Pertusaria knightiana
Synonyms
Pertusaria ceuthocarpa * crenulata Stirt., Pertusaria whinrayii A.W.Archer
Family
Pertusariaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Crustose
Current conservation status
2018 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, SO, Sp
Brief description
Characterised by the saxicolous habit; asci with 2 rough ascospores; and the presence of norstictic acid and 4,5-dichlorolichexanthone.
Distribution
North Island: Wellington. South Island: Nelson.
Known also from Tasmania.
Habitat
Still very poorly known and collected in New Zealand.
Detailed description
Description: Thallus fawn to pale-brown, thick, areolate, surface smooth and dull, without isidia or soredia. Apothecia verruciform, sparse, usually confluent, subhemispherical to flattened-hemispherical, concolorous with thallus, constricted at base, 0.8–2 mm diam.; ostioles black, conspicuous, noticeably sunken, 0.1–0.15 mm diam., 1–2 per verruca. Ascospores 2 per ascus, ellipsoidal, rough, 140–200 × 40–50 μm.
Chemistry: K+ yellow→red, KC−, C−, Pd+ yellow; containing 4,5-dichlorolichexanthone (major-minor), norstictic acid (major) and connorstictic acid (tr.).
Similar taxa
It is distinguished from the superficially similar P. subverrucosa by the chemistry and spores – P. subverrucosa has smooth ascospores and lacks 4,5-dichlorolichexanthone.
Substrate
Saxicolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (19 April 2021). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, and Features 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.