Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen scalaris Ach. ex Lilj., K. Svenska Vetensk. Akad. Nya Handl. 1795: 127 (1795).

Description : Flora (1985: 189).

Chemistry : Medulla and cortex K−, C+ red, KC+ red, Pd−; containing lecanoric acid.

S: Nelson (Summit Creek, Travers Valley), Otago (Forgotten River, Mt Cargill). On burned stumps and rotten logs; probably much more widespread than records show. Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, Japan, North America and Australia (Schneider 1980; Timdal 1984a: 105; 2002: 227; Dirig 1990; Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Goward et al. 1994b; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Brodo et al. 2001; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Yoshimura (1974: pl. 34, fig. 338); Jahns (1980: 201, fig. 462); Schneider (1980: 80, fig.8, 1–2; 86, fig. 10); Brodo (1981: 57, fig. 21); Moberg & Holmåsen (1982: 122); Timdal (1984a: 85, fig. 1E, F; 87, fig. 2C,D; 89, fig. 4E; 104, figs 22, 23); Phillips (1987: 171 – as Lecidea scalaris); Wirth (1987: 211; 1995b: 425; 1995a: 14, fig. 2F); Hale & Cole (1988: 202, fig. 67B); Vitt et al. (1988: 181); Dirig (1990: 444, figs 1–8; 453, figs 11, 12); Dobson (1992: 156; 2000: 171, 172; 2005: 191); Goward et al. (1994b: 57, fig. 8B); Johnson et al. (1995: 336); Brodo et al. (2001: 345, pl. 373); Sérusiaux et al. (2004: 85).

Hypocenomyce scalaris is characterised by: the lignicolous habit (burned wood); ascending, geotropically orientated squamules, weakly convex to hemispherical; margins slightly upturned, entire or crenulate with labriform, farinose soralia; upper surface greyish green to dark-brown; lower surface white; lecanoric acid in the medulla; and bacillar, straight conidia. It is similar to the Australian species, H. australis (see above), but this is distinguished by its adnate, esorediate squamules and filiform, arcuate conidia (Timdal 1984a: 95).