Flora of New Zealand Series

≡Lichen sinuosus Sm., Engl. Bot. 29: pl. 2050 (1809).

≡Parmelia sinuosa (Sm.) Ach., Syn. Meth. Lich.: 207 (1814).

Descriptions : Flora (1985: 200). See also Elix (1994h: 58).

Chemistry : Cortex K−, KC+ yellow, UV−; medulla K+ yellow-red, C−, Pd−, UV−; containing usnic acid, salazinic acid (major), consalazinic acid (minor) and ±norstictic acid (tr.)

N: Northland to Wellington. S: Nelson to Fiordland. St: C: Widely distributed in lowland and/or coastal habitats of high humidity and moderate shade. A common epiphyte of divaricating shrubs, especially Discaria toumatou. A good indicator of humid habitats. Widespread, on all continents except Antarctica (Purvis et al. 1992; Nimis 1993; Santesson 1993; Esslinger & Egan 1995; Galloway & Quilhot 1999; Louwhoff & Elix 2002a; McCarthy 2003c, 2006; Nimis & Martellos 2003; Santesson et al. 2004).

Cosmopolitan

Illustrations : Hale (1975: 64, fig. 18c); Goward et al. (1994b: 62, fig. 2A); McCune & Geiser (1997: 134); Kantvilas & Jarman (1999: 72, fig. 42); Dobson (2000: 273; 2005: 195); Brodo et al. (2001: 360, pl. 395); Kantvilas et al. (2002: 56); Louwhoff & Elix (2002a: 103, fig. 54).

Hypotrachyna sinuosa is characterised by: the corticolous habit; the narrow, yellow-green, dichotomously branching lobes with capitate soralia; and salazinic acid in the medulla.