Xanthoparmelia tasmanica (Hook.f. & Taylor) Hale
Parmelia tasmanica J.D. Hook. et Taylor, Hook. Lond. J. Bot. 3: 644 (1844).
Thallus foliose, lobate, loosely attached, ± orbicular to spreading, to 15 cm diam. Lobes very variable, rather narrow (to 3 mm wide), sinuous, often imbricate complex, apices smoothly rounded, often shallowly incised, occasionally forming clustered marginal lobules or laciniae, margins entire, sinuous, shining, black, slightly thickened. Upper surface yellowish-green to dull yellow-grey or black, smooth, shining, isidia, maculae and soredia absent. Lower surface black or brown-black, shining, smooth or papillate. Rhizines variable, sparse to moderate, black or brown, simple or dichotomously branched. Apothecia frequent, subpedicellate, to 5 mm diam., disc red-brown, imperforate, shining, convex to plane, margins entire or crenulate, concolorous with thallus, thalline exciple smooth, shining. Pycnidia common, minute, black, punctiform. Chemistry: Cortex K-; medulla K+ yellow → red, C-, KC+ red, Pd+ orange. Salazinic and usnic acids.
S: East of the Main Divide in dry, inland basins in Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago and on the coast. On rock, rarely on soil; montane, subalpine and coastal. Variation in this species is discussed by Galloway (loc. cit.), pp. 545-546).
Australasian (also in Texas)
X. tasmanica shows great variation in its morphology, both narrow, and broad lobed forms being found often in the same clone. It is the most frequently fertile species of Xanthoparmelia in New Zealand and fruiting specimens almost always have a rich development of laminal pycnidia. Although normally a saxicolous species it is often collected from soil in depleted grassland habitats.
