Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lecidea stellulata Taylor in Mack., Fl. hibern. 2: 118 (1836).

=Lecidea minutula sensu Nyl., Lich. Nov. Zel.: 113 (1888) non Arnold.

≡Buellia thomsonii C.W.Dodge, Nova Hedwigia 19 (3–4): 467 (1971) ["1970"].

Description : Flora (1985: 52). See also Scheidegger (1993: 357).

Chemistry : Atranorin, confluentic and 2'- O -methylperlatolic acid (Scheidegger (1993: 357).

N: Northland (Chicken Is, Poor Knights Is, Great Barrier I., Little Barrier I.) Auckland (Rangitoto I.), South Auckland (Whale I.) to Wellington (Kapiti I., Cape Palliser). S: Nelson, Marlborough (Chetwode Is), Canterbury (Birdlings Flat, Kaitorete Spit) to Southland (Tiwai Point). On coastal rocks, often on smooth pebbles and small stones. Associating with Rinodina thiomela and Xanthoparmelia mougeotina. Known also from Great Britain, Scandinavia, Europe, North America, Australia (Purvis et al. 1002; Scheidegger 1993; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Scholz 2000; Llimona & Hladun 2001; Coppins 2002b; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Bungartz & Nash 2004b; Santesson et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Galløe (1932: 22, pls 22–24); Dobson (1992: 72); Nordic Lichen Flora Vol. 2 (2002: 94); Bungartz & Nash (2004b: 452, fig. 5).

Buellia stellulata is characterised by: the saxicolous habit; the I− medulla; a green to olive epithecium; a pale- to dark-brown hypothecium; Buellia -type ascospores, 8.5–12(–15) × 5–6(–8.5) μm; bacillar conidia, 3.5–4 μm; and a distinctive chemistry. It is distinguished from specimens of B. spuria by the I− reaction of the medulla and the different chemistry.