Flora of New Zealand Series

Thallus heteromerous, granular, microphylline or squamulose to subfoliose, often erect, upper cortex well-developed, ± loosely attached to substrate by medullary hyphae or by a prothallus, isidia present or absent, margins of thallus ± pale, corticolous. Photobiont green, Trebouxia. Apothecia sessile, biatorine, ± convex, brown or reddish-brown with a thin, pale proper margin, disappearing with age. Paraphyses distinct, simple, apices not noticeably thickened, conglutinate. Asci clavate, 8-spored. Ascospores simple, colourless, long-ellipsoid. Hypothecium massive, 150-250 µm thick, intensely gelatinised, appearing chondroid.

Phyllopsora is a primarily tropical genus of c. 40 species included in the family Lecideaceae. It is monographed by Swinscow and Krog [ Lichenologist 13: 203-247 (1981)]. Two species are known from New Zealand but the genus is still poorly understood and collected and there are at least two undescribed species. Species are corticolous, and characteristic of rotting logs or bark in Nothofagus forests in deep to moderate shade.