Pseudocyphellaria multifida
Synonyms
Sticta multifida Nyl., Sticta subvariabilis Nyl., Lobaria subvariabilis (Nyl.) Hellb., Pseudocyphellaria subvariabilis (Nyl.) Vain. ,Cyanisticta subvariabilis (Nyl.) C.W.Dodge, Sticta psilophylla f. amphicarpa Müll.Arg.
Family
Peltigeraceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Foliose
Current conservation status
2018 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Brief description
Characterised by very variable, rather delicate lobes, rarely broadly rounded to more usually narrow and highly divided, entangled-imbricate, the margins ragged-incised to lobulate or richly phyllidiate; a smooth, undulate or shallowly wrinkled upper surface, with occasional white maculae towards margins, and occasional to densely developed, simple, squamiform, palmate-coralloid to straplike phyllidia; a white medulla; a green photobiont; a pale whitish, glabrous, glossy, smooth or shallowly wrinkled lower surface with a usually poorly developed, thin, short, velvety tomentum centrally, and scattered, white, fleck-like pseudocyphellae, most noticeable at margins; and a two-hopane chemistry.
Distribution
North Island: Northland (lat. 35ºS) to Cook Strait. South Island: Nelson to Southland both East and West of the Main Divide. Stewart Island: (North coast to Port Pegasus), Auckland Islands. Campbell Island.
Known aslo from Malesia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Australia and Tasmania.
Habitat
Common and widespread, in a variety of habitats from deep shade on the forest floor to full sunlight at forest margins and in scrub associations, to subalpine tussock grassland, s.l. to 1560 m. As well as colonising tree trunks it is also found on twigs and branches and on mossy rocks. It has a wide altitudinal range, being found from coastal scrub and forest to rainforest close to the Main Divide, and above treeline in subalpine scrub and tussock grassland. It is absent from the driest areas and is best developed in cool, humid sites where it is often the dominant species of Pseudocyphellaria. It may be parasitised by the lichenicolous fungi Arthonia epiphyscia, A. pseudocyphellariae and *Corticifraga fuckelii.
Detailed description
Thallus small, delicate, entangled-complicate, spreading, 5(-10) cm diam. Lobes complexly branched, entangled-imbricate, narrow, 1-3 mm wide and 4-10 mm long, di- or trichotomously branching at centre, becoming narrower and ± lobulate-phyllidiate at margins, sinuses semicircular. Upper surface bright lettuce-green when wet, pale yellowish-green or fawn when dry, shining, smooth, very slightly faveolate or wrinkled, uneven, without soredia, isidia, maculae or pseudocyphellae. Medulla white. Photobiont green. Lower surface glabrous, white, shining at margins, yellowish-brown, ± costate centrally, thinly tomentose centrally, tomentum pale buff, thin, rather ragged. Pseudocyphellae minute, fleck-like, white, punctiform, conspicuous at or near lobe margins, flat, immarginate. Apothecia submarginal or laminal, sparse to frequent, sessile to subpedicellate, disc pale yellowish-red or brownish, 2-4 mm diam., smooth, matt, plane or subconcave, margins pale flesh-coloured, inflexed at first, becoming crenulate-dentate, thalline exciple pale, verrucose-areolate. Ascospores colourless to pale brown, oblong-fusiform, 1-3-septate, 22-30 × 7-9 µm.
Chemistry: 7β-acetoxyhopan-22-ol, hopane-7β,22-diol (tr.), hopane-15α,22-diol.
Similar taxa
Similar to Sticta martinii but with pseudocyphellae and a glabrous to thin tomentose under surface.
Substrate
Corticolous, saxicolous (mossy rocks)
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (2 August 2022). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, and Features 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.