Cladonia scabriuscula
Synonyms
Cenomyce scabriuscula Delise
Family
Cladoniaceae
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 peeling, ± detached squamules.
Distribution
North island: Three Kings Islands, Northland (Great Mercury Island), South Auckland (Hunua Ranges, Taupo), Taranaki (Mt Taranaki), Wellington (Ohakune, Pohangina River). South Island: Nelson (St Arnaud Range, Lake Rotoiti, Inangahua), Westland (Cape Foulwind, Greymouth). Canterbury (Hanmer, Foggy Peak Torlesse Range, Mt Wakefield, Glen Lyon Station), Otago (Hidden Falls, Jordan River Dart Valley, Invincible Creek, Rees Valley, Mt Kyeburn, Waipori, Blue Lake Garvie Mts, Catlins), Southland (Waikaia, Forest Hill, Seaward Bush, Waikoau River, Pickersgill Harbour, Wet Jacket Arm Dusky Sound). Stewart Island: (Mt Anglem, Glory Cove). Campbell Island. Antipode Islands.
Known also from Great Britain, Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, North, Central and South America, Oceania, Australia, Tasmania, Macquarie Island, and Antarctica.
Habitat
In tussock grassland, on cliffs, on moss, peat, decaying logs and in Leptospermum heath, s.l. to 1000 m.
Detailed description
Primary squamules disappearing, 2-5 mm long and broad, irregularly lobed, crenate, ascending, upper surface grey-green, lower side white, sorediate or not. Podetia arising from surface of primary squamules or dying at base, 3-6 cm tall, to 2.5 mm diam., repeatedly dichotomously branching, branches cylindrical, dilating slightly at axils, axils open or closed, apices usually subulate, partly or entirely isidiate-sorediate, or with minute, spreading and appressed or peeling squamules, apices subulate, granular-sorediate or verrucose-granular, squamulose or not. Cortex ± areolate, becoming decorticate, interspaces dull, white, whitish-glaucescent or ashy-olive or ashy-bluish and variegated. Apothecia small, dark brown, sometimes on corymbose branchlets at tips of podetia.
Chemistry: Cortex K−, C−, KC−, Pd+ red; containing fumarprotocetraric acid (major) and protocetraric acid (tr.).
Similar taxa
Cladonia scabriuscula has affinities with C. furcata but is distinguished by the peeling, ±detached squamules and the presence of soredia or scabrose patches on the podetia. The apices of podetia often also have a characteristic longitudinal split in the cortex (×10 lens).
Substrate
Terricolous, on moss and decaying logs
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (4 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