(Ascomycota: Lecanorales). Taxon 53

The corticolous Pertusaria thwaitesii was 

described in 1884 by Müller Argoviensis. 

Primarily coastal in Australia, it occurs in 

Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria 

to an elevation of 1200 m, and outside of 

Australia in Papua New Guinea and Sri 

Lanka. Its woody hosts in Australia include 

species of Acacia, Albizzia, Rhizophora, Casuarina, 

Eucalyptus and Schefflera. 

AUSTRALASIAN LICHENOLOGY 58, January 2006 AUSTRALASIAN LICHENOLOGY 58, January 2006 

1 mm 

CONTENTS 

17TH MEETING OF AUSTRALASIAN LICHENOLOGISTS .......................................2 

RECENT LITERATURE ON AUSTRALASIAN LICHENS ...........................................3 

ADDITIONAL LICHEN RECORDS FROM AUSTRALIA 

Elix, JA—(56) ......................................................................................................................4 

ADDITIONAL LICHEN RECORDS FROM NEW ZEALAND 

Galloway, DJ; Ledingham, J (43) Umbilicaria deusta (L.) Baumg ................................14 

Galloway, DJ; Kooperberg, R (44)—Roccellinastrum flavescens Kantvilas .................17 

ARTICLES 

Elix, JA—A new species of Lepraria (lichenized Ascomycota) from Australia ........20 

Elix, JA—The chemical diversity of Lepraria coriensis and L. usnica (lichenized Ascomycota) 

in Australia .....................................................................................................24 

Elix, JA; Kalb, K—Two new species of Tephromela (Lecanoraceae, lichenized Ascomycota) 

from Australia ................................................................................................27 

Kantvilas, G—On the identity of Opegrapha inalbescens, with new Australian records 

of Cresponea ....................................................................................................................32 

Galloway, DJ—Notes on Placopsis albida (Kremp.) I.M.Lamb (Ascomycota: Agyriaceae) 

from Java and New Ireland, Papua New Guinea .........................................37 

BOOK REVIEW 

Galloway, DJ—A World Monograph of the Genus Plectocarpon (Roccellaceae, Arthoniales) 

by D. Ertz, C. Christnach, M. Wedin, & P. Diederich ..............................................40

2 

17th MEETING OF AUSTRALASIAN LICHENOLOGISTS—2006 

The 17th meeting of Australasian Lichenologists will be held at Manjimup, Western 

Australia, and surrounding selected bushland sites on Saturday and Sunday, 8–9 April, 

2006. 

Lichen forays to several habitat types around Manjimup (within about 70 km) will be 

undertaken on both Saturday and Sunday. The habitats visited will include Lake Muir 

and surrounds and a section of the Warren (Rooney’s Bridge), an area of jarrah forest NE 

of Manjimup that includes an extensive granite rock outcrop. A group dinner is planned for 

Saturday evening and, if desired, will be followed by an informal discussion session. 

The assembly point: 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 8, in the front carpark of the Department 

of Conservation and Land Management at the corner of Brain Street and SW Highway, 

Manjimup. 

A list of accommodation is provided covering a range of options and prices. There are 

many B&Bs in the surrounding area, especially towards Pemberton 30 km S of Manjimup, 

and plenty of wineries to sample a drop or two. 

To assist with dinner logistics, you should register in advance with Ray Cranfield. 

If you are having problems obtaining accommodation, or if you need answers to other 

enquiries, please contact Ray by post at: Department of Conservation and Land Management, 

Science Division, Brain Street, Manjimup, WA 6258, by phone: (08)–9771–7976 

(work), or e-mail: rayc@calm.wa.gov.au 

Please note that a licence is required to collect flora in WA, and applications should 

be made prior to attending the meeting. An application form and requirements for a 

permit are available from CALM Wildlife Licensing Section, 17 Dick Perry Avenue, 

Technology Park, Western Precinct, Kensington, WA 6151. Phone Graeme Zekulich on 

(08)–9334–0441, or by fax: (08)–9334–0242. 

accommodation in Manjimup and surrounds (up to 30 km) 

Manjimup: 

Kingsley Motel, phone (08)–9771–1177 

Kingston House (CALM) phone (08)–9771–7995 (cheap, self-catering) 

Pemberton: 

Pemberton Hotel, phone (08)–9776–1017 

Karri Valley Resort, phone (08)–9776–2012 

Other: 

Wilgarup Lodge (B&B), phone (08)–9771–1991 

Perup (CALM), phone (08)–9771–7988 (self-catering, lab area available) 

Assorted other B&Bs in the area, plus caravan parks, and two other hotels/motels in 

Manjimup. 

RECENT LITERATURE ON AUSTRALASIAN LICHENS 

Bjerke, JW (2004): A new sorediate, fumarprotocetraric acid-producing lichen species of 

Menegazzia (Pameliaceae, Ascomycota). Systematics and Biodiversity 2, 45–47. 

Blanco, O; Crespo, A; Elix, JA; Hawksworth, DL; Lumbsch, HT (2004): A molecular phylogeny 

and a new classification of parmelioid lichens containing Xanthoparmelia-type 

lichenan (Ascomycota: Lecanorales). Taxon 53, 959–975. 

Calvelo, S; Stocker-Wörgötter, E; Liberatore, S; Elix, JA (2005): Protousnea (Parmeliaceae, 

Ascomycota), a genus endemic to southern South America. Bryologist 108, 1–15. 

Czeczuga, B; Rogers, RW (1999): Carotenoids in some lichen species from Queensland 

(Australia). Feddes Repertorium 110, 447–453. 

Divakar, PK; Blanco, O; Hawksworth, DL; Crespo, A (2005): Molecular phylogenetic 

studies on the Parmotrema reticulatum (syn. Rimelia reticulata) complex, including the 

confirmation of P. pseudoreticulatum. Lichenologist 37, 55–65. 

Elix, JA (2004): Two new species of Imshaugia (Ascomycota: Parmeliaceae) from South 

America. Mycotaxon 90, 337–341. 

Elix, JA; Wardlaw, JH (2004): Pigmentosin A, a new naphthopyrone from the lichen Hypotrachyna 

immaculata. Australian Journal of Chemistry 57, 681–683. 

Elix, JA (2006): Additional lichen records from Australia 56. Australasian Lichenology 58, 

4–13. 

Elix, JA (2006): A new species of Lepraria (lichenized Ascomycota) from Australia. Australasian 

Lichenology 58, 20–23. 

Elix, JA (2006): The chemical diversity of Lepraria coriensis and L. usnica (lichenized 

Ascomycota) in Australia. Australasian Lichenology 58, 24–26. 

Elix, JA; Kalb, K (2006): Two new species of Tephromela (Lecanoraceae, lichenized Ascomycota) 

from Australia. Australasian Lichenology 58, 27–31. 

Elvebakk, A; Bjerke, JW (2005): Pannaria isabellina (Vain.) comb. nov., a remarkable lichen 

species from Chile. Lichenologist 37, 47–54. 

Galloway, DJ; Lewis-Smith, RI; Quilhot, W (2005): A new species of Placopsis (Agyriaceae: 

Ascomycota) from Antarctica. Lichenologist 37, 321–327. 

Galloway, DJ; Ledingham, J (2006): Additional lichen records from New Zealand 43. 

Umbilicaria deusta (L.) Baumg. Australasian Lichenology 58, 14–16. 

Galloway, DJ; Kooperberg, R (2006): Additional lichen records from New Zealand 44. 

Roccellinastrum flavescens Kantvilas. Australasian Lichenology 58, 17–19. 

Galloway, DJ (2006): Notes on Placopsis albida (Kremp.) I.M. Lamb (Ascomycota: Agyriaceae) 

from Java and New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. Australasian Lichenology 58, 

37–39. 

Galloway, DJ (2006): BOOK REVIEW. A World Monograph of the Genus Plectocarpon (Roccellaceae, 

Arthoniales), by D. Ertz, C. Christnach, M. Wedin, and P. Diederich, Bibliotheca 

Lichenologica 91. Australasian Lichenology 58, 40–42. 

Harris, RC (2005): Some name changes in Porina s. lat. Opuscula Philolichenum 2, 15–16. 

Jørgensen, PM (2005): Notes on some recently discovered specimens of the lichen genus 

Leioderma from Peninsular Malaysia. Lichenologist 37, 369. 

Kantvilas, G (2006): On the identity of Opegrapha inalbescens, with new Australian records 

of Cresponea. Australasian Lichenology 58, 32–36. 

Lewis-Smith, RI (2005): Extensive colonization of volcanic ash by an unusual form of 

Peltigera didactyla at Deception Island, maritime Antarctica. Lichenologist 37, 367–368. 

McCarthy, PM; Mallett, K (eds) (2004): Flora of Australia. Volume 56A, Lichens 4. ABRS/ 

CSIRO, Melbourne. 


3

4 

Additional lichen records from Australia 56 

John A. Elix 

Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, 

Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia 

Lepraria atlantica, L. atrotomentosa, L. eburnea, L. obtusatica, Parmotrema upretii, Phyllopsora 

albicans, Ph. rappiana, Ph. santensis, Ph. swinscowii, and Squamacidia janeirensis are reported 

as new to Australia. In addition, new state or territory records are listed for 30 other 

species. The new name Phyllopsora foliatella Elix is proposed, and the new combination 

Phyllopsora rappiana (Brako) Elix is made. 

NEW RECORDS FOR AUSTRALIA 

1. Lepraria atlantica Orange, Lichenologist 33, 462 (2001). 

The leprose thallus of this species is pale bluish grey to greyish cream and composed of fine 

powdery granular soredia. It lacks lobes, a medulla and projecting hyphae, but contains 

atranorin, porphyrilic acid (major), rangiformic or jackinic acid (major), norrangiformic or 

norjackinic acid (minor or absent). Lepraria cacuminum (A.Massal.) Kummerl. & Leuckert 

has similar chemistry, but is distinguished by the coarsely granular thallus which grows in 

montane, rain-exposed habitats. This species was previously known only from northern 

Europe (Orange 2001). A detailed description was given in this reference. 

SPECIMENS EXAMINED 

New South Wales. •Shingle Ridge, 5 km N of Molong along road to Yeoval, 33°04’22”S, 

148°49’45”E, 595 m, over moss and soil in sheltered ledge at base of large rock in remnant 

Eucalyptus woodland, J.A. Elix 36007, 13.x.2005 (CANB). 

Australian Capital Territory. •Shepherds Lookout, 13 km WNW of Canberra, 35°14’S, 

148°58’E, 550 m, on porphyry rocks on dry hillside with scattered Callitris endlicheri, J.A. 

Elix 26706, 10.iv.1992 (CANB). 

Western Australia. •Boyagin Rock, Boyagin Nature Reserve, 20 km NW of Pingelly, 32°28’S, 

116°53’E, 350 m, on sheltered rock ledge on exposed granite outcrop, J.A. Elix 41036, H.T. 

Lumbsch & H. Streimann, 11.ix.1994 (CANB). 

2. Lepraria atrotomentosa Orange & Wolseley, Biblioth. Lichenol. 78, 328 (2001). 

The leprose thallus of this species is pale blue-grey to grey-white, comprising mostly a 

finely sorediate-granulose crust, but with occasional short, fragile, poorly defined lobes 

up to 1.4 mm wide with a ±upturned margin. It is characterized by the dark bluish grey 

to dark brown hypothallus or tomentum on the lower surface of the lobes, which often 

projects slightly beyond the lobes and is visible from above, and the presence of atranorin, 

zeorin and lecanoric acid. It was known previously from Sri Lanka and Japan, and a 

detailed description is given by Orange & Wolseley (2001). 


New South Wales. •Bobbin Head, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, 33°39’S, 151°09’E, 15 

m, on mosses over sandstone rock in Eucalyptus forest, J.A. Elix 770, 28.iv.1974 (CANB); 

•Hanging Mountain, Hanging Mountain Forest Reserve, 24 km SW of Moruya, 36°01’S, 

149°52’E, 550 m, on rocks in Eucalyptus forest with Xanthorrhoea on steep rocky slope, 

J.A. Elix 25483, 20.vi.1990 (B, CANB). 

3. Lepraria eburnea Laundon, Lichenologist 24, 332 (1992). 

The leprose thallus of this species is grey-white to yellow grey, and can be diffuse or 

delimited with an obscurely lobed margin. The species is characterized by a medulla 

and projecting hyphae, and contains alectorialic acid (major), barbatolic acid (minor), 

and protocetraric acid (minor). Lepraria eburnea was previously known from Europe and 

North America (Orange 1997). A detailed description is given in Laundon (1992) and 

complemented by Orange (1997). 

SPECIMEN EXAMINED 

Victoria. •Result Creek, Bendoc-Orbost Road, 13 km SW of Bendoc, 37°14’S, 148°49’E, 

900 m, on mosses in Atherosperma moschatum-Acacia-dominated forest beside creek, J.A. 

Elix 24152, 13.ii.1990 (CANB). 

4. Lepraria obtusatica Tønsberg, Sommerfeltia 14, 204 (1992). 

The thallus of L. obtusatica is leprose throughout or composed of very fine soredia mixed 

with some colourless medullary hyphae, pale greenish white with a greyish yellow tinge, 

diffuse, unlobed, with or without an indistinct white medulla. Chemically it is characterized 

by the presence of obtusatic acid (major), norobtusatic acid (minor), placodiolic acid 

(trace), and barbatic acid (minor or trace). It was previously known only from Europe. 

A detailed description is given in Tønsberg (1992). 


Victoria. •Bendoc-Orbost Road (Gap Road), 5.5 km SW of Bendoc, 37°10’S, 148°51’E, 

900 m, on dead wood in wet sclerophyll forest with Bedfordia, J.A. Elix 24121, 13.ii.1990 

(CANB). 

5. Parmotrema upretii Divakar, Lichenologist 35, 23 (2003). 

Parmotrema upretii is characterized by the large, loosely adnate thallus, the broad eciliate 

lobes, the lobulate-isidiate upper surface and the presence of lecanoric acid in the medulla. 

It resembles P. tinctorum (Despr. ex Nyl.) Hale, but differs in having a lobulate rather than 

isidiate upper surface. Divakar & Upreti (2003) reported this species to contain gyrophoric 

rather than lecanoric acid, but an examination of the type specimen showed this was 

incorrect. This species was known previously from India (Divakar & Upreti 2003), and 

a detailed description is given in that reference. 


New South Wales. •Jervis Bay Botanic Gardens, Lake McKenzie, 30 km SSE of Nowra, 

35°09’S, 150°40’E, 50 m, on sandstone rocks in dry Eucalyptus woodland, J.A. Elix 26404, 

8.xi.1990 (CANB). 

6. Phyllopsora albicans Müll. Arg., Bull. Soc. Roy. Bot. Belg. 32, 132 (1893). 

Phyllopsora albicans is characterized by the squamulose thallus, with relatively large, 

±ascending squamules, numerous lacinules developing from the lobe tips, the absence 

of isidia, and the presence of argopsin and norargopsin in the medulla. It could be confused 

with P. buettneri (Müll. Arg.) Zahlbr., but the latter species contains pannarin (or 

dechloropannarin) and zeorin, and differs morphologically in forming larger, pruinose 

squamules and ±circular thalli with radiating marginal squamules. Phyllopsora albicans 

was previously known from East Africa, Mauritius and Réunion (Timdal & Krog 2001). 

A detailed description is given in Timdal & Krog (2001). 


Queensland. •Lannercost State Forest, Blue Water Creek, Old Mill Road, 39 km WSW of Ingham, 

18°45’S, 145°48’E, 600 m, on tree in rainforest, J.A. Elix 15580 & H. Streimann, 19.vi.1984 

(CANB); •Cooroo Logging Area, 16 km WNW of Innisfail, 17°31’S, 145°53’E, 100 m, on felled 

tree in rainforest, J.A. Elix 16682, 16694 & H. Streimann, 28.vi.1984 (CANB); •Kirrima State 

Forest, Cardwell Range, Dunn Creek, 23 km WNW of Cardwell, 18°12’S, 145°49’E, 730 m, 

on sapling along rainforest margin, J.A. Elix 17627, 17640 & H. Streimann, 8.vii.1984 (CANB); 

•Mt. Spec State Forest, Paluma Range, 6 km W of Paluma, 19°01’S, 146°09’E, 920 m, on sapling 

in Lauraceae-Syzygium dominated forest, J.A. Elix 20240 & H. Streimann, 18.vi.1986 (CANB); 

•Clarke Range, 46 km SSW of Proserpine, 20°21’S, 148°41’E, 600 m, on Argyrodendron in 

“dry” rainforest, J.A. Elix 20850 & H. Streimann, 29.vi.1986 (CANB); •Arthur Bailey Road, 

9 km SSE of Ravenshoe, 17°41’S, 145°30’E, 900 m, on tree trunk in rainforest, H. Streimann 

46146, 8.xii.1990 (CANB); •Big Tableland, 26 km S of Cooktown, 15°43’S, 145°16’E, 580 m, 

on treelet stem in remnant rainforest, H. Streimann 46292, 11.xii.1990 (CANB). 


5

7. Phyllopsora rappiana (Brako) Elix, comb. nov. 

Basionym: Phyllopsora corallina var. rappiana Brako, Fl. Neotropica Monogr. 55, 42 (1991). 

Phyllopsora rappiana is characterized by the squamulose thallus, with relatively small to 

medium-sized squamules, the presence of laminal or marginal, globose to cylindrical, 

simple to rarely branched isidia and the presence of atranorin and parvifoliellin in the 

medulla. It could be confused with Ph. santensis (Tuck.) Swinsc. & Krog, but the latter 

species contains atranorin, argopsin and norargopsin. The chemistry of Ph. rappiana 

has been confused since Brako (1991) reported it to contain phyllopsorin in the key but 

parvifoliin in the text rather than parvifoliellin (a phenolic metabolite related to vicanicin 

and characteristic of Phyllopsora parvifoliella (Nyl.) Müll. Arg.). The species was known 

previously from North, Central and South America (Brako 1991). A detailed description 

is given in Brako (1991). 


Queensland. •Conway State Forest, 18 km ENE of Proserpine, 20°21’S, 148°45’E, 180 m, 

on tree trunk in lowland rainforest, J.A. Elix 20201 & H. Streimann, 28.vi.1986 (CANB), 

H. Streimann 37394, 28.vi.1986 (CANB). 

Northern Territory. •Arnhem Land, 19 km ENE of Jabiru, 12°37’S, 133°03’E, 140 m, on 

Buchanania trunk in deep gorge, H. Streimann 42219, 18.iv.1989 (CANB). 

8. Phyllopsora santensis (Tuck.) Swinsc. & Krog, Lichenologist 13, 236 (1981). 

Phyllopsora santensis is characterized by the squamulose thallus, with medium-sized, 

adnate to ascending squamules, dense laminal or marginal, globose to cylindrical, 

simple to rarely branched isidia and the presence of argopsin (major) and norargopsin 

(minor/trace). Atranorin and zeorin are often present as accessory metabolites. Phyllopsora 

ochroxantha (Nyl.) Zahlbr. is similar, but contains phyllopsorin and ±chlorophyllopsorin 

as major metabolites. This species was previously known from North America, Central 

America and Asia (Brako 1991). A detailed description is given in Brako (1991) as Phyllopsora 

corallina var. santensis (Tuck.) Brako. 


Northern Territory. • Florence Falls, Litchfield National Park, 27 km WSW of Batchelor, 

13°04’S, 130°48’E, 170 m, on tree trunk along narrow creekside with dense growth of shrubs, 

Syzygium and Gordenia, J.A. Elix 27542, H.T. Lumbsch & H. Streimann, 2.vii.1991 (CANB). 

9. Phyllopsora swinscowii Timdal & Krog, Mycotaxon 77, 88 (2001). 

Phyllopsora swinscowii is characterized by the squamulose thallus, with medium-sized 

squamules, the presence of long, cylindrical, simple to rarely branched isidia attached 

to the margin of the squamules, and the presence of methyl 2,7-dichloropsoromate and 

methyl 2,7-dichloronorpsoromate in the medulla. It could be confused with Ph. corallina 

(Eschw.) Mull. Arg., but the latter species contains atranorin or lacks lichen substances. 

This species was known previously from East Africa, Mauritius and South America 

(Timdal & Krog 2001). A detailed description is given in Timdal & Krog (2001). 


Queensland. •Christmas Pocket, 16 km NW of Kuranda, 16°44’S, 145°34’E, 400 m, rainforest 

margin, on sapling, J.A. Elix 17574 & H. Streimann, 7.vii.1984 (CANB); •Rocky Creek, 4 

km NE of Nambour, 26°36’S, 152°58’E, 40 m, subtropical rainforest along steep creek, on 

tree trunk, J.A. Elix 35503, 4 .ix.1993 (CANB). 

10. Squamacidia janeirensis (Müll.Arg.) Brako, Mycotaxon 35, 8 (1989). 

The incised squamules of this species are 0.3–0.5 mm wide, and develop from a pale 

prothallus. They can be adnate and areolate, or overlap to form a ±continuous crust 

which becomes densely isidiate, or the isidia can develop directly from the prothallus. 

The colourless ascospores are simple or irregularly 2–3-septate and acerose, and measure 

25–45 x 2–3 µm. This species is characterized by the copious isidia and the presence of 

atranorin, lobaric acid and/or fumarprotocetraric acid, and a white medulla. 

6 

Squamacidia janeirensis was previously known from Central and South America and the 

Philippines (Brako 1989). The genus is new to Australia. A detailed description is given 

in Brako (1989). 


New South Wales. •Track to Wrights Lookout, New England National Park, 72 km E of 

Armidale, 30°31’S, 152°24’E, 1000 m, on branches in crown of fallen tree in Nothofagus- 

Elaeocarpus-dominated forest, H. Streimann 47847, 5.iv.1991 (B, CANB). 

NEW STATE AND TERRITORY RECORDS 

1. Buellia substellulans Zahlbr., Cat. Lich. Univ. 7, 420 (1931). 

This common and widespread saxicolous species shows quite significant variations in 

ascospore size (12–22 x 7–10 µm), but invariably contains norstictic and connorstictic 

acids, with or without accessory atranorin and chloroatranorin. It has previously been 

reported from New South Wales and Queensland (McCarthy 2005). 

SELECTED SPECIMENS EXAMINED 

Australian Capital Territory. •Mulligans Flat, near the ACT-NSW border, 35°10’S, 149°09’E, 

670 m, on shale rocks in pasture, J.A. Elix 1429, 11.xii.1975 (CANB); •Canberra Nature Park, 

Aranda Bushland, 4 km W of Canberra, 35°16’03”S, 149°04’40”E, 680 m, on sandstone 

rocks in dry Eucalyptus woodland, J.A. Elix 28732, 29.xii.2004 (CANB). 

Tasmania. •Esk Highway, c. 7.7 km E of railway bridge, near Llewellyn Siding, 41°49’S, 

147°34’E, 230 m, on dolerite in open Eucalyptus woodland with Bursaria spinosa and scattered 

dolerite rocks, J.A. Elix 28793 & G. Kantvilas, 9.xi.2004 (CANB). 

Western Australia. •near summit of Mount Brown, 3 km SE of York, 31°53’16”S, 116°47’07”E, 

295 m, on granite rocks in remnant Acacia woodland, J.A. Elix 31693, 21.iv.2004 (CANB); 

•near summit of Mt. Observation, Mt Observation National Park, 20 km W of York, 

31°53’45”S, 116°33’26”E, 365 m, on laterite rocks in Eucalyptus woodland with scattered 

Dryandra, Casuarina and Xanthorrhoea, J.A. Elix 31722, 21.iv.2004 (PERTH); • Kalbarri 

National Park, Murchison River Gorge, Hawkshead Lookout, 42.5 km ENE of Kalbarri 

township, 27°47’20”S, 114°28’05”E, 150 m, on sandstone rocks above gorge in dwarf 

Eucalyptus-Acacia woodland, J.A. Elix 33737, 3.v.2004 (CANB). 

Northern Territory. •Lost City, Litchfield National Park, 37 km SW of Batchelor, 13°13’S, 

130°44’E on large sandstone outcrops, E. Stocker s.n., 1.v.2005 (CANB). 

2. Canoparmelia norsticticata (G.N.Stevens) Elix & Hale, Mycotaxon 27, 278 (1986). 

This endemic species was reported previously from New South Wales and Queensland 

(McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •3 km E of Catamouri Hill, Jurien, 30°16’17”S, 115°22’42”E, on bark of 

Banksia prionotes, R.J. Cranfield 10752, 18.vi.1996 (PERTH). 

3. Collema novozelandicum Degel., Symb. Bot. Upsal. 20, 81 (1974). 

This species was known previously from New South Wales and New Zealand (Galloway 

1985, McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •Kalbarri National Park, Meanarra Hill, 5 km E of Kalbarri township, 

27°41’51”S, 114°13’02”E, 200 m, on limestone in Melaleuca-Acacia heath, J.A. Elix 33660, 

2.v.2004 (PERTH). 

4. Diploschistes aeneus (Müll.Arg.) Lumbsch, J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 66, 158 (1989). 

This species was known previously from North and South America, southern Africa, 

southern Europe, New South Wales and Tasmania (Lumbsch & Elix 2003). 


Western Australia. •Kalbarri National Park, Murchison River Gorge, Hawkshead Lookout, 

42.5 km ENE of Kalbarri township, 27°47’20”S, 114°28’05”E, 150 m, on sandstone 


7

ocks above gorge with dwarf Eucalyptus and Acacia, J.A. Elix 33738, 3.v.2004 (PERTH). 

5. Fuscopannaria decipiens P.M.Jørg., New Zealand J. Bot. 37, 261 (1999). 

This Australian endemic was previously known from Queensland, New South Wales, 

Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania (McCarthy 2005). 


South Australia. •Flinders Ranges, Alligator Gorge, Mount Remarkable National Park, 9 km 

S of Wilmington, 32°44’49”S, 138°04’33”E, 600 m, on Callitris in Eucalyptus-Callitris woodland 

in ravine, J.A. Elix 17783 & L.H. Elix, 27.x.1984 (CANB) [Det. P.M. Jørgensen]. 

6. Hafellia demutans (Stirt.) Pusswald, in Marbach, Biblioth. Lichenol. 74, 259 (2000). 

This species was known previously from South America, southern Africa, the Pacific 

(Hawaii, New Caledonia), New South Wales and Queensland (Marbach 2000, McCarthy 

2005). 


Western Australia. •Kalbarri National Park, along the road to The Loop and Z-Bend, 24 

km NE of Kalbarri township, 27°37’13”S, 114°23’13”E, 210 m, on Melaleuca in low heath 

with emergent Melaleuca, Callitris, Eucalyptus and Acacia, J.A. Elix 33652, 2.v.2004 (CANB, 

PERTH); •Western Flora camp area, 20 km N of Eneabba, 29°37’30”S, 115°13’30”E, 250 

m, on Melaleuca, E. McCrum WF254, 4–6.vi.2005 (CANB, PERTH). 

7. Hafellia pseudotetrapla Pusswald, in Marbach, Biblioth. Lichenol. 74, 280 (2000). 

This species was known previously from Central America, New South Wales and Tasmania 

(Marbach 2000, McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •Yellowdine Nature Reserve, 56 km E of Southern Cross along the Great 

Eastern Highway, 31°16’23”S, 119°53’43”E, 410 m, on Melaleuca in Eucalyptus-Melaleuca 

woodland with shrub understorey, J.A. Elix 32385, 27.iv.2004 (CANB, PERTH); •Kalbarri 

National Park, Murchison River Gorge, trail from Ross Graham Lookout to Murchison 

River, 39 km ENE of Kalbarri township, 27°48’41”S, 114°28’22”E, 155 m, on Acacia among 

scattered Casuarina, Eucalyptus, Acacia and sandstone outcrops, J.A. Elix 33695, 3.v.2004 

(CANB). 

8. Hafellia tetrapla (Nyl.) Pusswald, in Marbach, Biblioth. Lichenol. 74, 288 (2000). 

This species was known previously from South America, southern Africa, Réunion, New 

South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland (Marbach 2000, McCarthy 

2005). 


Western Australia. •Gwambygine Nature Reserve, 11 km S of York, 31°58’24”S, 116°48’38”E, 

245 m, on branches of Acacia and Melaleuca in Acacia acuminata woodland with scattered 

Melaleuca, J.A. Elix 31735, 31739, 31759, 22.iv.2004 (CANB, PERTH); •Bullfinch-Evanston 

road, 24.7 km N of Bullfinch, 30°47’14”S, 119°09’28”E, 345 m, on Acacia in Eucalyptus 

woodland with saltbush and shrub understorey, J.A. Elix 32482, 32487, 28.iv.2004 (CANB, 

PERTH); •Korda North West Road, 10 km W of Korda, 30°48’45”S, 117°24’14”E, 340 m, 

on shrubs in Eucalyptus and Casuarina woodland with scattered Acacia and Melaleuca, J.A. 

Elix 32635, 32636, 32642, 29.iv.2004 (CANB, PERTH). 

9. Hertelidea pseudobotryosa R.C. Harris, Ladd & Printzen, Biblioth. Lichenol. 88, 549 

(2004). 

This species was known previously from North America, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania, 

South Australia and Western Australia (Printzen & Kantvilas 2004, Kantvilas & Elix 

2005). 



148°49’45”E, 595 m, on base of E. macrorhyncha in remnant Eucalyptus woodland, J.A. 

8 

Elix 36003, 36004, 13.x.2005 (CANB). 

Australian Capital Territory. •Canberra Nature Park, Aranda Bushland, 4 km W of Canberra, 

35°16’14”S, 149°04’34”E, 580 m, on rotten log in moist gully in open Eucalyptus 

woodland, J.A. Elix 36008, 16.x.2005 (CANB), on base of E. macrorhyncha, J.A. Elix 36010, 

16.x.2005 (CANB). 

10. Hypogymnia enteromorphoides Elix, Brunonia 2, 190 (1980). 

This Australian species was known previously from Australian Capital Territory, Victoria, 

New South Wales and Tasmania (McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •5 km SE of Bannister, 33°43’30”S, 116°34’E, on twigs in open shrubland, 

R.J. Cranfield 10831, 4.xii.1996 (PERTH). 

11. Lecanora galactiniza Nyl., in Crombie, J. Linn. Soc., Bot. 15, 173 (1876). 

This species was known previously from New Zealand, Central and South America, 

southern Africa, and in Australia from Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, 

Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania (Lumbsch & Elix 2004, McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •Kalbarri National Park, Murchison River Gorge, below Ross Graham 

Lookout to Murchison River, 39 km ENE of Kalbarri township, 27°48’41”S, 114°28’22”E, 

155 m, on sandstone in gorge with scattered Casuarina, Eucalyptus and Acacia and sandstone 

outcrops, J.A. Elix 33719, 3.v.2004 (PERTH). 

12. Lecanora melanommata C. Knight, in Bailey, Syn. Qld. Fl. Supp. 1, 71 (1886). 

This endemic Australian species was known previously from Queensland and New South 

Wales (Lumbsch & Elix 2004, McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •West Kimberley, Gundarara Creek, 15°48’30”S, 125°42’06”E, on Albizzia 

lebbeck along the river margin among rocks, W. O’Sullivan WODD51A pr.p., 19.viii.2001 

(PERTH). 

13. Lecanora symmicta (Ach.) Ach., Syn. Meth. Lich. 340 (1814). 

This species has a bipolar distribution, and in Australia was known previously from South 

Australia and New South Wales (Lumbsch & Elix 2004, McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •Drovers Cave National Park, Jurien Road, 6 km by road NE of Jurien 

Bay, 30°15’44”S, 115°06’43”E, 40 m, on dead Banksia in tall heath of mixed Proteaceae, 

J.A. Elix 28919, 6.v.2004 (CANB, PERTH); •Yardanogo Nature Reserve, 9.2 km E of Brand 

Highway along the Mt Adams Road, 29°24’20”S, 115°04’32”E, 40 m, on base of Banksia in 

Banksia-Callitris woodland, J.A. Elix 33818, 5.v.2004 (PERTH). 

14. Lecidea capensis Zahlbr., Cat. Lich. Univ. 3, 532 (1925). 

This species was known previously from South Africa and New Zealand, and in Australia 

from New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, South Australia and Western 

Australia (Rambold 1989). 


Tasmania. •Esk Highway, c. 3 km E of railway bridge, 13.2 km NE of Campbell Town, 

41°48’S, 147°32’E, 220 m, on dolerite in pasture with scattered dolerite rocks, J.A. Elix 

28785 & G. Kantvilas, 9.xi.2004 (HO). 

15. Lecidea plana (Lahm) Nyl., Flora 55, 552 (1872). 

This species was known previously from Europe, North America, South America, Japan, 

New Zealand and New South Wales (Rambold 1989). 


Western Australia. •Kalbarri National Park, Rainbow Valley Walk, 6.5 km S of Kalbarri 


9

township, 27°45’29”S, 114°08’19”E, 52 m, on sandstone in coastal heath with sandstone 

outcrops, J.A. Elix 33690, 3.v.2004 (CANB). 

16. Lecidella carpathica Körb., Parerga Lichenol. 212 (1861). 

This species was known previously from Europe, North America, South America, Asia, 

New Zealand and New South Wales (Knoph 1990, McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •near summit of Mt Observation, Mt. Observation National Park, 20 

km W of York, 31°53’45”S, 116°33’26”E, 365 m, on laterite rock in Eucalyptus woodland 

with scattered Dryandra, Casuarina and Xanthorrhoea and laterite outcrops, J.A. Elix 31725, 

21.iv.2004 (CANB). 

17. Lecidella granulosula (Nyl.) Knoph & Leuckert, in Knoph, Herzogia 14, 9 (2000). 

= Lecidella chodati Knoph & Leuckert 

This species was known previously from Europe, South Africa, North America, South 

America, New Zealand and New South Wales (Knoph 1990, McCarthy 2005). 


Tasmania. •Lower Marshes Road, c. 1 km SW of Northumbria Hill, 42°23’S, 147°15’E, 450 

m, on sandstone in pasture with scattered sandstone rocks, J.A. Elix 28764 & G. Kantvilas, 

9.xi.2004 (HO). 

18. Lepraria jackii Tønsberg, Sommerfeltia 14, 200 (1992). 

Lepraria jackii is characterized by the leprose-sorediate, whitish green to greenish or bluish 

grey thallus which lacks well-defined lobes, and by the presence of jackinic acid (major), 

norjackinic acid (minor), atranorin (major) and ursolic acid (minor). Zeorin, strepsilin, 

di-O-methylstrepsilin, fragilin and 7-chloroemodin are uncommon accessory substances. 

This species was previously reported from Asia, North America, Europe and Victoria 

(Kümmerling et al. 1995). 


New South Wales. •Goonoo State Forest, Cashels Dam Road, 31 km SE of Gilgandra, 

31°55’57”S, 148°52’17”E, 390 m, on sheltered sandstone ledge in Eucalyptus-Callitris 

woodland with sandstone outcrops, J.A. Elix 36012, 12.x.2005 (CANB); •Shingle Ridge, 5 

km N of Molong along road to Yeoval, 33°04’22”S, 148°49’45”E, 595 m, remnant Eucalyptus 

woodland, on base of charred log, J.A. Elix 36005, 13.x.2005 (CANB). 

Australian Capital Territory. •Canberra Nature Park, Aranda Bushland, 4 km W of Canberra, 

35°16’14”S, 149°04’34”E, 580 m, on soil of uprooted tree in open Eucalyptus woodland, 

J.A. Elix 28823, 18.vi.2005 (CANB), on base of Leptospermum along ephemeral creek, J.A. 

Elix 31542, 22.ii.2004 (CANB). 

Western Australia. •Slopes of Angwin Peak, Porongurups Range, Porongurups National 

Park, 19 km ESE of Mt. Barker, 34°40’S, 117°51’E, 360 m, on sheltered granite rocks in 

low sclerophyll forest with heath and numerous granite outcrops, J.A. Elix 41327, H.T. 

Lumbsch & H. Streimann, 16.ix.1994 (CANB); •Beedelup Falls National Park, 20 km W of 

Pemberton, 34°25’S, 115°52’E, on soil and detritus along walk track near falls, N. Sammy 

830705, 11.iv.1982 (PERTH). 

19. Melanelia fuscosorediata (Essl.) Essl., Mycotaxon 7, 47 (1978). 

This endemic Australian species was known previously from South Australia and Victoria 

(Elix 1994a, McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •17.5 km E of Watheroo along Merewana road, 29°19’S, 116°14’30”E, 

on bark in open scrub, R.J. Cranfield 8047, 18.ix.1991 (PERTH). 

20. Opegrapha herbarum Mont., in Guillemin, Arch. Bot. 2, 302 (1833). 

This species was known previously from North America, Europe, New South Wales and 

Victoria (McCarthy 2005). 

10 


Western Australia. •Kalbarri National Park, Murchison River Gorge, trail from Ross 

Graham Lookout to Murchison River, 39 km ENE of Kalbarri township, 27°48’41”S, 

114°28’22”E, 155 m, on Acacia among scattered Casuarina, Eucalyptus and Acacia and 

sandstone outcrops, J.A. Elix 33700, 3.v.2004 (CANB, PERTH). 

21. Pannaria elatior Stirt., in Bailey, Queensland Agric. J. 5, 486 (1899). 

This species was previously known from East Africa and the Pacific, and in Australia 

from Queensland (Jørgensen & Galloway 1992, McCarthy 2005). 


New South Wales. •Lower Minyon Falls, 30 km SW of Mullumbimby, 28°37’S, 153°24’E, 

150 m, on rocks in creek bed in dense subtropical rainforest, J.A. Elix 21268, 30.viii.1986 

(CANB) [Det. P.M. Jørgensen]. 

22. Pannaria lurida (Mont.) Nyl., Mém. Soc. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 5, 109 (1857). 

In Australia this widespread tropical species was previously known from Queensland 

(Jørgensen & Galloway 1992, McCarthy 2005). 


New South Wales. •17 km W of Dorrigo along the Armidale road, 30°22’S, 152°32’E, 1080 m, 

on bark in remnant rainforest, J.A. Elix 2357, 17.viii.1976 (CANB) [Det. P.M. Jørgensen]. 

23. Parmelia tenuirima Hook. f. & Taylor., London J. Bot. 3, 645 (1844). 

This species was known previously from New Zealand, Australian Capital Territory, New 

South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania (Elix 1994b, McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •8 km SSE of Manjimup on Muir Highway, 20 m in from road verge, 

34°17’45”S, 116°13’38”E, on dead wood in open Eucalyptus marginata-Corymbia calophylla 

forest, R.J. Cranfield 14056b, 9.x.1999 (PERTH). 

24. Parmelinopsis cryptochlora (Vain.) Elix & Hale, Mycotaxon 29, 242 (1987). 

This species was known previously from the Caribbean, India, Papua New Guinea and 

Queensland (Elix 2002, McCarthy 2005). 


New South Wales. •Hanging Mountain, Hanging Mountain Forest Reserve, 24 km SW of 

Moruya, 36°01’S, 149°52’E, on rocks in open Eucalyptus forest with Xanthorrhoea on steep 

rocky slope, J.A. Elix 25483, 20.vi.1990 (CANB). 

25. Parmotrema grayanum (Hue) Hale, Phytologia 28, 336 (1974). 

This species was known previously from New Zealand, Asia, Africa, North America, 

and Macaronesia, and in Australia from New South Wales and Queensland (Elix 1994c, 

McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •near summit of Mount Brown, 3 km SE of York, 31°53’16”S, 116°47’07”E, 

295 m, on granite rocks in remnant Acacia woodland with scattered Eucalyptus and rock 

outcrops, J.A. Elix 31669, 21.iv.2004 (CANB, PERTH). 

26. Phyllopsora foliatella Elix, nom. nov. 

Basionym: Psora foliata var. subcorallina Müll. Arg., Flora. 65, 483 (1882). 

= Lecidea foliata var. subcorallina (Müll. Arg.) Shirley, Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland 6, 166 

(1889). 

= Phyllopsora foliata var. subcorallina (Müll. Arg.) Zahlbr., Cat. Lich. Univ. 4, 397 (1926). 

In this species the thallus is formed partly from minute areolae, which often fuse and 

form a continuous crust, and partly by isidia developing directly from the prothallus, 

with the isidia often dominating. It is characterized by the copious isidia and the lack of 

lichen substances. Morphologically it closely resembles Phyllopsora furfuracea (Pers.) 


11

Zahlbr., but can be distinguished by its lack of chemistry (P. furfuracea contains homophaein 

= furfuraceic acid) and somewhat longer ascospores (11–18 µm cf. 7–13 µm 

long). The species was originally described from Queensland, but also occurs in New 

South Wales. 


New South Wales. •South Coast, Maxwells Road, Nadgee State Forest, 41 km SSW of 

Eden, 37°25’S, 149°49’E, 230 m, on semi-shaded tree trunk in Acmena-Eucryphia-Dicksoniadominated 

valley, H. Streimann 61609, 27.v.1998 (CANB). •Jervis Bay, “Garden of Eden”, 

32 km SE of Nowra, 35°10’S, 150°44’E, 50 m, on sandstone in shaded rocky area near 

waterfall dominated by shrubs and Pisonia, J.A. Elix 26431, 8.xi.1990 (CANB). 

27. Protoparmelia pulchra Diederich, Aptroot & Sérus., in Aptroot et al., Biblioth. Lichenol. 

64, 147 (1997). 

This species was known previously from Papua New Guinea and the Northern Territory 

(McCarthy 2005). 


Western Australia. •Korda North West Road, 10 km W of Korda, 30°48’45”S, 117°24’14”E, 

340 m, Eucalyptus and Casuarina woodland with scattered Acacia and Melaleuca, on shrub, 

J.A. Elix 32641, 29.iv.2004 (CANB, PERTH). 

28. Pseudephebe pubescens (L.) M. Choisy, Icon. Lich. Univ., ser. 2(1), s.n. (1930). 

In Australia this bipolar species was previously known from New South Wales, the 

Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Tasmania (McCarthy 2005). 


Queensland. •Mt Marley, 1 km NE of Stanthorpe, 28°39’S, 151°57’14”E, 900 m, on granite 

in Eucalyptus-Callitris-dominated woodland with large granite outcrops, J.A. Elix 35626, 

5.ix.1993 (CANB). 

Western Australia. •Sullivan Rock, Monadnocks Nature Reserve, 18 km ESE of Jarrahdale, 

32°23’S, 116°15’E, 340 m, on exposed granite, N. Sammy UWA 1466, 10.viii.1975 

(PERTH). 

29. Pyxine fallax (Zahlbr.) Kalb, Biblioth. Lichenol. 88, 315 (2004). 

This species was previously known from Queensland, the Northern Territory and islands 

in the Pacific (Taiwan, Bonin Islands, Hawaii) (Kalb 2004, McCarthy 2005). 

vSPECIMEN EXAMINED 


lebbeck along the river margin among rocks, W. O’Sullivan WODD51B pr.p., 19.viii.2001 

(PERTH). 

30. Pyxine rugulosa Stirt., Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. 30, 396 (1898). 

This Australian endemic was previously known only from Queensland (McCarthy 

2005). 



lebbeck along the river margin among rocks, W. O’Sullivan WODD51A, 19.viii.2001 

(PERTH). 

Acknowledgements 

I thank Dr Alan Orange (Cardiff) for generously providing authentic material of Lepraria 

altlantica and L. jackii, Dr Tor Tønsberg (Bergen) for fragments of Lepraria types, and the 

curators of the following herbaria for the loan of type and critical collections: BRI, CANB, 

G, GLAM, H, LWU, PERTH. 

12 

References 

Brako, L (1989): Reevaluation of the genus Phyllopsora with taxonomic notes and introduction 

of Squamacidia, gen. nov. Mycotaxon 35, 1–19. 

Brako, L (1991): Phyllopsora (Bacidiaceae). Flora Neotropica Monograph 55, 1–66. 

Divakar, PK; Upreti, DK (2003): New species and new records of Parmotrema (Parmeliaceae) 

from India. Lichenologist 35, 21–26. 

Elix, JA (1994a): Melanelia. Flora of Australia 55, 63–65. 

Elix, JA (1994b): Parmelia. Flora of Australia 55, 114–124. 

Elix, JA (1994c): Parmotrema. Flora of Australia 55, 140–162. 

Elix, JA (2002): Additional lichen records from Australia 49. Further Parmeliaceae. 

Australasian Lichenology 50, 23–27. 

Galloway, DJ (1985): Flora of New Zealand Lichens. P.D. Hasselberg, New Zealand Government 

Printer, Wellington. 

Jørgensen, PM; Galloway, DJ (1992): Pannaria. Flora of Australia 54, 260–271. 

Kalb, K (2004): New or otherwise interesting lichens II. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 88, 

301–329. 

Kantvilas, G; Elix, JA (2005): Hertelidea aspera, an overlooked name for a common Australian 

lichen. Australasian Lichenology 57, 4–5. 

Knoph, J-G (1990): Untersuchungen an gesteinsbewohnenden xanthonhaltigen Sippen 

der Flechtengattung Lecidella (Lecanoraceae, Lecanorales) unter besonderer Berücksichtigung 

von aussereuropäischen Proben exclusive Amerika. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 

36, 1–183. 

Kümmerling, H; Leuckert, C; Wirth, V (1995): Chemische Flechtenanalysen XI. Lepraria 

jackii Tønsberg. Nova Hedwigia 60, 457–465. 

Laundon, JR (1989): The species of Leproloma – the name for the Lepraria membranacea 

group. Lichenologist 21, 1–22. 

Laundon, JR (1992): Lepraria in the British Isles. Lichenologist 24, 315–350. 

Leuckert, C; Kümmerling, H (1991): Chemotaxonomische Studien in der Gattung Leproloma 

Nyl. Crombie (Lichenes). Nova Hedwigia 52, 17–32. 

Lumbsch, HT; Elix, JA (2003): The lichen genus Diploschistes (Thelotremataceae) in 

Australia. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 86, 119–128. 

Lumbsch, HT; Elix, JA (2004): Lecanora. Flora of Australia 56A, 12–61. 

Marbach, B (2000): Corticole und lignicole Arten der Flectengattung Buellia sensu lato in 

den Subtropen und Tropen. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 74, 1–384. 

McCarthy, PM (2005): Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories. 

ABRS: Canberra. http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/introduction.html (last 

updated 13 October, 2005). 

Orange, A (1997): Chemical variation in Lepraria eburnea. Lichenologist 29, 9–13. 

Orange, A (2001): Lepraria atlantica, a new species from the British Isles. Lichenologist 33, 

461–465. 

Orange, A; Wolseley, P; Karunaratne, V; Bombuwala, K (2001): Two leprarioid lichens 

new to Sri Lanka. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 78, 327–333. 

Printzen, C; Kantvilas, G (2004): Hertelidea, genus novum Stereocaulacearum (Ascomycetes 

lichenisati). Bibliotheca Lichenologica 88, 539–553. 

Rambold, G (1989): A monograph of the saxicolous lecideoid lichens of Australia (excl. 

Tasmania). Bibliotheca Lichenologica 34, 1–345. 

Timdal, E; Krog, H (2001): Further studies on African species of the lichen genus Phyllopsora 

(Lecanorales). Mycotaxon 77, 57–89. 

Tønsberg, T (1992): The sorediate and isidiate, corticolous, crustose lichens in Norway. 

Sommerfeltia 14, 1–331. 

Tønsberg, T (2004): Lepraria. In: Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region (eds. T.H. 

Nash III, B.D. Ryan, P. Diderich, C. Greis & F. Bungartz) Lichens Unlimited, Tempe, 

vol. 2, 322–329. 


13

14 

Additional lichen records from New Zealand 43. 

Umbilicaria deusta (L.) Baumg. 

David J. Galloway 

Landcare Research New Zealand Limited, 

Private Bag 1930, Dunedin, New Zealand 

e–mail: gallowayd@LandcareResearch.co.nz 

Janet Ledingham 

Department of Pharmacology, University of Otago School of Medical Sciences, 

PO Box 913, Dunedin, New Zealand 

e–mail: janet.ledingham@stonebow.otago.ac.nz 

Abstract: The bipolar lichen Umbilicaria deusta is reported from the Kakanui Mountains, 

in the first unequivocal record of the species from New Zealand and the Southern 

Hemisphere. 

Introduction 

The schist and greywacke mountain ranges east of the Main Divide in South Island, 

New Zealand, are areas of high species diversity for the lichen genus Umbilicaria (Frey 

1936, 1949; Zahlbruckner 1941; Llano 1950; Allan 1951; Martin & Child 1972; Galloway 

1985, 2006; Galloway & Sancho 2005). A recent visit to Mt Pisgah (1634 m), the highest 

point in the Kakanui Mountains, showed the genus to be both species-rich and particularly 

well-developed on schist outcrops in grassland and especially on the extensive 

screes and boulder fields that are noteworthy features of that upland landscape, from 

980 m upwards in low- and high-alpine zones (Mason 1988, Comrie 1992). Among 

10 species of Umbilicaria collected from the area [Mt Pisgah is the type locality for U. 

durietzii Frey (Frey 1949)], the circumboreal-montane, nitrophytic species U. deusta is 

recorded unequivocally for the first time from both New Zealand and the Southern 

Hemisphere. 

Umbilicaria deusta (L.) Baumg., Fl. Lips., 571 (1790). 

≡ Lichen deustus L., Sp. Pl. 1150 (1753) nom. cons. (see Wei 1993; Jorgensen et al. 1994a, 

1994b; Gams 1996). 

Illustrations: Llano (1950: 257, pl. 18, fig. 3); Yoshimura (1974: pl. 23, fig. 206); Jahns 

(1980: 219, fig. 526); Moberg & Holmåsen (1982: 154); Goward et al. (1994: 128. fig. 1a); 

Wirth (1995a: 933; 1995b: 600, pl. 60A, fig. C); McCune & Geiser (1997: 293); Brodo et 

al. (2001: 702, fig. 862). 

Thallus monophyllous, occasionally appearing polyphyllous, central parts flat or 

obscured by squamiform isidia near the umbilicus, the lobes free or somewhat overlapping, 

2–4 cm diam., rosette-forming and ±flat when young, becoming irregularly 

lacerate and contorted with age, margins slightly thickened, irregularly notched or 

incised, noticeably curled under, coarsely granular to isidiate, without rhizinomorphs, 

flabby and pliable when moist, rigid, cartilaginous, and brittle when dry. Upper surface 

deep olive-green suffused with brown when moist, dark greenish black to brown-black 

when dry, grey-white and granular-roughened above the umbilicus, when central 

parts are free of isidia, generally densely isidiate; sometimes with superficial, gall-like 

pustules of Clypeococcum. Isidia minute, granular, globular at first, soon becoming 

flattened-squamulose, squamules irregularly lobed, 0.1–1.5 mm diam., scattered to 

crowded-imbricate, margins irregularly incised, concolorous with upper surface or 

darker. Lower surface brown-black in patches, to pale fawnish, often piebald, smooth 

to irregularly pitted or minutely and irregularly cracked in places, or split in parallel, 

radiating lines from umbilicus to margins, rarely with broad fenestrations, to 2 mm 

diam., and often with noticeable invaginations corresponding to Clypeococcum infections 

on the upper surface, but without wrinkles or ridges. Umbilicus compact, 2–3 

mm diam., without radiating narrow ridges or lamellar structures. Rhizinomorphs 

absent. Apothecia and pycnidia not seen. 

Chemistry: K–, KC+ red, C+ red, Pd–, containing gyrophoric acid. 

Notes 

Umbilicaria deusta is an alpine lichen characterized by the laminal and marginal 

minutely granular to flattened-squamulose isidia, a character unique to the genus. It 

is a further addition to New Zealand’s bipolar lichen mycobiota (for recent discussions 

on bipolar lichens in alpine environments in New Zealand, see Galloway 2002a, 

2003). A collection made by Jack Scott Thomson from Mt Torlesse in Canterbury (CHR 

160089!) was earlier identified as U. deusta by Zahlbruckner (1941), but the collection 

referred to is mixed, consisting of two species, mainly U. hyperborea and a little U. 

nylanderiana, with no evidence at all of U. deusta s. str. That misidentification of U. 

deusta was subsequently perpetuated for New Zealand by Martin (1966) and Martin 

& Child (1972), with no specimens cited against which material could be checked. The 

Mt Pisgah material is the first unequivocal collection of U. deusta from New Zealand 

and also from the Southern Hemisphere. 

On Mt Pisgah, U. deusta is a rather rare lichen which grows on horizontal to weakly 

sloping schist surfaces receiving periodic seepage or trickling water (it has that particular 

ecology in the Northern Hemisphere), or on the floors of shallow overhangs 

where it co-occurs with the more commonly encountered U. grisea (characterized by 

marginal parasoredia). It associates with the following lichens: Bryoria austromontana, 

Lecanora bicincta, Rhizocarpon geographicum, R. grande, Sporastatia testudinea, Umbilicaria 

cylindrica, U. decussata, U. durietzii, U. grisea, U. hyperborea, U. nylanderiana, U. polyphylla, 

Usnea acromelana, U. ciliata, U. subcapillaris and U. torulosa. The upper surface of all 

the thalli seen of U. deusta was infected with the characteristic, blister-like galls of the 

lichenicolous fungus Clypeococcum grossum (Galloway 2002b). 

In the Northern Hemisphere, U. deusta is a circumboreal, mainly alpine species known 

from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, Greenland, Svalbard, the Ukraine, Asia, Japan, 

and North America. It is not known from Africa, South America, New Guinea, Australia, 

or Antarctica. 


Otago: •Kakanui Mountains, Mt Pisgah, Pisgah Spur, on horizontal or shallowly inclined 

surfaces of schist rock outcrop in grassland, with U. grisea, 1230 m, 31.xii.2005, 

D.J. Galloway 5654 (CHR 528204). 


Funds for this research were provided to the senior author by the Foundation of Research, 

Science and Technology (FRST, Wellington) under Contract C09618. 

References 

Allan, HH (1951): New Zealand lichens. A key to the family Umbilicariaceae. Tuatara 

4, 59–62. 

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Press, New Haven, London. 

Comrie, J (1992): Dansey Ecological District. Survey Report for the Protected Natural 

Areas Programme. Department of Conservation, Wellington. Report 23. 

Frey, E (1936): Vorarbeiten zu einer Monographie der Umbilicariaceen. Berichte der 

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Frey, E (1949): Neue Beiträge zu einer Monographie des Genus Umbilicaria Hoffm., 

Nyl. Berichte der Schweizerischen Botanischen Gesellschaft 59, 427–470. 


15

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Wellington. 

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in southern New Zealand, and a new name for L. parmelionoides. Australasian Lichenology 

51, 20–32. 

Galloway, DJ (2002b): Additional lichen records from New Zealand 38. Clypeococcum 

grossum (Körb.) D. Hawksw., on nine species of Umbilicaria. Australasian Lichenology 

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Galloway, DJ (2003): Additional lichen records from New Zealand 40. Buellia aethalea 

(Ach.) Th. Fr., Catillaria contristans (Nyl.) Zahlbr., Frutidella caesioatra (Schaer.) Kalb, 

Placynthiella rosulans (Th. Fr.) Zahlbr. and Pseudocyphellaria mallota (Tuck.) H. Magn. 

Australasian Lichenology 53, 20–29. 

Galloway, DJ (2006): Flora of New Zealand Lichens (2nd edition, lichen-forming and lichenicolous 

fungi). Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln (in press). 

Galloway DJ; Sancho, LG (2005) Umbilicaria murihikuana and U. robusta (Umbilicariaceae: 

Ascomycota), two new taxa from Aotearoa New Zealand. Australasian Lichenology 

56, 16–19. 

Gams, W (1996): Report of the Committee for Fungi: 6. Taxon 45, 309–311. 

Goward, T; McCune, B; Meidinger, D (1994): The Lichens of British Columbia Illustrated 

Keys. Part 1, Foliose and Squamulose Species. British Columbia Ministry of Forests, 

Special Report Series 8. 

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München, Wien, Zürich. 

Jørgensen, PM; James, PW; Jarvis, CE (1994a): Linnaean lichen names and their typification. 

Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 115, 261–405. 

Jørgensen, PM; James, PW; Jarvis, CE (1994b): Proposals to reject or conserve 26 Linnean 

names of lichenized ascomycetes. Taxon 43, 646–654. 

Llano, GA (1950): A Monograph of the Lichen Family Umbilicariaceae in the Western Hemisphere. 

Office of Naval Research, Washington D.C. 

Martin, W (1966): Census catalogue of the lichen flora of New Zealand. Transactions of 

the Royal Society of New Zealand, Botany 3(8), 139–159. 

Martin, W; Child, J (1972): Lichens of New Zealand. A.H. & A.W. Reed, Wellington. 

Mason, B (1988): Outdoor Recreation in Otago. A Conservation Plan. Volume One: Central 

Otago’s Block Mountains. Federated Mountain Clubs of New Zealand (Inc.), Wellington. 

McCune, B; Geiser, L (1997): Macrolichens of the Pacific Northwest. Oregon State University 

Press, Corvallis. 

Moberg, R; Holmåsen, I (1982): Lavar. En Fälthanbbok. Interpublishing, Stockholm. 

Wei, JC (1993): The lectotypification of some species in the Umbilicariaceae described 

by Linnaeus or Hoffmann. Mycosystema 5, 1–17. 

Wirth, V (1995a): Die Flechten Baden-Württembergs (2 Auflage), 2 Bd. Verlag Eugen 

Ulmer, Stuttgart. 

Wirth, V (1995b): Flechtenflora. Bestimmung und ökologische Kennzeichnung der Flechten 

Südwestdeutschlands und angrenzender Gebeite. 2. Neubearbeitete und ergänzte Auflage. 

Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart. 

Yoshimura, I (1974): Lichen Flora of Japan in Colour. Hoikusha Publishing Co. Ltd, 

Osaka. 

Zahlbruckner, A (1941): Lichenes Novae Zelandiae a cl. H.H. Allan eiusque collaboratoribus 

lecti. Denkschriften der Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien mathematischnaturwissenschaftliche 

Masse 104, 249–380. 

16 

Additional lichen records from New Zealand 44. 

Roccellinastrum flavescens Kantvilas 




e-mail: gallowayd@LandcareResearch.co.nz 

Rick Kooperberg 

3 Jerram Street, Mount Albert, Auckland 1003, New Zealand 

e-mail: Rick.K@xtra.co.nz 

Abstract: Roccellinastrum flavescens, formerly known from only the leafy shoots of the 

Tasmanian endemic conifers Arthrotaxis cupressoides and Diselma archeri (Cupressaceae), 

is reported for the first time from living leaves of the New Zealand endemic Libocedrus 

bidwillii (Cupressaceae). 

Introduction 

A recent collection of a greenish white byssoid lichen with pink marginal apothecia 

from the leaves of the endemic New Zealand conifer Libocedrus bidwillii (Cupressaceae) 

was made from high-altitude forest dominated by Nothofagus in the Tongariro 

National Park in North Island, and identified as Roccellinastrum flavescens Kantvilas. 

The species, formerly regarded as a Tasmanian endemic (Kantvilas 1990, 2004), was 

originally described from the endemic conifer Arthrotaxis cupressoides (Cupressaceae), 

and subsequently reported also from leaves of Diselma archeri (Cupressaceae). A description 

of New Zealand material is given below. 

Roccellinastrum flavescens Kantvilas, Lichenologist 22, 81 (1990). 

Illustrations: Kantvilas (1990), Kantvilas & Jarman (1999), Lumbsch et al. (2001), Mc- 

Carthy & Mallett (2004). 

Thallus distinctly byssoid, in small, swollen to flattened, cushion-like clumps, or 

spreading in irregular tube-like patches, 1–3 cm diam., investing leaf scales and attached 

by cottony threads. Upper surface pale greenish white when moist, whitish when dry, 

minutely granular-uneven to fibrous or sublobulate in parts, becoming cottony-eroded 

below. Apothecia scattered to crowded, marginal, protruding, attached to the thallus by 

a short stalk, pale pinkish when fresh, fading to whitish on storage, swollen, globular 

to shallowly indented, immarginate, 0.1–0.8(–1) mm diam., surface smooth or minutely 

pruinose. Epithecium pale yellowish brown, granular, 3–5 µm thick, decolourizing in K. 

Hymenium colourless, 20–25(–30) µm tall. Hypothecium opaque, pale yellowish brown, 

15–25 µm thick, decolourizing in K. Asci clavate, 13–20 x 5–6.5 µm, 8-spored. Ascospores 

uniseriate to partially biseriate in ascus, globose, 3–3.5 µm diam. 

Chemistry (Australian material): Thallus K–, C–, KC–, Pd+ red; containing protocetraric 

acid (major), usnic acid (trace), and virensic acid (trace) (Kantvilas 1990). 

Notes 

Roccellinastrum flavescens is characterized by the pale green to green-white, cushionlike, 

byssoid thallus anchored to the substratum (living leaves of Libocedrus bidwillii) 

by cottony threads; marginal, protruding, pale-pink, globular apothecia that are attached 

to the thallus with short stalks; 8-spored asci containing globose ascospores, 

3–3.5 µm diam.; and protocetraric acid (Pd+ red) as the major secondary metabolite. 

The yellowish colour (usnic acid) reported for Tasmanian populations (Kantvilas 1990, 

2004) was not seen in the New Zealand specimens. Roccellinastrum flavescens is an addition 

to New Zealand’s Roccellinastrum mycobiota, where formerly the widespread 

species R. neglectum Henssen & Vobis was the only species known (Henssen et al. 1982; 

Galloway 1985; Kantvilas 1990, 2004; Pennycook & Galloway 2004). 


17

The occurrence of R. flavescens on leaves of Libocedrus bidwillii in New Zealand is 

noteworthy, because the tree is a New Zealand endemic in the family Cupressaceae. 

Of the five known species of Libocedrus, three occur in New Caledonia and two are 

endemic to New Zealand (Salmon 1980). Libocedrus bidwillii is found on both islands of 

New Zealand as an emergent canopy tree in montane and subalpine forests in humid 

and superhumid climates. High rainfall, frequent fogs, short, cool summers, and wet 

organic soils characterize the sites where it predominates, and it has an altitudinal range 

from 250 to 1200 m (Salmon 1980, Wardle 1991, Ogden & Stewart 1995). Arthrotaxus 

cupressoides and Diselma archeri grow in similar habitats in Tasmania. 

Roccellinastrum neglectum, on the other hand, is a widespread species of more catholic 

habitat preference in New Zealand, being known from Tutamoe in Northland at lat. 

38°14’S, to Port Pegasus at the south of Stewart Island at lat. 47°13’S (Galloway 2006). 

Roccellinastrum neglectum is characterized by the soft, terete, byssoid-spongiose, richly 

branched lobes that are greenish white when fresh, becoming yellowish white during 

storage; apothecia borne mainly at the lobe tips; the frequently long, stipitate fruiting 

bodies; simple, bacilliform ascospores, 5–7 x 1–1.5 µm; and the presence of protocetraric 

and squamatic acids (Pd+ red). It colonizes bark amongst mosses and ferns in deep 

shade in high-rainfall forested areas, where it is found on bark, tree fern brush, vines, 

mosses, liverworts, and ferns (especially dead filmy ferns), or on the leaves and stems 

of shrubs. It is also known from Tasmania (Henssen et al. 1982; Galloway 1985, 2006; 

Kantvilas 1990, 2004; McCarthy 2005). 

The two species can be distinguished with the following key. 

1 Thallus irregularly spreading, to 8 cm diam.; of densely entangled, tubular lobes; 

corticolous, muscicolous, or foliicolous (on leaves of filmy ferns); ascospores bacilliform, 

5–7 x 1–1.5 µm; protocetraric and squamatic acids present.......................R. neglectum 

1. Thallus in distinct, cushion-like clumps, 1–3 cm diam.; foliicolous (on leaves of 

Libocedrus bidwillii); ascospores globose, 2.5–5 µm diam.; protocetraric and usnic acids 

present................................................................................................................R. flavescens 


Wellington: •Tongariro National Park, Ohakune Mountain Road, Waitonga Falls Track, 

on living leaves of Libocedrus bidwillii, 8.xii.2005, Nick Martin s.n. (CHR 528311, AK 

294881). 


We are grateful to Nick Martin (Crop & Food, Auckland) for providing material 

for study and to Peter Johnston (Herbarium PDD, Landcare Research, Auckland) for 

constructive help. Funds for this research were provided to the senior author by the 

Foundation of Research, Science and Technology (FRST, Wellington) under Contract 

C09618. 

References 

Galloway, DJ (1985): Flora of New Zealand Lichens. P.D. Hasselberg, Government Printer, 

Wellington. 

Galloway, DJ (2006): Flora of New Zealand Lichens (2nd edition, lichen-forming and lichenicolous 

fungi). Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln (in press). 

Henssen, A; Vobis, G; Renner, B (1982): New species of Roccellinastrum with an emendation 

of the genus. Nordic Journal of Botany 2, 587–599. 

Kantvilas, G (1990): The genus Roccellinastrum in Tasmania. Lichenologist 22, 79–86. 

Kantvilas, G; Jarman, J (1999): Lichens of rainforest in Tasmania and south-eastern Australia. 

Flora of Australia Supplementary Series 9. 

Kantvilas, G (2004): Roccellinastraceae. Flora ofAustralia 56, 71–73. 

Lumbsch, HT; McCarthy, PM; Malcolm, WM (2001): Key to the genera of Australian 

lichens. Apothecial crusts. Flora of Australia Supplementary Series 11. 

18 

McCarthy, PM (2005): Checklist of the lichens of Australia and its island territories. 

http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/introduction.html 

McCarthy, PM; Mallet, K (2004): Flora of Australia. Volume 56A. Lichens 4. ABRS/ 

CSIRO, Melbourne. 

Ogden J; Stewart GH (1995): Community dynamics of the New Zealand conifers. In: 

Ecology of the Southern Conifers (eds. N.J. Enright & R.S. Hill), 81–119. Melbourne 

University Press, Melbourne. 

Pennycook, SR; Galloway, DJ (2004): Checklist of New Zealand “Fungi”. In: Introduction 

to the Fungi of New Zealand (ed. E.H.C. McKenzie ). Fungi of New Zealand/Nga 

Harore o Aotearoa Vol. 1. Fungal Diversity Research Series 14, 401–488. 

Salmon, JT (1980): The Native Trees of New Zealand. Heinemann Reed, Auckland. 

Wardle, P (1991): Vegetation of New Zealand. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 


19

20 

A new species of Lepraria (lichenized Ascomycota) from Australia 

John A. Elix 



email: John.Elix@anu.edu.au 

Abstract: Lepraria squamatica Elix is described as new to science. 

The lichen genus Lepraria Ach. is widely distributed in Australia, occurring on rocks, 

soil, bryophytes, bark and dead wood, and is frequently prominent in shaded habitats. 

Species are characterized by a powdery to granular sterile thallus for which ascomata 

are unknown. The margin can be diffuse or delimited, and the thallus composed of a 

mass of powdery or non-powdery spherical granules covered by entangled hyphae 

which often project outward (Laundon 1989, 1992a, b, c; Leuckert et al. 1995; Sipman 

2004; Tønsberg 2004; Elix et al. 2005). Eight species have been recorded for Australia 

(McCarthy 2005), although two taxa were assigned to Leproloma, a genus now regarded 

as a synonym of Lepraria (Ekman & Tønsberg 2002). A further new species is described 

here. Chemical constituents were identified by thin-layer chromatography (Culberson 

1972, Culberson & Johnson 1982, Elix & Ernst-Russell 1993), high-performance liquid 

chromatography (Elix et al. 2003) and comparison with authentic samples. 

Lepraria squamatica Elix, sp. nov. Fig. 1a–c 

Thallus ut in Lepraria multiacida sed acidum squamaticum et acidum baeomycesicum 

continente differt. 

Etymology: The specific epithet derives from the presence of squamatic acid in this 

species. 

Type here designated:Australia, Northern Territory, Tabletop Range, Litchfield National 

Park, 25 km SW of Batchelor, 13°11’S, 130°50’E, 180 m, on charred wood in burnt Eucalyptus 

woodland with a dense understory of Grevillea, Owenia and Acacia, 2.vii.1991, 

J.A. Elix 27513, H.T. Lumbsch & H. Streimann (holotype–CANB). 

Thallus leprose-sorediate, powdery, creamy white, grey-white or pale yellow-grey, 

forming extensive, irregularly spreading patches to 10 cm wide, or in small, irregularly 

roundish colonies 0.5–2 cm wide that eventually coalesce; usually delimited, well-defined 

lobes present, 0.2–1.0 mm wide, raised at the margin; thin or thick (up to 250 µm); 

medulla present or not, white, distinct only in patches; hyphae 1.5–3 µm thick; soredia 

farinose, dispersed or forming a thick, continuous layer, ±roundish, 15–40 µm wide, 

commonly aggregated in roundish clumps (consoredia) 150–200 µm wide, with long 

projecting hyphae along the margins (up to 0.6 mm long), shorter projecting hyphae 

within (20–125 µm long); photobiont chlorococcoid, ±spherical, with individual cells 

7–12 µm diam. Hypothallus thin and white or not apparent. 

Chemistry: Thallus surface K+ yellow, C–, Pd+ yellow; containing squamatic acid 

(major), baeomycesic acid (major or minor), unknown fatty acid (major or minor), 

±barbatic acid (trace), ±hypothamnolic acid (trace), ±subbaeomycesic acid (trace), 

±subsquamatic acid (trace), ±protocetraric acid (trace). 

Remarks 

Morphologically, the species resembles Lepraria multiacida Aptroot in having a 

relatively thick, creamy white thallus, often with distinct lobate margins and long 

protruding hyphae. However, the two species can be readily distinguished chemically—L. 

multiacida contains atranorin (major), stictic acid (minor/trace), constictic acid 

(major/minor), salazinic acid (trace), cryptostictic acid (trace), norstictic acid (trace), 3,7- 

di-O-methylstrepsilin (minor), strepsilin (trace), 7-O-methylstrepsilin (trace), zeorin and 

unknown triterpenes (Elix & Tønsberg 2004), whereas L. squamatica contains squamatic 

acid and baeomycesic acid. This is the first reported occurrence in the genus Lepraria 

of the last two substances. 

At present, the new species is known to occur on the trunks of trees and on dead 

wood and rocks in subtropical rainforest, tropical monsoon forest and open woodland 

from 60 m to 1400 m in eastern and northern Australia. Commonly associated species 

in eastern Australia include Hypogymnia enteromorphoides Elix, H. pulverata (Nyl.) Elix, 

Leptogium biloculare F. Wilson, Nephroma cellulosum (Sm. ex Ach.) Ach. and Ramboldia 

brunneocarpa Kantvilas & Elix, and in northern Australia, Dirinaria applanata (Fée), D.D. 

Awasthi, Protoparmelia pulchra Diederich, Aptroot & Sérus., Pyrrhospora aurea Kalb & 

Elix, Pyxine coccifera (Fée) Nyl. and Pyxine cocoes (Sw.) Nyl. 

ADDITIONAL SPECIMENS EXAMINED 

New South Wales: •Burraga Swamp, Mt Allyn Forest Park, 32°06’30”S, 151°25’30”E, 

1000 m, rainforest, on Acmena, 29.vi.1988, G. Kantvilas 240/88 (HO, NSW); on Nothofagus 

moorei, G. Kantvilas 249/88 (HO, NSW); •Mt William, Barrington Tops National Park, 

32°04’30”S, 151°28’E, 1400 m, rainforest, on old trunk of Nothofagus moorei, 30.vi.1988, 

G. Kantvilas 315/88 (HO, NSW). 

Northern Territory: •Baroalba Creek, 19 km S of Jabiru, Kakadu National Park, 

12°50’S, 132°53’E, 70 m, remnant monsoon forest beside creek in gorge, on dead 

wood, 25.v.1988, J.A. Elix 22549 & H. Streimann (CANB); •”Pethricks Rainforest”, 39 

km WSW of Batchelor, 13°08’S, 130°40’E, 60 m, disturbed lowland forest with palms 

and Gmelina, on charred base of tree, 3.vii.1991, J.A. Elix 27563, H.T. Lumbsch & H. 

Streimann (CANB). 

Western Australia: •King Edward River, 54 km NNW of King Edward River Station 

(Doongan Station), 14°54’S, 126°22’E, 280 m, Eucalyptus-dominated grassland with Terminalia 

and Calytrix with large sandstone outcrops, on sheltered sandstone, 14.vii.1991, 

J.A. Elix 27966, H.T. Lumbsch & H. Streimann (CANB). 


I thank Dr Bill Malcolm, Nelson, New Zealand, for preparing the photographs, Dr 

Gintaras Kantvilas, Hobart, for the loan of specimens, and Dr Christine Cargill and 

Ms Judith Curnow, curators at the CANB cryptogamic herbarium, for their cooperation 

and/or assistance. 

References 

Culberson, CF (1972): Improved conditions and new data for the identification of 

lichen products by a standardized thin-layer chromatographic method. Journal of 

Chromatography 72, 113–125. 

Culberson, CF; Johnson, A (1982): Substitution of methyl tert.-butyl ether for diethyl 

ether in the standardized thin-layer chromatographic method for lichen products. 

Journal of Chromatography 238, 483–487. 

Ekman, S; Tønsberg, T (2002): Most species of Lepraria and Leproloma form a monophyletic 

group related to Stereocaulon. Mycological Research 106, 1262–1276. 

Elix, JA; Ernst-Russell, KD (1993): A Catalogue of Standardized Thin-Layer Chromatographic 

Data and Biosynthetic Relationships for Lichen Substances, 2nd Edn, Australian National 

University, Canberra. 

Elix, JA; Giralt, M; Wardlaw, JH (2003): New chloro-depsides from the lichen Dimelaena 

radiata. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 86, 1–7. 

Elix, JA; Øvstedal, DL; Gremmen, NJM (2005): A new Lepraria species from Gough 

Island, South Atlantic Ocean. Mycotaxon 93, 273–275. 

Elix, JA; Tønsberg, T (2004): Notes on the chemistry of some lichens, including four 

species of Lepraria. Graphis Scripta 16, 43–45. 

Laundon, JR (1989): The species of Leproloma—the name for the Lepraria membranacea 

group. Lichenologist 21, 1–22. 


21

Laundon, JR (1992a): Lepraria in the British Isles. Lichenologist 24, 315–350. 

Laundon, JR (1992b): Lepraria Ach. (1803). In: Lichen Flora of Great Britain and Ireland 

(O.W. Purvis, B.J. Coppins, D.L. Hawksworth, P.W. James & D.M. Moore, editors), 

pp. 344–347. Natural History Museum Publications, London. 

Laundon, JR (1992c): Leproloma Ach. (1803): In: Lichen Flora of Great Britain and Ireland 

(O.W. Purvis, B.J. Coppins, D.L. Hawksworth, P.W. James & D.M. Moore, editors), 

pp. 347–349. Natural History Museum Publications, London. 

Leuckert, D; Kümmerling, H; Wirth, V (1995): Chemotaxonomy of Lepraria Ach. and 

Leproloma Nyl. ex Crombie, with particular reference to central Europe. Bibliotheca 

Lichenologica 58, 245–259. 

McCarthy, PM (2005): Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories. ABRS, 

Canberra. http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/introduction.html (last updated 

24.iii.2005). 

Sipman, HJM (2004): Survey of Lepraria species with lobed thallus margins in the tropics. 

Herzogia 17, 23–35. 

Tønsberg, T (2004): Lepraria. In: Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region (T.H. 

Nash III, B.D. Ryan, P. Diderich, C. Greis & F. Bungartz, editors), Volume 2, 322–329. 

Lichens Unlimited, Tempe. 

Figure 1a. Lepraria squamatica, J.A. Elix 27563 H.T. Lumbsch & H. Streimann (CANB). 

1 mm. 

22 

Figure 1b. Lepraria squamatica. 2 mm. 

Figure 1c. Lepraria squamatica. 2 mm. 


23

24 

The chemical diversity of Lepraria coriensis and 

L. usnica (lichenized Ascomycota) in Australia 

John A. Elix 


Australian National University,Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia 

e-mail: John.Elix@anu.edu.au 

Abstract: In Australia both Lepraria coriensis and L. usnica have been shown to comprise 

three chemotypes, all of which contain usnic acid and zeorin as the major constituents. 

Chemically L. usnica can be distinguished from L. coriensis by the presence of minor 

amounts of the rare biphenyl contortin. 

Introduction 

The lichens Lepraria coriensis (Hue) Sipman and L. usnica Sipman are similar leprosesorediate 

species that contain usnic acid and zeorin as major constituents. Lepraria coriensis 

is distinguished by having an ecorticate, crustose-leprose thallus that can form a thin to 

moderately thick non-areolate crust of powdery granules or, in part, to form irregular 

rosettes with lobed margins. The rounded “lobes”, which resemble those of Normandina 

pulchella (Borrer) Nyl., are 0.5–2.0 mm wide and have a flat or more commonly raised rim 

(Laundon 2003, Sipman 2004). In some specimens a thin, black prothallus can be observed. 

Lepraria usnica, on the other hand, is distinguished morphologically by the presence of 

somewhat irregular (not rounded) sublobes or microsquamules that rarely exceed 0.2 mm 

in width and lack a marginal rim. Lepraria coriensis is quite common throughout Australia, 

occurring on sheltered rock surfaces, dead wood, the base of trees and shrubs, over mosses 

or directly on soil, whereas L. usnica has a more restricted distribution, being confined to 

shaded rock surfaces and the bases of trees in tropical areas. Previously L. coriensis has 

been reported from Korea, India, China (Hong Kong, Taiwan), and Australia (Northern 

Territory), whereas L. usnica was known from Singapore, Indonesia, Colombia, El Salvador, 

Namibia, Panama, Seychelles, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Australia (Northern Territory) 

(Laundon 2003; Sipman 2003, 2004). 

In the present work, the Australian representatives of both species are shown to occur in 

three distinct chemical races, but there is no confluence between the two species. Chemical 

constituents were identified by thin-layer chromatography (Culberson 1972, Culberson 

& Johnson 1982, Elix & Ernst-Russell 1993), high-performance liquid chromatography 

(Elix et al. 2003) and comparison with authentic samples. 

Lepraria coriensis (Hue) Sipman, Herzogia 17, 28 (2004) 

= Crocynia coriensis Hue, Bull. Soc. Bot. France 71, 386 (1924) 

= Lecanora coriensis (Hue) J.R. Laundon, Nova Hedwigia 76, 97 (2003). 

Chemotype 1: contains usnic acid (major), zeorin (major), ±isousnic acid (minor or trace), 

±atranorin (trace), protodehydroconstipatic acid (major or minor) and dehydroconstipatic 

acid (major or minor). This chemotype is most common in northern Australia. 


±atranorin (minor or trace), argopsin (minor), norargopsin (minor or trace), protodehydroconstipatic 

acid (minor or trace) and dehydroconstipatic acid (minor or trace). This 

chemotype is common in southern Australia. 


±atranorin (trace), caloploicin (minor) and fulgidin (minor or trace), proto-dehydroconstipatic 

acid (minor or trace) and dehydroconstipatic acid (minor or trace). This apparently 

rare chemotype has been found in New South Wales. 

One specimen from Western Australia was found to contain a combination of two of the 

above chemotypes, i.e. it contained both argopsin and caloploicin. It is worth noting that 

dehydroconstipatic acid and isomuronic acid are synonymous. 


Chemotype 1 

Northern Territory. •Umbrawarra Gorge, 22 km SW of Pine Creek, 13°59’S, 131°41’E, 220 

m, Melaleuca-dominated creek side in gorge, on sandstone, 23.v.1988, J.A. Elix 22521, 22529 

& H. Streimann (CANB); • Robin Falls, 15 km S of Adelaide River township, 13°21’08”S, 

131°08’02”E, 140 m, remnant monsoon forest in gorge with Melaleuca, Carallia and numerous 

sandstone boulders, on shaded sandstone, 7.viii.2005, J.A. Elix 28834 (CANB). 

South Australia. •Flinders Ranges, Mt Remarkable National Park, Alligator Gorge, 9 km 

S of Wilmington, 32°45’S, 138°03’E, 400 m, Eucalyptus-Callitris woodland in ravine, on 

Callitris, 27.x.1984, J.A. Elix 17782 & L.H. Elix (CANB). 

Chemotype 2 


148°49’45”E, 595 m, remnant Eucalyptus woodland, on soil bank in creek, 13.x.2005, J.A. 

Elix 36006 (CANB). 

South Australia. •Sandy Creek National Park, 5 km W of Lyndoch, 34°36’S, 138°56’E, 

Callitris woodland, on Callitris, 27.xii.1977, J.A. Elix 4184 (CANB); • Mount Lofty Ranges, 

The Gap, 6 km W of Palmer, 34°49’S, 139°10’E, 300 m, pasture, on soil, 30.viii.1987, J.A. 

Elix 21782 & L.H. Elix (CANB); •South Mount Lofty Ranges, along Saunders Creek, 6.5 

km E of Springton, 34°42’S, 139°10’E, 300 m, pasture and dry Eucalyptus woodland with 

numerous rock outcrops, on soil, 1.viii.1992, J.A. Elix 33190 (B, CANB). 

Western Australia. •Boyagin Rock, Boyagin Nature Reserve, 20 km NW of Pingelly, 

32°28’S, 116°53’E, 350 m, large exposed granite outcrop, on sheltered rock ledge, 

11.ix.1994, J.A. Elix 40981, 40983, H.T. Lumbsch & H. Streimann (B, CANB); •Kalbarri 

National Park, Murchison River Gorge, trail from Ross Graham Lookout to Murchison 

River, 39 km ENE of Kalbarri township, 27°48’41”S, 114°28’22”E, 155 m, scattered 

Casuarina, Eucalyptus and Acacia with sandstone outcrops, on base of Acacia, 3.v.2004, 

J.A. Elix 33705 (CANB, PERTH). 

Chemotype 3 

New South Wales. •Goonoo State Forest, Cashels Dam Road, 31 km SE of Gilgandra, 

31°55’57”S, 148°52’17”E, 390 m, Eucalyptus-Callitris woodland with sandstone outcrops, 

on sheltered sandstone ledge, 12.x.2005, J.A. Elix 36011 (CANB). Chemotype 2 + 3 

Western Australia. •Depot Hill, 13 km along the Depot Hill road NW of Mingenew, 

28°08’38”S, 115°21’02”E, 150 m, Eucalyptus-Acacia woodland with lateritic sandstone 

outcrops, on bryophytes over sandstone, 4.v.2004, J.A. Elix 33802 (CANB). 

Lepraria usnica Sipman, Biblioth. Lichenol. 86, 179 (2003). 

Chemotype 1: contains usnic acid (major), zeorin (major), isousnic acid (minor or 

trace), contortin (minor), placodiolic acid (trace), hopane-16β,22-diol (major or minor). 

The type specimen belongs to this chemotype. In Australia, this chemotype occurs in 

Queensland. 

Chemotype 2: contains usnic acid (major), zeorin (major), ±isousnic acid (trace), contortin 

(minor), placodiolic acid (trace), ±roccellic acid (trace). This chemotype occurs in the 

Northern Territory and Western Australia. 

Chemotype 3: contains usnic acid (major), zeorin (major), isousnic acid (minor or trace), 

contortin (minor), placodiolic acid (trace), atranorin (minor), chloroatranorin (minor). 

This chemotype occurs in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. The rare 

biphenyl contortin was found to be a constant, albeit minor, component of all three 

chemotypes of L. usnica. This compound, which is biosynthetically related to usnic 


25

acid, was previously known only from the genus Psoroma Mich. (Elix et al. 1984). It exhibits 

standard TLC Rf values: Rf (A) 67; Rf (B’) 41; Rf (C) 60. 


Chemotype 1 

Queensland. • Brandy Creek Road, 12 km NE of Proserpine, 20°21’S, 148°41’E, 120 m, dry 

sclerophyll forest, on volcanic rocks, 28.vi.1986, J.A. Elix 20815 & H. Streimann (CANB); • 

between Breakneck and Quandong Creeks, 24 km WSW of Proserpine, 20°29’S, 148°22’E, 

150 m, Eucalyptus-Planchonia-dominated woodland, on weathered basalt rocks, 2.vii.1986, 

J.A. Elix 21153 & H. Streimann (CANB). 

Chemotype 2 

Northern Territory. • Tabletop Range, Litchfield National Park, 25 km SW of Batchelor, 

13°11’S, 130°50’E, 180 m, burnt Eucalyptus woodland with dense understorey of Grevillea, 

Owenia and Acacia and sandstone outcrops, on sheltered sandstone ledge, 2.vii.1991, J.A. 

Elix 27508, H.T. Lumbsch & H. Streimann (CANB). 

Western Australia. • Kimberley Region, Donkey Escarpment, head of Donkey Creek, 

27 km S of Drysdale River Station, 15°58’S, 126°22’E, 420 m, Eucalyptus woodland with 

Dodonaea, Callitris and Terminalia with sandstone outcrops, on sandstone, 15.vii.1991, J.A. 

Elix 28023, H.T. Lumbsch & H. Streimann (CANB). 

Chemotype 3 

Northern Territory. • Arnhem Land, 19 km WNW of Jabiru, 12°37’S, 133°03’E, 150 m, 

in Calopyllum sil- and Buchanania arborescens-dominated deep gorge, on shaded moss 

platform, 19.iv.1989, H. Streimann 42252 (B, CANB). 

Western Australia. • Kimberley Region, King Edward River, 54 km NNW of King Edward 

River Station (Doongan Station), 14°54’S, 126°12’E, 280 m, Eucalyptus-dominated 

grasslands with Calytrix and Terminalia, with large sandstone outcrops, on sandstone, 

14 .vii.1991, J.A. Elix 27962, H.T. Lumbsch & H. Streimann (CANB). 


I thank Dr Tor Tønsberg, Bergen, for providing fragments of type material and Dr 

Christine Cargill and Ms Judith Curnow, curators at the CANB cryptogamic herbarium, 

for their assistance. 

References 

Culberson, CF (1972): Improved conditions and new data for the identification of lichen 

products by a standardized thin-layer chromatographic method. Journal of Chromatography 

72, 113–125. 

Culberson, CF; Johnson, A (1982): Substitution of methyl tert.-butyl ether for diethyl ether 

in the standardized thin-layer chromatographic method for lichen products. Journal of 

Chromatography 238, 483–487. 






Elix, JA; Jayanthi, VK; Jones, AJ; Lennard, CL (1984): A novel biphenyl from the lichen 

Psoroma contortum. Australian Journal of Chemistry 37, 1531–1538. 

Laundon, JR (2003): Six lichens of the Lecanora varia group. Nova Hedwigia 76, 83–111. 

Sipman, HJM (2003): New species of Cryptothecia, Lepraria and Ocellularia (Lichenized 

Ascomycetes) from Singapore. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 86, 177–184. 

Sipman, HJM (2004): Survey of Lepraria species with lobed thallus margins in the tropics. 

Herzogia 17, 23–35. 

26 

Two new species of Tephromela (Lecanoraceae, 

lichenized Ascomycota) from Australia 

John A. Elix 



email: John.Elix @ anu.edu.au 

Klaus Kalb 

Lichenologisches Institut Neumarkt, Im Tal 12, D–92318 Neumarkt, Germany 

email: klaus.kalb @ t-online.de 

Abstract: Tephromela sorediata Kalb & Elix and T. stenosporonica Elix & Kalb are described 

as new to science. Skyttea tephromelarum, found on T. sorediata, is a new addition to the 

Australian mycobiota. 

The lichen genus Tephromela M.Choisy is widely distributed in Australia, occurring on 

rocks, bark and dead wood. Species are characterized by a crustose thallus, prominent 

black, lecanorine or aspicilioid apothecia with a poorly developed true exciple, Bacidiatype 

asci with simple, colourless ascospores and the occurrence of conidiogenous cells 

in chains (Hafeller & Türk 2001; Hertel & Rambold, 1985; Kalb 1991, 2004; Nash et al. 

2004). Six species have been recorded for Australia (McCarthy 2005), and a further two 

new species are described here. Chemical constituents were identified by thin-layer 

chromatography (Culberson 1972, Culberson & Johnson 1982, Elix & Ernst-Russell 

1993), high-performance liquid chromatography (Feige et al. 1993, Elix et al. 2003) and 

comparison with authentic samples. 

Tephromela sorediata Kalb & Elix, sp. nov. Fig. 1 

Tephromelae pertusarioidis similis sed thallo corticola vel lignicola, tenui, acidum alectoronicum 

continenti et soraliis angustioribus differt. 

Type here designated: Australia. Australian Capital Territory, trail to Mount Aggie, 43 

km WSW of Canberra, 35°28’S, 148°46’E, 1400 m on Acacia trunk in open Eucalyptus 

delegatensis woodland, 17.iii.1994, J.A. Elix 40754; holo: CANB. 

Thallus crustose, superficial, grey-white to pale creamy white or creamy grey, continuous, 

areolate to rimose, 0.05–0.15 mm thick or sometimes evanescent, up to 4 cm wide; 

areoles irregularly shaped to rounded, 0.2–0.8 mm wide, upper surface roughened, 

granular, lacking isidia; soredia present. Soralia laminal, capitate, 0.1–0.6 mm wide, 

±spreading and coalescent; soredia white to cream or pale brown, farinose. Prothallus 

not apparent. Cortex 7–10 µm thick, lacking an epinecral layer; algal layer c. 25–35 µm 

thick; algal cells 6.5–8 µm wide; medulla poorly developed. Apothecia rare to common, 

dispersed, sessile, 0.3–1.5 mm wide; disc ±flat or weakly concave, round, black, shiny, 

epruinose; thalline exciple persistent, smooth or becoming sorediate; true exciple not 

apparent; epithecium violet-black, 10–15 µm thick; hymenium violet, 50–70 µm tall; 

hypothecium yellow to pale brown, 100–150 µm thick; paraphyses branched and 

anastomosing; apices not conspicuously swollen, 4–5 µm wide. Asci 8-spored, c. 40–50 

x 16–20 µm, Bacidia-type. Ascospores ellipsoid, colourless, thick-walled, 11–14 x 6–8 

µm. Pycnidia rare, black, immersed to slightly emergent. Conidia filiform, straight, 

12–17 x 1 µm. 

Chemistry: Thallus and soredia K+ yellow, C–, KC+ pink, P–, UV+ blue-white; containing 

atranorin (major), alectoronic acid (major). 


27

Notes 

This corticolous or lignicolous species is characterized by its grey-white to pale 

creamy white or creamy grey, sorediate thallus containing atranorin and alectoronic 

acid, by its small, black, lecanorine apothecia, mostly c. 0.3–1.0 mm wide, and its ellipsoid 

ascospores, 11–14 x 6–8 µm. It resembles the saxicolous European species T. 

pertusarioides (Degel.) Hafellner & Roux, but P. sorediata is restricted to organic substrata, 

and is distinguished by its much thinner thallus (0.05–0.15 mm cf. 03–0.5 mm thick), 

the smaller soralia (0.1–0.6 mm cf. 0.4–2.0 mm wide) and in containing alectoronic 

acid rather than α-collatolic acid. In addition, the apothecia are larger (1.0–2.5 mm cf. 

0.5–1.5 mm wide) in T. pertusarioides. 

The specimen Kalb 35099 was infected by the parasitic fungus Skyttea tephromelarum 

Kalb & Hafellner, which is a new addition to the Australian mycobiota. 

At present, this new species is known from scattered localities in south-eastern 

Australia, where it occurs on bark in montane Eucalyptus forests from 750 m to 1400 m. 

Commonly associated species include Fuscidea australis Kantvilas var. australis, Hypogymnia 

pulverata (Nyl.) Elix, Maronea constans (Nyl.) Hepp, Pannaria leproloma (Nyl.) 

P.M.Jørg., Parmelia tenuirima Hook.f & Taylor, Parmelina pseudorelicina (Jatta) Kantvilas 

& Elix, Pertusaria gibberosa Müll.Arg., and Usnea inermis Motyka. 


New South Wales: •Big Badja Hill summit, 78 km S of Braidwood, 36°00’S, 149°34’E, 1360 

m, on Tasmannia in wet Eucalyptus forest with exposed rock outcrops, J.A. Elix 26299, 

3.viii.1991 (CANB); •near Tumanmang Mountain, Tallaganda State Forest, 24 km SSE 

of Captains Flat, 35°48’S, 149°35’E, 1200 m, on shrubs in Eucalyptus pauciflora woodland, 

J.A. Elix 30010, 17.iii.1993 (CANB); •Great Dividing Range, 6 km E of Captains Flat, 2 

km N of Parkers Gap, 35°37’S, 149°30’E, 1260 m, on twigs of Tasmannia in wet Eucalyptus 

forest, J.A. Elix 33065, 12.vii.1992, (B, CANB); •along the road to Rocky Pie, c. 10 

km E of Captains Flat, 1150 m, in a humid sclerophyll forest, K.&A. Kalb 35094, 35099 

& J. Elix, 5.viii.1992 (Kalb); •Barrington Tops National Park, Gloucester River, 35 km 

WSW of Gloucester, 32°04’S, 151°39’E, 1280 m, on branches of Acacia bartingtoniensis 

in Eucalyptus pauciflora woodland, D. Verdon 3729, 10.x.1978 (CANB). 

Tasmania: •South Sister, lower slope near carpark, 4.2 km NNW of St. Marys, 41°32’S, 

148°10’E, 750 m, on Cyathodes glauca among large dolerite boulders with Pittosporum, Eucalyptus, 

Bedfordia and Tasmannia, J.A. Elix 28704 & G. Kantvilas, 10.xi.2004 (CANB). 

Tephromela stenosporonica Elix & Kalb, sp. nov. Fig. 2 

Tephromelae atrae similis sed thallo crassiore, ascosporis elongatis latioribusque et 

acidum stenosporonicum, acidum colensoicum, et acidum divaronicum continenti 

differt. 

Type here designated: Australia. Northern Territory, Tabletop Range, Litchfield National 

Park, 39 km SW of Batchelor, 13°12’S, 130°41’E, 120 m, on sandstone in rocky 

sandstone plateau with Eucalyptus, Terminalia, Calytrix and Ficus, 4.vii.1991, J.A. Elix 

27662; holo: CANB, iso: DNA. 

Thallus saxicolous, crustose, superficial, grey-white to yellow-grey, grey-brown or 

dark grey, continuous, areolate to rimose, 0.4–1.0 mm thick, up to 5 cm wide; areoles 

angular, irregularly shaped to rounded, 0.3–1.0 mm wide, upper surface flat and smooth 

to markedly convex and bullate, becoming ±white-pruinose along ridges and margins 

of the areolae, lacking isidia and soredia. Prothallus black, prominent between bullae 

and around the thallus margin or not apparent. Cortex 25–30 µm thick, algal layer c. 

25–50 µm thick; algal cells 6–8 µm wide; medulla well-developed, c. 03–0.9 mm thick. 

Apothecia common, dispersed, sessile, 0.6–2.0 mm wide; disc ±flat, undulate or weakly 

convex, round, black, shiny, epruinose; thalline exciple prominent, persistent, smooth, 

28 

±folded in over disc; true exciple not apparent; epithecium violet-black, 10–20 µm thick; 

hymenium violet, 45–55 µm tall; hypothecium yellow to yellow-brown, 130–180 µm 

thick; paraphyses branched and anastomosing; apices not conspicuously swollen, 4–5 

µm wide. Asci 8-spored, c. 50–60 x 10–15 µm, Bacidia-type. Ascospores broadly ellipsoid, 

colourless, thick-walled, 11–13 x 7–9 µm. Pycnidia common, black, immersed to 

slightly emergent. Conidia cylindrical to filiform, straight, 10–14 x 1 µm. 

Chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow, C–, KC–, P–; medulla KC+ pink, P–, UV blue-white; containing 

atranorin (minor), stenosporonic acid (major), colensoic acid (minor), divaronic 

acid (minor), glomelliferonic acid (trace), loxodellonic acid (trace). 

Notes 

This saxicolous species is characterized by its grey-white to yellow-grey, grey-brown 

or dark grey, thick, areolate to bullate thallus containing atranorin and stenosporonic, 

colensoic and divaronic acids, by its large (0.6–2.0 mm wide), black apothecia with a 

very prominent thalline margin and its broadly ellipsoid ascospores, 11–13 x 7–9 µm. 

It resembles some well-developed saxicolous specimens of T. atra (Huds.) Hafellner 

ex Kalb, but can be distinguished by its thicker thallus (0.4–1.0 mm cf. 0.3–0.5 mm), its 

larger ascospores ( 11–13 x 7–9 µm cf. 9–11 x 5.5–7 µm) and in containing stenosporonic, 

colensoic and divaronic acids rather than alectoronic and/or α-collatolic acids. In 

addition, the apothecia in T. stenosporonica have a particularly prominent thalline 

exciple which often encapsulates the disc in younger apothecia, whereas in T. atra 

the thalline exciple is thin and mostly persistent (but occasionally older apothecia are 

immarginate), and the disc is always exposed. Chemically T. stenosporonica resembles 

T. bunyana Kalb & Elix (Kalb 2004), but the latter species contains colensoic and norcolensoic 

acids as major substances and only minor quantities of stenosporonic acid. 

In addition, T. bunyana is restricted to corticolous and lignicolous substrata and has 

narrower ascospores (6.0–7.5 µm cf. 7–9 µm wide). 

At present this new species is known from several localities in the north of the 

Northern Territory and the Kimberley region of Western Australia, where it occurs 

on sandstone in open Eucalyptus-Terminalia woodland from 120 m to 180 m. Commonly 

associated species include Australiaena streimannii Matzer, H.Mayrhofer & Elix, 

Caloplaca leptozona (Nyl.) Zahlbr., Dimelaena elevata Elix, Kalb & Wippel, Diploschistes 

actinostomus (Pers.) Zahlbr., Dirinaria batavica D.D. Awasthi, Lecanora austrosorediosa 

(Rambold) Lumbsch, Parmotrema praesorediosum (Nyl.) Hale, Pertusaria remota A.M. 

Archer and Tephromela arafurensis Rambold. 


Northern Territory: •Table Top Range, Litchfield National Park, 25 km SW of Batchelor, 

15°11’S, 130°50’E, 180 m, on sandstone rocks in burnt Eucalyptus woodland with 

dense understorey of Grevillea, Acacia and Owenia, J.A. Elix 27505, H.T. Lumbsch & H. 

Streimann, 2.vii.1991 (CANB, HO); •“Lost City”, Litchfield National Park, 37 km SW 

of Batchelor, 13°13’S, 130°44’E, 150 m, on sandstone rocks among large sandstone outcrops 

with Eucalyptus and Calophyllum, J.A. Elix 27670, H.T. Lumbsch & H. Streimann, 

4.vii.1991 (CANB); •Stuart Highway, 41 km NW of Pine Creek, 13°36’S, 131°32’E, 160 

m, on sandstone rocks along escarpment dominated by Eucalyptus, J.A. Elix 28126, H.T. 

Lumbsch & H. Streimann, 18.vii.1991, (CANB); •4 km N of Depot Creek past Hayes 

Creek, 205 km S of Darwin along the Stuart Highway, on sandstone, N. Sammy 87/060A, 

24.vii.1987 (CANB, DNA); •Litchfield National Park, 39 km SW of Batchelor, 13°12’S, 

130°41’E, 120 m, on semi-shaded sandstone outcrop on rocky sandstone plateau with 

Eucalyptus, Terminalia, Calytrix and Ficus, H. Streimann 48251, 14.vii.1991, (CANB); 

•Litchfield National Park, 100 km S of Darwin, 13°07’S, 130°45’E, 200 m, in a monsoon 

forest on huge sandstone rocks, K.&A. Kalb 25590, 25573, 9.ix.1992 (Kalb); •Gregory 

National Park, c. 31 km S of Timber Creek, 16°03’S, 130°23’E, 110 m, K.&A. Kalb 35093, 

10.ix.1995 (Kalb). 


29

Western Australia: •Kununurra-Timber Creek Highway, 25 km SE of Kununurra, 

15°54’S, 128°56’E, 100 m, on sandstone rocks in Eucalyptus-dominated grasslands with 

scattered Calytrix, Ficus and Xanthostemon, J.A. Elix 27828, H.T. Lumbsch & H. Streimann, 

9.vii.1991 (CANB), H. Streimann 48363, 9.vii.1991 (CANB); •Gibb River Road, 45 km 

SSE of Wyndham, 15°53’S, 128°14’E, 140 m, on sandstone in Eucalyptus-dominated 

grassland with Callitris among rocky outcrops, J.A. Elix 28066, H.T. Lumbsch & H. 

Streimann, 16.vii.1991 (CANB). 


We thank Dr Bill Malcolm, Nelson, New Zealand, for preparing the photographs. 

References 


products by a standardized thin-layer chromatographic method. Journal of Chromatography 

72, 113–125. 

Culberson, CF; Johnson, A (1982): Substitution of methyl tert.-butyl ether for diethyl 

ether in the standardized thin-layer chromatographic method for lichen products. 

Journal of Chromatography 238, 483–487. 






Feige, GB; Lumbsch, HT; Huneck, S; Elix, JA (1993): The identification of lichen substances 

by a standardized high-performance liquid chromatographic method. Journal 

of Chromatography 646, 417–427. 

Hafellner, J; Türk, R (2001): Die lichenisierten Pilze Österreichs—eine Checkliste der 

bisher nachgewiesenen Arten mit verbreitungsangaben. Staphia 76, 1–167. 

Hertel, H; Rambold, G (1985): Lecidea sect. Armeniacae: lecideoide Arten der Flechtengattungen 

Lecanora und Tephromela (Lecanorales). Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik 

Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie 107, 469–501. 

Kalb, K (1991): Lichenes Neotropici. Fasc. X (No. 451–475). Neumarkt/Opf., 16 pp. 

Kalb, K (2004): New or otherwise interesting lichens II. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 88, 

301–329. 

McCarthy, PM (2005): Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories. ABRS, 

Canberra. http: //www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/introduction.html (last updated 

24 March, 2005). 

Nash, TH III; Kalb, K; Rambold, G (2004): Tephromela. In: Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran 

Desert Region (eds. T.H. Nash III, B.D. Ryan, P. Diderick, C. Greis & F. Bungartz) 

Lichens Unlimited, Tempe. Vol. 2, 530–533. 

Rambold, G (1989): A monograph of the saxicolous lecideoid lichens of Australia (excl. 

Tasmania). Bibliotheca Lichenologica 34, 1–345. 

30 

Figure 1. Tephromela sorediata (J.A.Elix 26299 in CANB). 1 mm 

Figure 2. Tephromela stenosporonica (part of holotype in CANB). 1 mm 


31

32 

On the identity of Opegrapha inalbescens, 

with new Australian records of Cresponea 

Gintaras Kantvilas 

Tasmanian Herbarium, Private Bag 4, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia. 

Abstract: Opegrapha inalbescens (Stirt.) Müll. Arg., described from Queensland in the 

19th Century, is a synonym of the widespread and common Australasian lichen 

Cresponea plurilocularis (Nyl.) Egea & Torrente. Cresponea flava (Vain.) Egea & Torrente 

is recorded from Australia (Queensland) for the first time, whereas C. plurilocularis 

and C. leprieurii (Mont.) Egea & Torrente are recorded from New South Wales. The 

occurrence of C. proximata (Nyl.) Egea & Torrente in Queensland, based on literature 

records, is recalled. 

Introduction 

The cosmopolitan, crustose lichen genus Opegrapha is poorly known but nonetheless 

well-represented in Australasia. The most recent Australian checklist (McCarthy 2003) 

lists 36 names, but that does not reflect the true diversity of species present. Collections 

in herbaria and the author’s field observations indicate that species of Opegrapha can be 

found in most habitats and vegetation types, and that many additional species are yet to 

be identified. As well, a review of names already listed for Australia is required, because 

many records are likely to be based on misidentifications, or have been affected by general 

advances in lichen taxonomy and nomenclature. 

One such name is Opegrapha inalbescens (Stirt.) Müll. Arg., based on a collection from 

Queensland and originally described as a Lecidea by Stirton (1881). During an ongoing 

study of type specimens of Australian lichens held in various European herbaria, a portion 

of Stirton’s type was located at the Natural History Museum, London (BM). Examination 

of the specimen revealed it to be the widespread species Cresponea plurilocularis (Nyl.) 

Egea & Torrente. 

Taxonomy 

Cresponea plurilocularis (Nyl.) Egea & Torrente 

Mycotaxon 48: 322 (1993); Lecidea premnea var. plurilocularis Nyl., Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot., sér. 

4, 15: 49 (1861). 

=Opegrapha inalbescens (Stirt.) Müll. Arg., Nuovo Giorn. Bot. Ital. 23: 397 (1891); Lecidea 

inalbescens Stirt., Trans. & Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria 17: 72 (1881). Type: [Australia: Queensland] 

Brisbane, on decorticated wood near Rosewood scrub, F.M. Bailey 258; lectotype (fide 

Rogers 1982) – GLAM; isolectotypes – BM!, BRI. 

For additional synonyms, see Egea & Torrente (1993) and Kantvilas (2004). 

This distinctive species is characterised by the following features: thallus crustose, lacking 

any substances detectable by t.l.c.; apothecia lecideine, black, to 1.7 mm diam., with proper 

margin persistent and disc concave, plane or undulate, occasionally yellowish-pruinose when 

young; excipulum cupulate, opaque dark brown to blackish, K+ olivaceous; paraphyses 

numerous, simple to sparingly branched, with apices colourless or pale yellow-brown to 

grey-brown; asci narrowly cylindrical, of the abietina-type (sensu Torrente & Egea 1989); 

ascospores fusiform, straight or occasionally curved, with rounded apices, 7–9(–10)-septate, 

(30–)34–42 x 4–6(–7.5) µm. For detailed descriptions see Egea & Torrente (1993) and Kantvilas 

(2004). 

The correct taxonomic affinities of this taxon were hinted at by Rogers (1982), who 

noted that it was neither Lecidea nor Opegrapha, but that it might be close to Lecanactis. 

The genus Cresponea, which accommodates the ‘Lecanactis premnea group’ was not 

segregated until much later (Egea & Torrente 1993). Species of Cresponea are not easy 

to distinguish from each other, and their taxonomy is based mainly on the size and de- 

gree of septation of their ascospores. With respect to gross morphology, they are essentially 

inseparable. 

James Stirton was an accomplished and prolific lichenologist who made major contributions 

to the lichenology of many regions of the world, including Australasia (New 

Zealand, Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania). He spent his working life in Scotland, and 

never visited the distant regions whose floras he studied, working instead on specimens 

provided to him by others. His Queensland material came mostly from Frederick Manson 

Bailey, Colonial Botanist from 1881 until 1915, whereas most of his Tasmanian and 

Victorian specimens were gathered by a travelling collector, Hugh Paton. His collection 

is housed mainly at the Glasgow Museum (GLAM), but large numbers of specimens, 

many of them duplicates, are lodged in the Natural History Museum in London (BM) 

(Rogers 1982). Stirton was a very accurate observer of lichen anatomy and morphology, 

as indicated by the copious notes that are found on his specimen labels (e.g. see Fig. 1) 

and in his papers. 

The type specimen of Opegrapha inalbescens is from a piece of wood, and has an unusually 

well-developed, thick, grey, rather verrucose thallus; otherwise, it accords well with 

the current concept of Cresponea plurilocularis. Young apothecia with pruinose discs (Fig. 

2A) and older, epruinose apothecia are present (Fig. 2B), but relatively few ascospores 

in good condition could be observed. Due to the thick thallus and large, occasionally 

pruinose apothecia, the specimen superficially resembles a species of Megalospora. 

Cresponea plurilocularis is a widespread lichen typically found in rainforest vegetation. 

It is known from Tasmania, New Zealand, Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia and the 

Malesian region (Egea & Torrente 1993, Kantvilas 2004). For mainland Australia, McCarthy 

(2003) records the species from Queensland and Victoria. It is here recorded from New 

South Wales for the first time. 


New South Wales: •Mt Wilson, on Ceratopetalum apetalum, 8.v.1988, G. Kantvilas s.n. (HO); 

•trail to Cathedral Creek, Blue Mtns, 33°30’S 150°24’E, epiphytic in rainforest, 1030 m 

alt., 20.iv.2002, G. Kantvilas 197/02 (HO); •Mt Wilson-Mt Irvine Road, 33°30’S 150°23’E, in 

cool temperate forest (Cunoniaceae-dominated), 750 m alt., 1.xi.1984, H. Streimann 31641 

(B, CANB); •Chaelundi State Forest, Stop-A-Bit Road, 29°58’S 152°22’E, on tree trunk in 

temperate forest, 820 m alt., 4.iv.1991, H. Streimann 47525 (B, CANB). 

Further new records of Cresponea species in Australia 

1. Cresponea flava (Vain.) Egea & Torrente 

This species is readily distinguished from other Australian species of the genus by its 

relatively short ascospores that are 15–22(–24) x (4–)4.5–5.5 µm and only 3–4-septate (see 

Egea & Torrente 1993 for description). It is widespread in the tropics, occurring in Florida 

(Harris 1995), tropical America, the Caribbean, Africa (Kalb 2004), south-east Asia, the 

Pacific and New Guinea (Egea & Torrente 1993). It has not been previously recorded 

for Australia. The single Australian specimen seen has somewhat shorter and broader 

ascospores, (14–)15.5–18 x 5–6 µm, but is best accommodated in this taxon pending the 

discovery of further material. 


Queensland: •Bedarra Island, S of Dunk Island, 17°57’S 146°09’E, 16.vii.1075, J.M. Gilbert 

75/810 (HO). 

2. Cresponea leprieurii (Mont.) Egea & Torrente 

This species is recognized by having ascospores (34–)38–65 x 5–7 µm, with 8–14 

septa, that is, generally longer and more septate than those of C. plurilocularis (see 

Egea & Torrente 1993 for description). However, at the lower end of their size range, 

the ascospores of the two species overlap, so identifications must be based on mul- 


33

tiple observations. The species has been recorded from Hong Kong (Aptroot & Seaward 

1999), New Guinea (Egea et al. 1996), the Americas, and Queensland (Egea & Torrente 

1993). The records cited below are the first from New South Wales. 


New South Wales: •Burraga Swamp, Mt Allyn Forest Park, 32°06’30”S 151°25’30”E, on 

Acmena in rainforest, 1000 m alt., 29.vi.1988, G. Kantvilas 186/88 (HO, NSW); •Duck Creek 

Road, 22 km WNW of Buladelah, 32°21’S 151°58’E, on tree trunk, 140 m alt., 22.iv.1990, 

H. Streimann 43992 (B, CANB). 

3. Cresponea proximata (Nyl.) Egea & Torrente 

This species is not included by McCarthy (2003), although a specimen from Queensland 

is cited by Egea & Torrente (1993). It has also been recorded from the Caribbean, South 

America, South-East Asia, the Pacific (Egea & Torrente 1993) and New Guinea (Egea et al. 

1996). On the basis of published accounts (Egea & Torrente 1993, Messuti & Ferraro 2002) 

and the single specimen examined, the species is distinguished from the superficially 

similar C. plurilocularis by having slightly shorter asco-spores, 25–38(–40) x 5–7(–7.5) µm 

with only 5–7(–8) septa. 


Queensland: •Clarke Range, 46 km SSW of Proserpine, 20°49’S 148°29’E, on sapling in 

“dry” rainforest with Argyrodendron spp., 600 m alt., 29.vi.1986, J.A. Elix 20901 & H. 

Streimann (CANB). 

Acknowledgments 

I thank Jean Jarman for producing the photographs. I also acknowledge with thanks the 

curators of the Australian National Herbarium (CANB) and the Natural History Museum 

(BM) for the loan of material, and in particular Scott LaGreca for his patience in dealing 

with overdue loans. 

References 

Aptroot, A; Seaward, MRD (1999): Annotated checklist of Hong Kong lichens. Tropical 

Bryology 17, 57–101. 

Egea, JM; Torrente, P (1993): Cresponea, a new genus of lichenized fungi in the Order 

Arthoniales (Ascomycotina). Mycotaxon 48, 301–331. 

Egea, JM; Sérusiaux, E; Torrente, P (1993): The lichen genus Lecanactis and allied genera 

in Papua New Guinea. Mycotaxon 59, 47–59. 

Harris, RC (1995): More Florida Lichens, including the 10¢ Tour of the Pyrenolichens. New York 

Botanical Garden, Bronx. 

Kalb, K (2004): New or otherwise interesting lichens. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 88, 301–329. 

Kantvilas, G (2004): A contribution to the Roccellaceae in Tasmania: new species and notes 

on Lecanactis and allied genera. Symbolae Botanicae Upsaliensis 34(1), 183–203. 

McCarthy, PM (2003): Catalogue of Australian Lichens. Flora of Australia Supplementary 

Series 19. Australian Biological Resources Study, Canberra. 

Messuti, MI; Ferraro, LI (2002): Notes on two corticolous lichens from South America. 

Mycotaxon 82, 409–413. 

Rogers, RW (1982): Typification of the species of lichens described from Australian 

specimens by James Stirton. Austrobaileya 1, 502–510. 

Stirton, J (1881): Additions to the lichen flora of Queensland. Transactions and Proceedings 

of the Royal Society of Victoria 17, 66–78. 

Torrente, P; Egea, JM (1989): La familia Opegraphaceae en el Area Mediterránea de la 

Península Ibérica y Norte Africa. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 32, 1–282. 

34 

Fig. 1. Isolectotype of Lecidea inalbescens Stirt. BM specimen and label. 


35

Fig. 2. Isolectotype of Lecidea inalbescens Stirt. from BM. a: detail of young, pruinose 

apothecia and thick, verrucose thallus; b: older, epruinose apothecia. 

36 

Notes on Placopsis albida (Kremp.) I.M. Lamb (Ascomycota: 

Agyriaceae) from Java and New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. 





Abstract: Placopsis albida (Kremp.) I.M. Lamb, is a palaeotropical species first described 

from Java. It is here recorded also from New Ireland, Papua New Guinea. 

The lichen genus Placopsis (Nyl.) Linds. is characteristic of highly oceanic, cool temperate 

biomes, with the Southern Hemisphere being the region of greatest species diversity 

(Lamb 1947; Galloway 2001a, 200lb, 2002, 2004a, 2004b, 2006; Galloway et al. 2005). During 

an ongoing study of Placopsis in New Zealand, and especially of the widespread and 

polymorphic species P. perrugosa (Nyl.) Nyl., specimens of P. albida (Kremp.) I.M. Lamb 

from the Pacific tropics were investigated to check similarities and differences with P. 

perrugosa. Specimens of P. albida from Java and New Ireland were obtained on loan from B, 

BM, M and UPS. Thin-layer chromatography of acetone extracts and HPLC of methanol 

extracts was performed according to standardized methods (Culberson 1972, Feige et al. 

1993). Placopsis albida, first described from Java by Krempelhuber (in Nylander 1863), was 

considered to be endemic there (Lamb 1947), but it is here reported from New Ireland 

in the Bismarck Archipelago, and could in fact be more widespread in alpine habitats in 

Papua New Guinea. A description is given below, based on the type specimen as well 

as on several more recent collections. 

Placopsis albida (Kremp.) I.M. Lamb, Lilloa 13, 241 (1947). 

≡ Squamaria albida Kremp., in W. Nylander, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. sér. 4, 20, 277 (1863). 

≡ Lecanora albida (Kremp.) Nyl., Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 9, 251 (1866). 

Type: Java, sine loco. Jelinek 33, Exped. Novara, ex Hrb. Musei Palat. Vindob. (M! – holotype; 

W – isotype, not seen). 

The holotype specimen consists of two small pieces of rock (each c. 3–4 cm diam.) 

glued to a piece of paper to which is attached Krempelhuber’s diagnosis in pencil, plus 

a very neat and accurate pencil drawing of an 8-spored ascus, three paraphyses, and 

three photobiont cells. Krempelhuber’s spore measurements are “0.0178–0.018 mm long., 

0.0097–0.010 mm lat.”. In the protologue, Nylander cites Krempelhuber’s spore measurements 

as “0.018–0.025 mm x 0.010–0.012 mm” (Nylander 1863). On the outside of the 

packet, Krempelhuber has added the comment “potius Psoroma” to his name Squamaria 

albida Kremp., suggesting that he thought the lichen might be better accommodated in 

Psoroma. 

Thallus closely attached in small rosettes or irregular patches, (1–)2–5 cm diam., 

lobate-crustose centrally, or often with several discrete layers of small lobes or elongate 

squamules forming a loosely interlocking or interdigitating crust, or becoming 

confluent and ±continuous, marginal lobes when well developed projecting 8–15 mm 

beyond the main thallus. Prothallus ochraceous to dark brown, fibrous, between squamules 

centrally and sometimes visible at margins, especially when marginal lobes are 

abraded. Lobes 220–380 µm thick, marginal lobes flat to shallowly convex, 10–15(–25) 

mm long and 1–1.5 mm wide, discrete to contiguous, centrally much shorter, 1–3 mm 

long and 0.2–0.8 mm wide, appearing elongate-squamulose, complexly and often 

densely imbricate, sometimes minutely lobulate. Upper surface grey-green to pale 

olive-green and ±white-maculate (10x lens) when moist, grey-white to pale fawnish or 

creamish when dry, matt or slightly glossy in parts, smooth to minutely furrowed or 

wrinkled or plicate, occasionally minutely cracked, and often with small, flattened 


37

lobules; isidia, pruina, pseudocyphellae, and soredia absent. Medulla white. Photobiont 

green, chlorococcoid, cells spherical, 6.5–8.5(–10) µm diam. Cephalodia dark purple-blue 

when moist, pale pinkish ochre when dry, widely scattered, sessile, conspicuously raised 

above the thallus surface, 0.5–3 mm diam., globose, discrete, smooth at first, becoming 

irregularly lobed, rosette-forming at maturity, strongly and deeply wrinkled or sometimes 

divided by deep cracks; cyanobiont Scytonema, in chains, cells laterally compressed, 3–5 µm 

diam. Apothecia sessile, constricted at base, laminal, mostly towards centre of the thallus, 

rounded, discrete, rarely 2–3 together and irregular through mutual pressure, 0.2–1(–2) mm 

diam. Thalline exciple prominent, entire, smooth to minutely papillate, obscuring disc at 

first, 0.1–0.2 mm thick at maturity, concolorous with thallus. Proper exciple very thin, persistent, 

entire, slightly raised above disc, paler than disc. Disc shallowly urceolate to plane, 

smooth to slightly wrinkled or roughened, pale pinkish brown, translucent when moist, 

pale to dark red-brown when dry, with or without a thin, ochraceous pruina. Epithecium 

olive-brown to pinkish brown, 15–25 µm thick, unchanged in K. Hymenium colourless 

(145–)160–210(–235) µm tall. Hypothecium opaque, pale yellow-brown, unchanged in K, 

200–335 µm thick. Asci cylindrical, 8-spored, 135–150 x 10–12 µm. Ascospores uniseriate 

in ascus, broadly ellipsoidal, apices rounded or pointed, 13.5–18(–23) x (6.5–)8–10(–12) µm. 

Pycnidia widely scattered, immersed in thalline squamules or projecting as small, globose 

warts, 100–300 µm diam., concolorous with thallus, with a dark brown, apical, depressed 

ostiole. Conidia filiform, ±straight to shallowly curved, 15–25(–30) x 0.5–1 µm. 

Chemistry. Thallus K–, C+ red, KC+ red, Pd–, containing gyrophoric acid (major), lecanoric 

acid (minor) and atranorin (trace). 

Notes 

Placopsis albida is characterized by an orbicular to irregularly spreading thallus having 

characteristic elongate-squamulose lobes (often minutely lobulate laminally and 

marginally) imbricately arranged centrally and with flattened, elongated marginal lobes 

extending for 8–15 mm beyond the main thallus. Thalli are commonly fertile, but lack 

isidia, pruina, pseudocyphellae and soredia. Cephalodia are sessile, conspicuously raised 

above the thallus surface, 0.5–3 mm diam., globose, discrete, smooth at first, becoming 

irregularly lobed, rosette-forming at maturity and then strongly and deeply wrinkled or 

sometimes divided by deep cracks. Apothecia are scattered, mainly solitary, central, with 

a prominent thalline exciple concolorous with the thallus, shallowly urceolate to plane 

discs that are pale to dark red-brown and with or without a thin, ochraceous pruina. 

The hymenium is colourless, 145–235 µm tall, and the ascospores broadly ellipsoidal, 

13.5–18(–23) x (6.5–)8–10(–12) µm. It has a secondary chemistry of gyrophoric acid (major), 

lecanoric acid (minor) and atranorin (trace). 

Placopsis albida possibly is a palaeotropical species (Galloway 1996), known initially 

from Java (Lamb 1947) and now also from New Ireland. Very likely it is also present on 

high ground elsewhere in Papua New Guinea, although reports to date from that region 

record only P. auriculata (with campylidia-like soralia), P. cribellans (isidiate), P. perrugosa 

and P. rhodophthalma (Aptroot & Sipman 1991, Lumbsch et al. 1993, Aptroot et al. 1997). It 

differs from P. perrugosa (a widespread austral species) in both colour and morphology 

of the thallus (it lacks the snakeskin-like flattened surface of the latter species), and it has 

a distinctly taller hymenium. The two specimens from Java listed below were recorded 

by Lamb (1947) as Placopsis parellina var. rhodocarpa (Nyl.) I.M. Lamb. However, that 

determination is erroneous, because Placopsis rhodocarpa (a Pantropical or circum-Pacific 

species known from Bolivia, southern South America and New Zealand) is characterized 

by a pale greenish to whitish placodioid thallus of small, interlocking squamules that do 

not elongate at the thallus margins into discrete, narrow, branching lobes; small, capitate 

greenish white soralia; thick margined Ochrolechia-like apothecia, and ascospores 22–27 

x 8–10 µm (Nylander 1863; Galloway 2002, 2006). 

38 


Java: •Preanger. Mt Gede, c. 2600 m, 6.x.1927, Van Leeuwen-Reijnvaan 11551 (UPS); 

•Pasoeroean, Mt Kawi, c. 2850 m, 15.iv.1929, Van Leeuwen-Reijnvaan 12234 (UPS). 

Papua New Guinea: Bismarck Archipelago, New Ireland: •Namatani, Hans Meyer Range, 

2225 m, on scree, M. Sands, G. Pattison & J. Wood 2367 (BM 8247). 


I am grateful to the curators of the herbaria listed above for the provision of specimens, 

to Prof. J.A. Elix (Canberra) for chemical analysis, and to Dr Scott LaGreca (London), for 

the provision of literature. This research was supported by the Marsden Fund, administered 

by the Royal Society of New Zealand (contract U00805), and by the Foundation 

for Research, Science and Technology (contract C09618). 

References 

Aptroot, A; Diederich, P; Sérusiaux, E; Sipman, HJM (1997): Lichens and lichenicolous 

fungi from New Guinea, Bibliotheca Lichenologica 64, 1–220. 

Aptroot, A; Sipman, H (1991): New lichens and lichen records from New Guinea. Willdenowia 

20, 221–256. 


products by a standardized thin-layer chromatographic method. Journal of Chromatography, 

72, 113–125. 

Feige, GB; Lumbsch, HT; Huneck, S; Elix, JA (1993): The identification of lichen substances 

by a standardized high-performance liquid chromatographic method. Journal 

of Chromatography 646, 417–427. 

Galloway, DJ (1996): Lichen biogeography. In: Thomas A. Nash III (ed.) Lichen biology. 

Pp. 199–216. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 

Galloway, DJ (2001a): Placopsis elixii, a new lichen from New Zealand with notes on 

some other species of Placopsis (Nyl.) Linds. (Agyriaceae) in New Zealand. Bibliotheca 

Lichenologica 78, 49–63. 

Galloway, DJ (2001b): Additional lichen records from New Zealand 36. Placopsis lambii 

Hertel & V. Wirth. Australasian Lichenology 49, 36–38. 

Galloway, DJ (2002): Taxonomic notes on the lichen genus Placopsis (Agyriaceae: Ascomycota) 

in southern South America, with a key to species. Mitteilungen aus dem Institut 

für Allgemeine Botanik Hamburg 30-32, 301–337. 

Galloway, DJ (2004a): Placopsis hertelii (Agyriaceae: Ascomycota) endemic to New Zealand, 

with descriptions of four additional new species of Placopsis (Nyl.) Linds., from New 

Zealand. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 88, 147–162. 

Galloway, DJ (2004b): New lichen taxa and names in the New Zealand mycobiota. New 

Zealand Journal of Botany 42, 105–120. 

Galloway, DJ (2006): Flora of New Zealand Lichens. Revised 2nd edition including lichen-forming 

and lichenicolous fungi. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln (in press). 

Galloway, DJ; Lewis-Smith, RI; Quilhot W (2005): A new species of Placopsis (Agyriaceae: 

Ascomycota) from Antarctica. Lichenologist 37, 321–327. 

Lamb, IM (1947): A monograph of the lichen genus Placopsis Nyl. Lilloa 13, 151–288. 

Lumbsch, HT; Kashiwadani, H; Streimann, H (1993): A remarkable new species in the 

lichen genus Placopsis from Papua New Guinea (lichenized ascomycetes, Agyriaceae). 

Plant Systematics and Evolution 185, 285–292. 

Nylander, W (1863) Lichenes. In J. Triana & J.E. Planchon (eds) Prodromus Florae Novo- 

Granatensis ou énumeration des plantes de la Nouvelle-Grénade avec descriptions des 

espéces nouvelles. Annales des Sciences Naturelles, Botanique sér. 4 20, 228–279. 


39

40 





A World Monograph of the Genus Plectocarpon (Roccellaceae, Arthoniales), by Damien Ertz, 

Claude Christnach, Mats Wedin & Paul Diederich. 155 pp and 123 figures, including 11 

distribution maps. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 91, J. Cramer, Berlin, Stuttgart. 2005, ISBN 

3–443–58070–X. Price: Euro 58.00 (about $NZ 100). 

The genus Plectocarpon was established by the Strasbourg pteridologist, cryptogamist, 

Professor of Botany, and cleric Antoine Laurent Apollinaire Fée (1789–1874) in his celebrated 

Essai sur les cryptogams des écorces exotiques officinales (Fée 1825). However, Fée 

himself did not realize that it was a lichenicolous fungus, and another 159 years passed 

before its true identity was recognized and the generic name re-entered modern mycological 

systematics. 

I still vividly remember my excitement in discovering Delise’s splendidly preserved 

specimens of “Sticta” in the Lenormand Herbarium one golden October afternoon in 

1982 in the Paris Herbarium (PC-LENORMAND) when sheet after sheet proved to be 

type material of names described by Delise in his monograph (Delise 1825a, 1825b), and 

long thought to be lost in World War II when the city of Caen, where they were originally 

lodged (see Degelius [1935]), was heavily bombed. One of those was the type of 

Sticta delisea (Delise 1825a), which is where the modern story of Plectocarpon begins. The 

type specimen (Hawksworth & Galloway 1984, Galloway & James 1986) is a collection 

of what is now known as Pseudocyphellaria glabra infected with a lichenicolous fungus 

forming apothecia-like galls on its upper surface. When the Delise specimens which I 

had requested on loan arrived at length in London at the BM, I showed that intriguing 

specimen of P. glabra to David Hawksworth, and we agreed to collaborate on material 

that had implications for Plectocarpon Fée, for the genus Lichenomyces Trevis. (Trevisan 

1853), and also for the typification of Delise’s Sticta delisea (Hawksworth & Galloway 

1984). It is an interesting story. 

Fée (1825) described the new genus Delisea (honouring his friend and fellow cryptogamist 

Dominic François Delise [1780–1814], a distinguished retired major of the French Army and 

Chevalier of the Legion d’Honneur), on lichen material collected from King Island in Bass 

Strait between Tasmania and Australia (the collection is discussed in detail in Galloway & 

James [1986]). It differed from any species of Sticta then known in the peculiar structure of 

what Fée considered to be its apothecia. For the specific epithet of his new genus, he chose 

pseudosticta (Fée 1825) and provided a colour illustration of it (Fée 1825). However, Delisea 

Fée is a later homonym of Delisea Lamouroux (Rhodophyta) published in 1819, so it had to 

be rejected. He realized that, and in the “Additions et Corrections” to the Essai (Fée 1825), 

he introduced Plectocarpon Fée as a replacement for Delisea Fée, again discussing in some 

detail the peculiar, apothecia-like structures. However, he did not combine the epithet 

pseudosticta with Plectocarpon until his account of Plectocarpon in the Dictionnaire Classique 

d’Histoire Naturelle (Fée 1828), an often overlooked compendium of cryptogamic information. 

David Hawksworth and I erred in attributing the taxon Plectocarpon pseudosticta (Fée) 

Fée to Fée’s account in the Supplement to the Essai (Fée 1837), and furthermore, in our 

account the date of publication of the name Delisea pseudosticta Fée is erroneously given 

as 1925 instead of 1825! That error was subsequently rectified in Galloway & James (1986), 

but unfortunately the mistake is still perpetuated in the monograph reviewed here. 

In the 20th century, the first accounts of a Plectocarpon-like fungus were as Lecanora 

parasitica (Keissler 1930) and Rolf Santesson’s resurrection of Trevisan’s genus Lichenomyces 

(Trevisan 1853) for a parasite on Lobaria pulmonaria, which he identified 

as Lichenomyces lichenum (Sommerf.) R. Sant. (Santesson 1960) in a paper which he 

wrote on lichenicolous fungi from northern Spain. Hawksworth and I realized that 

Lichenomyces and Plectocarpon were conspecific, and mentioned that Santesson had earlier 

intimated that an undescribed species also occurred on Nephroma antarcticum from southern 

South America. That implicated Plectocarpon as a co-evolved parasite on Pseudocyphellaria, 

Lobaria, and Nephroma. Later, Galloway (1997) mentioned Sticta caliginosa as being “…commonly 

infected with Plectocarpon sp.”, underlining the association of Plectocarpon with taxa in 

the Peltigerineae, families Lobariaceae and Nephromataceae (Eriksson 2005). Santesson (1993) 

synonymized Epiphora Nyl. with Plectocarpon, making two new combinations in the genus, 

bringing the known species to five, to which Diederich and Etayo (1994) added a further five 

species from Northern Hemisphere collections. Aptroot et al. (1997) described two new species 

from Papua New Guinea, Wedin & Hafellner (1998) transferred Arthonia linitae into Plectocarpon, 

and a new species was described from Canada and Russia (Ertz et al. 2003), one from North 

America (Hafellner et al. 2002), and one from Chile (Follmann & Werner 2003). 

Today, 22 years after the modern resurrection of Plectocarpon as a name for a genus of 

lichenicolous fungi, we have a world monograph of the genus authored by Damien Ertz, 

Claude Christnach, Mats Wedin, and Paul Diederich, who bring together for the first time 

a view of the genus expanded both taxonomically and geographically, with the great riches 

of recent collections from the Southern Hemisphere (where the genus is most speciose) 

at last adequately researched and documented. The monograph accepts 32 species in 

Plectocarpon, 15 of them newly described. The genus is well-represented and speciose in 

the cool temperate Southern Hemisphere, with 10 species recorded from southern South 

America and seven from Australasia. Eight species are known from northern parts of 

the Northern Hemisphere, four are reported from Papua New Guinea, and three are 

recorded from Macaronesia, continental Africa, and Réunion. Plectocarpon is not known 

from Antarctica, Greenland, the Pacific Ocean, Mexico, or Central America, nor from the 

whole of Asia except for Russia and Turkey. 

Seven taxa are currently accepted from Australasia, with P. pseudosticta (the generitype) 

being known from Tasmania, New Zealand, and Chile, P. gallowayii (an Australasian species 

transferred from Melaspilea), and five newly described species, namely P. bunodophori (on 

Bunodophoron patagonicum and known from New South Wales, Tasmania, and New Zealand), 

P. concentricum (on Pseudocyphellaria homoeophylla and apparently endemic to New Zealand), 

P. opegraphoideum (on Pseudocyphellaria homoeophylla and P. multifida, and apparently endemic 

to New Zealand); P. sticticola (on Sticta caliginosa, S. filix, S. squamata, and S. subcaperata, and 

apparently endemic to New Zealand, although some years ago the late Geoff Bratt discovered 

galls on a Tasmanian collection of “Dendriscocaulon”, leading him to write to me that he had 

“found fertile Dendriscocaulon!“), and P. tibellii (on Pseudocyphellaria rubella and also apparently 

endemic to New Zealand). 

Plectocarpon as discussed in the monograph comprises lichenicolous, stromatic Roccellaceae 

(Arthoniales) with more or less carbonized, multilocular stromata, many of which 

produce apothecia-like galls. The generic delimitation, especially with respect to Opegraphalike 

taxa, is still unclear and needs resolution. Many species of Plectocarpon are restricted 

to Peltigeralean hosts. Pseudocyphellaria is the host genus richest in species of Plectocarpon, 

with at least 11 species known, adding substantially to data on lichenicolous fungi (and 

associated chemical patterns) from Pseudocyphellaria recorded earlier by Kondratyuk & 

Galloway (1995). To set Plectocarpon in perspective, a key is given to lichenicolous genera 

of Roccellaceae, including Perigrapha (a new species is described from New Zealand), 

Opegrapha, Plectocarpon, Sigridea, Enterographa, Mazosia, and Lecanographa. Several species 

formerly included in Plectocarpon are transferred to other genera, namely Arthonia sampianae, 

Enterographa epiphylla, Sigridea labyrinthica, and three Plectocarpon-like taxa. Enterographa 

punctata (from Sri Lanka), Opegrapha phaeophysciae (from Russia), and Perigrapha nitida 

(from New Zealand) are newly described. A key to all accepted species of Plectocarpon is 

given, together with an account of the pigments, crystals, and pruina found in the stromatic 

tissue, which are useful in species separation. Two species of Celidium (C. bacidiosporum 

from Kenya and C. dubium from New Zealand) are excluded from Plectocarpon. 


41

Although the monograph is comprehensive in scope and detail, one gets the impression 

that it is far from the final word, and in several places the authors hint at areas deserving 

further study, with fascinating vistas of speciation and co-evolution in both Plectocarpon 

and the Lobariaceae to be explored in the future. I hope that this excellent and timely 

compilation will be both a guide and a stimulant to such studies in the near future. It 

is a fine addition to the growing literature of lichenicolous fungi, but more than that it 

offers some solid pointers to new research agendas, which I hope will be quickly taken 

up. From a Southern Hemisphere perspective, it is a solid achievement and a particularly 

welcome development. Congratulations to all concerned with its production. 

References 

Aptroot, A; Diederich, P; Sérusiaux, E; Sipman, HJM (1997): Lichens and lichenicolous 

fungi from New Guinea. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 64. 

Degelius, G (1935): Das ozeanische Element der Strauch- und Laubflechtenflora von 

Skandinavien. Acta Phytogeographica Suecica 7. 

Delise, DF (1825a)[“1822”]: Histoire des lichens. Genre Sticta. Mémoires de la Société Linnéenne 

de Calvados (Normandie) 2, 1–167. 

Delise, DF (1825b): Dernièadition au genre Sticta. Mémoires de la Société Linnéenne de 

Calvados (Normandie) 2, 598–600. 

Diederich, P; Etayo, J (1994): Taxonomic notes on the genus Plectocarpon (lichenicolous 

Ascomycotina). Nordic Journal of Botany 14, 589–600. 

Eriksson, OE (2005): Outline of Ascomycota – 2005. Myconet 11, 1–113. 

Ertz, D; Zhurbenko, M; Diederich, P; Miadlikowska, J (2003): A new species of Plectocarpon 

(lichenicolous Roccellaceae, Ascomycota) on Peltigera. Bryologist 106, 465–467. 

Fée, ALA (1824–1825, 1837): Essai sur les crypogames des écorces exotiques officinales. Firmin 

Didot Pere et Fils, Paris; F.G. Levrault, Paris, Strasbourg. 

Fée, ALA (1828): Plectocarpon. Bot. Crypt. (Lichens). Dictionnaire Classique d’Histoire 

Naturelle 14, 45. 

Follmann, G; Werner, CB (2003): Lichenicolous fungi occurring on Roccellaceae (Arthoniales) 

I. New species from South America. Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory 94, 

261–292. 

Galloway, DJ (1997): Studies on the lichen genus Sticta (Schreber) Ach. IV. New Zealand 

species. Lichenologist 29, 105–168. 

Galloway, DJ; James, PW (1986): Species of Pseudocyphellaria Vainio (Lichenes), recorded 

in Delise’s “Histoire des Lichens: Genre Sticta”. Nova Hedwigia 42, 423–490. 

Hafellner, J; Triebel, D; Ryan, BD; Nash III, TH (2002): On lichenicolous fungi from North 

America. II. Mycotaxon 84, 293–329. 

Hawksworth, DL; Galloway, DJ (1984): The identity of Plectocarpon Fée, and its implications 

for Lichenomyces pseudocyphellaria and the typification of Sticta delisea. Lichen-ologist 

16, 85–89. 

Keissler, K (1930): Die Flechtenparasiten. Dr L. Rabenhorst’s Kryptogamen-Flora von Deutschland, 

Österreich und der Schweiz 8. 

Kondratyuk, SY; Galloway, DJ (1995): Lichenicolous fungi and chemical patterns in 

Pseudocyphellaria. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 57, 327–245. 

Santesson, R (1960): Lichenicolous fungi from northern Spain. Svensk Botanisk Tidskrifit 

54, 499–522. 

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42 

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43

(Ascomycota: Lecanorales). Taxon 53

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