Heterodermia casarettiana
Synonyms
Anaptychia casarettiana A.Massal., Polyblastidium casarettianum (A. Massal.) Kalb.
Family
Physciaceae
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: DP, SO
Distribution
Kermadec Islands: Raoul Island North Island: Northland (Hokianga, Whangarei) Hunua Ranges to Taranaki (New Plymouth).
Known also from North, Central and South America, East and South Africa, the West Indies, Brazil, and Peru.
Habitat
On coastal trees – still very much under-collected.
Detailed description
Thallus lobes slightly disjunct or adjacent, ±plane, not ascending, with short, lateral lobes. Upper surface even, smooth, sorediate. Soralia apical, labriform. Lower surface white to blackish violet suffused with yellow pigment, K−, often with a dense felt of black rhizines. Apothecia laminal, sessile to subpedicellate. Thalline exciple sorediate. Ascospores with sporoblastidia, 32–48 × 18– 25 μm.
Chemistry: Atranorin, zeorin, norstictic and salazinic acids and yellow pigment (K−).
Similar taxa
Similar to H. japonica but is distinguished by the yellow pigment on the lower surface. This is deposited in the lower layers of the medulla, not in a superimposed layer of hyphae as in H. obscurata.
Substrate
Corticolous
Etymology
heterodermia: From the Greek heteros (other, different) and derma (a skin or hide), in reference to the presence or absence of a lower cortex
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (25 February 2022). 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.