Cladonia tessellata
Family
Cladoniaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Fruticose
Current conservation status
2018 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Brief description
Characterised by small, concave basal squamules (2–3 × 0.5–1 mm); simple or sparingly branched podetia without cracks; the tessellate or elevated areolae produced on the podetial surface; pale- to dark-brown apothecia at the apices of podetia; and atranorin and fumarprotocetraric acid.
Distribution
North Island: South Auckland (Rotorua). South Island: Westland, Otago (Makarora, Damper Bay Lake Wanaka, Column Rocks Pisa Range, Leith Saddle, Mt Cargill), Southland (Sandy Point).
Also in Australia and Tasmania, Chile and the Falkland Islands.
Habitat
On heath soils, decaying logs and in grassland.
Detailed description
Primary squamules persistent, small, ± circular, undivided, margins entire or subcrenate, scattered or crowded, convex above, in shaded habitats larger and looser, 3 × 1 mm, variously divided, whitish or pale bluish-green on the upper surface, whitish below, fragile. Podetia growing from primary squamules, slender, (3-) 10-20 mm tall, 1-5 mm diam., terete, simple or sparingly branched, entire or vertically fissured. Cortex verruculose and dispersed granular-corticate, green, decorticate areas becoming translucent. Apothecia large, terminal, bulging, wider than supporting podetium, pale or dark brown.
Chemistry: K+ brownish or red-brown, KC-, Pd+ red. Fumarprotocetraric acid.
Substrate
Terricolous
Etymology
tessellata: From the Latin tessalatus, referring to colour arranged in small squares so it has some resemblance to tessellated pavement
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (20 September 2021). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features and Similar taxa 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.