Flora of New Zealand Series

Description : Flora (1985: 599–600).

Chemistry : Medulla K−; containing protocetraric and usnic acids.

S: Canterbury (near Cass). On rock in grassland, growing with Parmelia signifera. Known also from Africa, Madagascar, Australia, Marion and Prince Edward Is (Swinscow & Krog 1976a, 1988; Stevens 1999, 2004b; Øvstedal & Gremmen 2001; Becker 2002; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).

Palaeotropical

Illustrations : Swinscow & Krog (1976a: 28, fig. 3; 1988: pl. 16A).

Usnea maculata is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the conspicuously blackened holdfast; stiff, terete, loosely subdichotomously divided branches; punctiform, white or pale pseudocyphellae; a glossy to roughened, glaucous-green to olivaceous cortex, with red pigment deposited in patches or bands; and protocetraric acid in the medulla.