Calycidium polycarpum
Synonyms
Coniophyllum colensoi, Sphaerophorus polycarpum
Family
Sphaerophoraceae
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 sturdy thalli (in smaller patches than those of Calycidium cuneatum), the larger, more sessile apothecia, the slightly larger ascospores, and a chemistry deficient in sphaerophorin but containing at least two major xanthones.
Distribution
North Island: Gisborne (Lake Waikaremoana), Wellington (Tongariro National Park, Ruahine Ranges, York Bay). South Island: Nelson (Lake Rotoiti), Canterbury (Craigieburn Ranges), Southland (Oblong Hill, Lake Hauroko).
Known also from Tasmania, Chile and Argentina.
Habitat
On trunks of beech (Fuscospora and Lophozonia), in forest, 360–1180 m.
Detailed description
Thallus forming relatively small patches, often of a small number of lobes. Lobes 2.5–13(–15.5) mm wide and (3–)9–16(–19) mm long. Apothecia marginal (0.5–)1–2(–2.5) mm wide, 1–13 per fertile lobe. Asci 15–22 × 5–7 μm. Ascospores (4–)4.5–5.5(–6.5) μm diam.
Chemistry: K−, C−, KC−, Pd−, UV+ orange (underside of thallus); containing 3-O-methyl-5,7-dichloronorlichexanthone, 3-O-methyl-2,5,7-trichloronorlichexanthone and traces of c. 3 other unidentified xanthones
Similar taxa
Calycidium polycarpum differs from C. cuneatum in forming smaller patches on trunks, and in having less distinctly incised lobes. Calycidium cuneatum has lobes with distinct incisions between the apothecia, and the apothecia may appear shortly stalked. Apothecia of C. polycarpum are also larger (to 2.5 mm wide) than those of C. cuneatum (to 1.5 mm wide), and the ascospores are slightly, but significantly, larger than in C. polycarpum. Calycidium cuneatum can be identified by the presence of sphaeophorin (reacting UV+ white), while C. polycarpum does not have sphaerophorin but has xanthones present. Calycidium cuneatum also tends to be less robust than C. polycarpum (Wedin 2002).
Substrate
Corticolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Melissa Hutchison (25 August 2021). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features, and Similar taxa sections copied from Galloway (2007).
References and further reading
Galloway D.J. 2007: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens, including lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi. 2nd edition. Lincoln, Manaaki Whenua Press. 2261 pp.
Wedin M. 2002: The genus Calycidium. Lichenologist 34(1): 63-69.