Dirinaria picta
Synonyms
Lichen pictus
Family
Caliciaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Foliose
Current conservation status
2018 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: SO
Brief description
Characterised by the corticolous/lignicolous habit; the stellate-radiating lobes that are generally pinnatifid and discrete for the greater part, with apices that are not flabellate–confluent; lobes that are more closely appressed to the substratum, somethat thinner, and less wrinkled-plicate than those of D. applanata.
Distribution
Kermadec Islands: Raoul Island (Denham Bay). North Island: Northland (Herekino Gorge, Helena Bay, Tawhiti Rahi Island, Tokatoka, Great Barrier Island, Tryphena, Kaukapakapa). Auckland (Rangitoto Island). South Auckland (Hunua Ranges, Meremere, Motuhora Island, Mokoia Island, Rotorua).
Widely recorded from tropical areas.
Habitat
On bark of Rhopalostylis sapida and orange tree bark in the Kermadec Islands; also on bark of Kunzea spp., Leptospermum scoparium, Metrosideros excelsa, Phyllocladus and on fenceposts in open grassland.
Detailed description
Thallus suborbicular to spreading, closely attached, saxicolous or corticolous, 4-8 cm diam. Lobes stellate-radiating, contiguous, pinnatifid to multifid, 1-1.5 mm wide, ± discrete at periphery, apices acute, rounded to spathulate, not flabellate-confluent, faintly longitudinally lacunose. Upper surface glaucous-white, pale grey to glaucous-grey, smooth, ± shining, epruinose to fainly pruinose at apices, sorediate. Soralia laminal, capitate, sparsely distributed or frequent, discrete, not confluent, globose, farinose, pale greyish, 0.7-1 mm diam., initially appearing as small warts which later expand, soredia fine, powdery, white or greyish. Lower surface black. Apothecia few to numerous, central, rounded, 0.5-1.5 mm diam., subpedicellate, disc plane to subconvex, black, epruinose, margins thick, entire to subsulcate, concolorous with thallus. Ascospores biseriate, 12-21 × 5-9 µm.
Chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow; medulla K-, C-, Pd-. Divaricatic acid and atranorin.
Similar taxa
Dirinaria picta is separated from D. applanata by its pinnately or subpinnately divided lobes, which are discrete at the periphery, with narrow to oblong apices, and its scarcely plicate-rugose thallus, whereas D. applanata has lobes that are subdichotomously, dichotomously or irregularly divided, confluent from the periphery, with generally flabellate apices , and a thallus that is longitudinally plicate-rugose. D. picta also has lobes that are more closely appressed to the substratum, somethat thinner, and less wrinkled–plicate than those of D. applanata.
Substrate
Corticolous
Etymology
picta: Painted or variagated
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Melissa Hutchison (9 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.