart I.). On coastal and inland fence posts and railings and introduced trees and shrubs, especially fruit trees, and decorticated wood. Also on a variety of native trees and shrubs and occasionally on rock and concrete. Known collections occur on the following substrata: wood (5%), rock (18%), native vegetation (41%), and exotic vegetation (36%) [J. Bannister pers. comm.]. A widespread tropical lichen known also from the Caribbean, Mexico, South America, Tristan da Cunha, E Africa, India, the Pacific Islands and Australia (Krog & Swinscow 1976; Jørgensen 1977; Stevens 1987; Kashiwadani 1990; Kashiwadani & Kalb 1993; Elix & McCarthy 1998; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Aptroot 2002e; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Kashiwadani & Nash 2004).

Palaeotropical

Exsiccati : Vězda (1983b: No. 1893).

Illustrations : Martin & Child (1972: 119, pl. 31 – as Ramalina linearis); Stevens (1987: 171, pl. 9, fig. 8; 181, pl. 10, fig. 1; 216, pl. 15, fig. 4); Swinscow & Krog (1988: 279, fig. 138); Blanchon et al. (1996a: 66, fig. 6C; 82, figs E, F); Malcolm & Galloway (1997: 114, 135); Malcolm & Malcolm (2000: 37; 2001: 40, 56); Brodo et al. (2001: pl. 754); Cordeiro et al. (2004: 491, fig. 1).

Ramalina celastri is characterised by: the corticolous (rarely saxicolous) habit; variable thallus morphology; numerous laminal and/or marginal apothecia; numerous short, linear pseudocyphellae; and usnic acid as sole secondary metabolite