Usnea acromelana
Synonyms
Neuropogon acromelanus (Stirt.) I.M.Lamb
Family
Parmeliaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Fruticose
Current conservation status
2018 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Brief description
Characterised by the saxicolous habit; the erect, proliferating habit; a monopodial to moderately branched thallus often with violaceous-black pigmentation; a smooth, waxy, black-annulate surface; numerous immarginate soralia; and a compact medulla containing norstictic and salazinic acids.
Distribution
North Island: Taranaki (Mt Taranaki), Wellington (Tama Lakes, Tongariro National Park). South Island: Nelson (Cobb Ridge, Mt Arthur, St Arnaud Range, Crimea Range), Marlborough (Mt Tapae-o-uenuku, Branch River), Canterbury (Mt Technical, Sugarloaf Cass, Craigieburn Range, Torlesse Ramge, Mt Sinclair Banks Peninsula, Sebastopol, Ben Ohau Range, Kirkliston Range, Four Peaks Range), Otago (Mt Avalanche, Mt Sir William, Mt Earnslaw, Humboldt Mts, The Remarkables, Coronet Peak, Pisa Range, Old Man Range, Poolburn Reservoir, Rock & Pillar Range, Maungatua), Southland (West Dome, Mid Dome, Mt Barrier). Stewart Island: (Mt Anglem). Chatham Islands.
Known also from South East Australia, southern South America and maritime Antarctica.
Habitat
On rock outcrops and in fellfield on rocky pavement, (100-) 550-2800 m.
Detailed description
Thallus rather straggling, tufted, to 9 cm tall. Branches 1-2 mm wide at base, becoming thinner and more densely branching, entangled towards apices. Surface yellow to yellow-green at base, continuous, smooth, waxy or shining, often wrinkled or faveolate in large specimens, bluish-black with black cracks towards apices. Soredia common, especially towards tips of branches, in concave-eroded soralia which may become convex and often confluent, soredia grandular, yellow to blackened. Apothecia very rare, disc black, ray-like branchlets absent, thalline exciple smooth.
Chemistry: Containing usnic acid and norstictic, salazinic and ±protocetraric acids.
Substrate
Saxicolous.
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (12 April 2021). 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.