Haematomma babingtonii
Synonyms
Lecanora babingtonii, Lecania babingtonii, Haematomma puniceum, Haematomma puniceum f. rufopallens
Family
Haematommataceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Crustose
Current conservation status
2018 | Not Threatened
Brief description
Characterised by the white-pruinose apothecial discs (apothecial discs of H. alpinum are epruinose) and the presence of pseudoplacodiolic acid.
Distribution
North Island: Northland (Maungataniwha State Forest), Taranaki (Whangamomona Stream), Wellington (Waimarino, Hihitahi, Rangitikei Gorge). South Island: Nelson (Owen Range, Mt Arthur), Marlborough (Seaward Valley), Canterbury (Cass, Castle Hill, Pigeon Bay, Montgomery Scenic Reserve Banks Peninsula), Otago (Lindis Pass) to Southland. Stewart Island/Rakiura: (Halfmoon Bay).
Habitat
Coastal and inland more common in drier, eastern areas, s.l. to 1100 m. A common and prominent epiphyte of Cassinia [Ozothamnus], Cytisus*, Discaria, Hoheria, Juglans*, Malus*, Melicope, Pittosporum, Ribes*, Prunus*, Salix* and Sophora. Rarely on rocks in streams in subalpine habitats. Parasitised by the lichenicolous fungus *Arthonia haematommatum.
* Introduced species.
Detailed description
Thallus crustose, thin or thick, smooth and shining or granular-warted or nodular to minutely subsquamulose, ashy white to pale greenish-grey, to 6 cm diam., corticolous. Apothecia common, lecanorine, scattered or crowded, rounded to irregular-indented, sessile or constricted at base, to 3 mm wide, disc concave at first, becoming plane or strongly convex with age, scarlet, to pale flesh-pink, matt, often ± finely white-pruinose, margins thick, persistent, concolorous with thallus, entire or crenulate with rather blunt apices, 1-5(-8)-septate, (19-)25-40(-45) × 3-8 µm.
Chemistry: Atranorin, haematommone and pseudoplacodiolic acid (Staiger & Kalb 1995).
Similar taxa
Haematomma babingtonii is distinguished from H. alpinum by its white-pruinose apothecial discs (they are epruinose in H. alpinum), and H. alpinum tends to occur at higher elevations.
Substrate
Corticolous, rarely saxicolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Melissa Hutchison (9 March 2022). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, and Features sections copied from Galloway (1985, 2007).
References and further reading
Galloway DJ. 1985. Flora of New Zealand Lichens. Government Printer, Wellington, NZ. 662 p.
Galloway DJ. 2007. Flora of New Zealand Lichens. Revised 2nd edition including lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln, NZ. Two volumes: vol. 1 pp 1–1006; vol. 2 pp 1007–2261.