Pseudocyphellaria episticta
Synonyms
Sticta episticta, Lobaria episticta
Family
Lobariaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Foliose
Current conservation status
2018 | Not Threatened
Brief description
Characterised by linear-elongate, deeply indented, rather ragged lobes with lacerate-crenate, crisped margins that are densely coralloid-isidiate; a pseudocyphellate upper surface the pseudocyphellae sometimes associated with marginal phyllidia; a white medulla; a green photobiont; apothecia with irregularly phyllidiate margins; a red-brown epithecium turning rose-pink and dissolving in K; and a chemistry of two hopane acids.
Distribution
North Island: Northland (Whangarei) to Cook Strait. South Island: Spasmodically from Nelson (N of Westport), Canterbury (Lewis Pass, Banks Peninsula, Mt Peel) and E Otago (Lamb Hill, Waikouaiti, Green Island, Saddle Hill, Flagstaff, Catlins), Southland (Longwood Range).
Habitat
Mainly lowland and coastal in damp, humid habitats of moderate illumination close to forest margins, from tree trunks, coastal rocks and rocks in tussock grassland, s.l. to 800 m.
Detailed description
Thallus orbicular to spreading, loosely to closely attached, rather ragged, 8-12(-20) cm diam. Lobes ± linear-elongate, or sometimes rounded, margins deeply indented, ragged, isidiate-lobulate, often ascending, rather fragile. Upper surface bright lettuce-green when wet, pale greyish-green to pale fawn when dry, smooth, undulate to ± wrinkled, matt or shining, with numerous, white, minute, punctiform pseudocyphellae, isidiate, without soredia or maculae. Isidia delicate, flattened, coralloid-branched, rarely ± terete, finger-like, marginal at first then laminal. Medulla white. Photobiont green. Lower surface pale buff to whitish and glabrous at apices, ± uniformly brown-tomentose in older parts. Pseudocyphellae white, scattered, sparse to numerous, sunk in tomentum, to 1 mm diam. Apothecia rare, scattered, subpedicellate, disc dark redbrown, matt, epruinose, concave to plane, to 2 mm diam., margins pale, corrugate-scabrid at first, crenate-coronate with age, exciple massive, pale flesh-coloured, corrugate-scabrid. Ascospores colourless to pale yellowish, oblong-fusiform, 1-3-septate, 30 × 7 µm.
Chemistry: Two chemodemes present. (i): 7β-acetoxyhopan-22-ol, hopane-15α, 22-diol, and two unidentified compounds. (ii): 15α-acetoxy-22-hydroxyhopan-24-oic acid, 15α-22-dihydroxy-24-hopanoic acid.
Similar taxa
Pseudocyphellaria episticta is distinguished from P. lividofusca by the more fragile, narrow, laciniate lobes with lacerate, isidiate margins. P. psilophylla occasionally has superficial pseudocyphellae but these result from fractured isidia, and this latter species is readily distinguished from P. episticta by its pinkish-buff, glabrous lower surface.
Substrate
Corticolous, saxicolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Melissa Hutchison (30 November 2021). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features, and Similar taxa sections copied from Galloway (1985, 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.