Usnea antarctica
Synonyms
Neuropogon antarcticus (Du Rietz) 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 | At Risk – Naturally Uncommon | Qualifiers: RR, SO, Sp
Brief description
Characterised by the saxicolous habit; the erect, richly branched thallus arising from a delimited holdfast pigmented towards the apices; the matt, papillate to grossly papillate surface without annulations; a compact medulla; and plane, crateriform soralia.
Distribution
South Island: Canterbury (Kirkliston Range), Otago (Mt Earnslaw, Pisa Range, Old Man Range).
Known also from southern South America, Falkland Islands, Kerguelen, Bouvetøya, Marion and Prince Edward Islands, Heard Island, South Sandwich Islands, South Orkney Islands, South Georgia, South Shetland Islands and continental Antarctica.
Habitat
On exposed fellfield rocks, 1450-2100 m, rather rare.
Detailed description
Thallus fruticose, tufted, to 8 cm tall. Branches sparingly to copiously divided, becoming entangled-complex at apices. Surface yellow or brownish-yellow at base, variegated yellow and black apices, without annulations, distinctly papillate or coarsely warted towards base. Soralia blackened, granular. Apothecia not seen in New Zealand material.
Chemistry: Medulla K+ brown, C−, KC−, Pd+ red; containing fumarprotocetraric and usnic acids.
Substrate
Saxicolous
Etymology
antarctica: Antarctic
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (12 April 2021). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, and Features 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.