Bunodophoron scrobiculatum
Synonyms
Sphaerophorus australis var. scrobiculatus C.Bab., Sphaerophorus melanocarpus var. scrobiculatus (C.Bab.) Js.Murray, Sphaerophorus scrobiculatus (C.Bab.) M.Sâto, Sphaerophorus australis var. macrophyllus Zahlbr., Sphaerophorus melanocarpus var. scrobiculatus f. macrophyllus (Zahlbr.) Js.Murray, Sphaerophorus scrobiculatus f. macrophyllus (Zahlbr.) M.Sâto
Family
Sphaerophoraceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Foliose
Current conservation status
2018 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Brief description
Characterised by the corticolous habit; the broad flattened thallus branches that are “waisted” below the coarsely scrobiculate, often broadly flaring apothecia. The chemistry is also distinctive with 4-O-methylhypoprotocetraric acid as a major compound.
Distribution
North Island: Northland (Waima State Forest Park) to Wellington (Tararua Range). South Island: Nelson to Southland (Lake Hauroko). Stewart Island. Auckland Islands. Campbell Island.
Also in eastern Australia, Tasmania, Juan Fernandez, southern Chile, Argentina, and the Falkland Islands.
Habitat
On bark, decaying stumps, rarely among mosses on rocks, s.l. to 1200 m.
Detailed description
Thallus corticolous, rarely muscicolous over rocks, of one to several primary branches, at first broadly flattened, then dividing palmately into several smaller, usually fertile branches. Primary branches horizontal, to 3 cm long and 4-11 mm wide, commonly with small, irregular, marginal secondary branches. Upper surface green-grey, smooth to wrinkled, becoming ± scrobiculate towards apices especially over apothecia, lower surface white, irregularly wrinkled, particularly round base of apothecia, upper cortex 65-100 µm thick, lower cortex 40-70 µm thick. Algal layer 20-40 µm thick, continuous beneath upper cortex only. Apothecia common, 2-9 mm diam., subterminal, with broadly flaring margins, mazaedium ventral, exposed at an early stage of development, receptacle corticate, with small isidia-like structures along margins. Asci 45-55 × 5-11 µm. Ascospores spherical, grey-brown, 9-12(-13.5) µm, walls with external deposit of black, carbonaceous material.
Chemistry: Medulla K−, Pd−; containing 4-O-methylhypoprotocetraric acid (major), isousnic acid, placodiolic acid (tr.), isousnic acid (tr.), “UN-notatus” (tr.).
Substrate
Corticolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (16 February 2024). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, and Features sections copied from Galloway (1985) & Galloway (2007).
References and further reading
Galloway D.J. 1985: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens. Wellington: PD Hasselberg, Government Printer. 662 pp.
Galloway D.J. 2007: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens, including lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi. 2nd edition. Lincoln, Manaaki Whenua Press. 2261 pp.