Parmotrema tinctorum
Synonyms
Parmelia tinctoria Despr. ex Nyl.
Family
Parmeliaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Foliose
Current conservation status
2018 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: DP, SO
Brief description
Characterised by the corticolous/saxicolous habit; the broad-lobed, loosely adnate thallus; the simple, granular-papillate to cylindrical isidia; and the presence of lecanoric acid (C+ red) in the medulla.
Distribution
North Island: Northland (Three Kings Islands to Poor Knights Islands and Cuvier Island, Whangarei).
Widespread in tropical and temperate regions including Africa, Socotra, Asia, Indonesia, the Pacific and North, Central and South America, and Australia).
Habitat
A conspicuous and moderately common lichen on rocks, shrubs and trees (Cordyline, Metrosideros excelsa, Leptospermum scoparium, Vitex lucens) in northern coastal habitats.
Detailed description
Thallus orbicular to irregularly spreading, loosely attached, large, 5-20 cm diam., corticolous or saxicolous. Lobes rounded, 10-15 mm wide, margins entire, sinuous, often minutely crenate or isidiate. Upper surface whitish-grey, smooth, shining, often maculate (×10 lens), densely isidiate. Isidia mainly simple, rarely coralloid-branched, granular-papillate to coarse, cylindrical, brown-tipped, to 2 mm tall, laminal and marginal. Lower surface black with a broad brown, naked marginal zone. Rhizines central, long, black, simple, rather sparse. Apothecia not seen.
Chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow; medulla K−, C+ red, KC+ red, Pd−; containing atranorin, chloroatranorin, lecanoric acid (major) and orsellinic acid (tr.).
Similar taxa
Similar to Parmotrema subtinctorium but with a C+ red reaction.
Substrate
Corticolous, saxicolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (9 October 2021). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features, and Similar taxa sections copied from Galloway (1985) and 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.