Pseudocyphellaria fimbriatoides
Synonyms
Pseudocyphellaria hamatoides, Stictina fragillima var. myrioloba, Sticta fragillima var. myrioloba
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 rather variable though generally broad lobes with conspicuously phyllidiate margins; phyllidia with glistening white marginal hairs; a coriaceous, often glossy upper surface (reminiscent of Peltigera), and minutely white-papillate; a white medulla; a cyanobacterial photobiont; a lower surface that is glabrous marginally and pale- to dark-brown tomentose centrally with scattered white pseudocyphellae; and a two-hopane chemistry.
Distribution
North Island: South Auckland (Coromandel Peninsula) to Cook Strait. South Island: Nelson to Southland. Both E and W of the Main Divide, s.l. to 1200 m.
Habitat
A shade-loving species, most commonly collected from low-light, moist, cool habitats on the forest floor (both rocks and soil), at the base of tree trunks and on tree roots deep in the forest interior, or along streambeds. It grows also on damp soil, on shaded rock faces, and can even withstand periodic inundation on streambed boulders.
Detailed description
Thallus closely attached, irregularly spreading 5-10(-15) cm diam. Lobes very variable, broadly elongate (1 × 5 cm) ± contiguous or discrete to short, rounded, 2-8 mm diam., and ± imbricate, margins slightly thickened, sinuous, notched or incised, to ± densely denticulate-phyllidiate. Phyllidia marginal, lobulate, simple to coralloid, delicately white-pubescent. Upper surface undulate, dark slate-grey-blue when wet, pale greyish-fawn when dry, smooth, shining or matt, coriaceous, not reticulate-faveolate or areolate-scabrid, without maculae, soredia, isidia or pseudocyphellae. Medulla white. Photobiont blue-green. Lower surface whitish to pale buff and ± glabrous at margins, darkening to ± blackened centrally, tomentose centrally. Tomentum thick, white or buff. Pseudocyphellae white, prominent, fleck-like at margins, ± convex centrally, 0.05-0.2 mm diam., scattered, rather sparse to moderately common. Apothecia sessile to subpedicellate, rare, laminal or submarginal, sparse to moderately abundant in some collections, concave to plane, disc red-brown to dark brown, shining, epruinose, 0.2-1.5 mm diam., margins pale flesh-coloured, entire to subcrenate, verrucose-scabrid, persistent, often obscuring disc in young fruits. Ascospores uniseriate or biseriate, colourless to pale yellowish-brown, 1-3-septate, ellipsoid, with pointed ends, 20.4-27.2 × 6.8-8.3 µm.
Chemistry: 7β-acetoxyhopane-22-ol, hopane-7β, 22-diol (tr.), hopane-15α,22-diol.
Similar taxa
It is separated from P. dissimilis by the delicately tomentose or pubescent phyllidia. It is distinguised from P. chloroleuca by the densely tomentose, chocolate-brown or blackish lower surface, simple isidia, and C- medulla (P. chloroleuca has a glabrous, glossy, pale pinkish white lower surface; ±coralloid isidia; and C+ rose medulla).
Substrate
Saxicolous, terricolous (damp rocks and soil), corticolous (base of tree trunks)
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Melissa Hutchison (28 March 2022). 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.