Megalospora campylospora
Synonyms
Lecidea campylospora Stirt., Megalospora sulphurata var. campylospora (Stirt.) Zahlbr., Lecidea (Catillaria) clathrata C.Knight, Lecidea taitensis * epiglauca Nyl., Patellaria sulphurata var. epiglauca (Nyl.) Müll.Arg., Psorothecium taitense * Ps. epiglaucum (Nyl.) Hellb., Psorothecium taitensis var. epiglaucum (Nyl.) Zahlbr., Megalospora allanii Zahlbr.
Family
Megalosporaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Crustose
Current conservation status
2018 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Brief description
Characterised by the corticolous habit; the presence of pannarin; the warted epispore; pruinose apothecial discs; and sulphurata-type ascospores (2–6 per ascus, 1-septate, 45–85 × 20–40 μm).
Distribution
North Island: Northland to Wellington. South Island: Nelson to Southland, both East and West of the Main Divide. More common in northern localities.
Known also from Lord Howe Island.
Habitat
On bark of Agathis australis, Beilschmiedia tawa, Halocarpus kirkii, Myrsine australis, Nothofagus menziesii, Podocarpus laetus and Phyllocladus trichomanoides in lowland and subalpine forest, s.l. to 1000 m.
Detailed description
Thallus pale greyish-white, 70-90 µm thick, but often composed of several layers overlaying each other, ± wrinkled and irregularly cracked, without soredia or isidia. Apothecia scattered, 1.0-4.0 mm diam., disc plane to subconvex, pale brown-pruinose or sometimes somewhat greyish, dull, margins prominent, thick, brown-black, slightly glossy, occasionally somewhat grey-pruinose. Epithecium olive- or orange-brown, diffuse, upper layer granular, 11-16 µm thick. Hymenium 150-260 µm tall, I+ blue. Ascospores (1-)2-6 per ascus, 1-septate, ± curved, 45-85 × 20-40 µm.
Chemistry: K−, C−, KC−, Pd+ orange; containing pannarin and zeorin.
Substrate
Corticolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (2 March 2024). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features and Similar taxa 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.