Cladonia praetermissa
Family
Cladoniaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Fruticose
Current conservation status
2018 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: SO, Sp
Brief description
Characterised by the sorediate, sparsely branching, small (to 1cm tall) podetia and by the chemistry (K+ yellow faded quickly).
Distribution
North Island: Northland (Herekino Gorge, Mamaranui, Helena Bay) to Auckland (Waitakere coast). Stewart Island.
Also known from Australia and Norfolk Island.
Habitat
On soil in semi-shade.
Detailed description
Primary thallus of conspicuous and persistent squamules, 6–10 mm long, 2–5 mm wide, margins crenate or somewhat incised. Podetia arising from the upper surface of basal squamules, simple or rarely branching near apices, subulate or subcylindrical, 5–15 mm tall (rarely to 20 mm), 0.3–0.7 mm diam., corticate at base and becoming ecorticate and granular-sorediate to the tips; sometimes squamulose near base. Apothecia not seen.
Chemistry: Cortex K+ weak yellow or K−, C−, KC−, Pd+ red; containing atranorin and fumarprotrocetraric acid and traces of protocetraric acid, rarely with psoromic acid.
Substrate
Terricolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (5 January 2022). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features and Similar taxa sections copied from Galloway (2007).
References and further reading
Galloway D.J. 2007: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens, including lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi. 2nd edition. Lincoln, Manaaki Whenua Press. 2261 pp.