Lepraria arbuscula
Synonyms
Stereocaulon arbuscula Nyl., Leprocaulon arbuscula (Nyl.) Nyl.
Family
Stereocaulaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Fruticose
Current conservation status
2018 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: DP, SO
Brief description
Characterised by the saxicolous/terricolous habit; small, fragile pseudopodetia profusely dendroid-branched, in tufts or clumps, 1–2 cm tall and to 0.4 mm diam. at base and to 0.15 mm diam. at apices; terminal branchlets very fine, coralloid; phyllocladial granules on terminal branchlets crowded, minute (to 0.1 mm diam.), pulverulent, dissolving into soredia.
Distribution
North Island: Northland (Whangarei Heads), Auckland (Manakau Heads).
Known also from Asia, East Africa, North America, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela, Brazil and Australia.
Habitat
In coastal lowland forest, in damp, shaded, humid habitats, often on ±vertical rock banks, in joints in rock faces, and among mosses.
Detailed description
Pseudopodetia in small, scattered groups or tufts, profusely dendroid-branched, distinctly dorsiventral, normally attached by a holdfast, or dying at base and then ± decumbent, flattened, branching dichotomous in one plane, soft and fragile, 1-2 cm tall and 0.4 mm thick towards base, upper branches much finer, to 0.15 mm thick, whitish, glaucous greyish-white or pale glaucous green, matt, tomentose or velvety, main branches glabrous, terminal branchlets very fine, coralloid. Phyllocladial granules on terminal branchlets, scarce to absent on ventral side, crowded, minute (to 0.1 mm diam.), softly pulverulent, often dissolving into smaller granules. Photobiont in irregular groups on surface of pseudopodetia and in powdery granules, loosely enveloped with hyphae.
Chemistry: Two chemodemes are known: (1) containing atranorin, protocetraric, grayanic and didymic acids and two unidentified compounds; (2) containing atranorin, protocetraric and physodalic acids. Several acid-deficient phases occur in each chemodeme.
Substrate
Saxicolous
Etymology
arbuscula: From the Latin arbor, meaning like a small tree
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (16 June 2023). Information in the Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features, and Similar taxa sections copied from Galloway (1985, 2007).
References and further reading
Galloway D.J. 1985: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens. Wellington: PD Hasselberg, Government Printer. 662 pp.
Galloway D.J. 2007: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens, including lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi. 2nd edition. Lincoln, Manaaki Whenua Press. 2261 pp.