Usnea ciliata
Synonyms
Neuropogon melaxanthus var. ciliatus Nyl., Neuropogon ciliatus (Nyl.) Kremp., Usnea melaxantha var. ciliata (Nyl.) Müll.Arg.
Family
Parmeliaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
Yes
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 thallus arising from a proliferating holdfast; a monopodial to moderately branched thalline branches, often with violaceous-black pigmentation; a smooth, waxy, black-annulate surface; a compact medulla and a thick axis; subterminal, geniculate apothecia with a black disc and conspicuous excipular rays; and norstictic and salazinic acids in the medulla.
Distribution
North Island: Gisborne (Mt Hikurangi), Hawke’s Bay (Kaweka Ranges), Wellington (Ruapehu, Otupae Range, N. Ruahine Ranges, Tararua Ranges). South Island: Nelson (Kakapo Peak, Schist Mt, Crimea Range, Mt Robert, St Arnaud Ranges), Marlborough (Branch River, Mt Tapae-o-uenuku, Mt Mitre, Mt Fyffe), Canterbury (Mt Trovatore, Temple Basin Arthur’s Pass, Craigieburn Range, Cass, Porter’s Pass, Torlesse Range, Castle Rock Banks Peninsula, Two Thumb Range, Ben Ohau Range, Mt Peel, Four Peaks Range), Otago (Mt Avalanche, Mt Sir William, Humboldt Mts, The Remarkables, Mt Roy, Pisa Range, Dunstan Mts, Old Man Range, Poolburn Reservoir, Lake Onslow, Rock & Pillar Range, Silver Peaks), Southland (Grave-Talbot Pass, Takahe Valley, Thomson Mts, Borland Saddle, West Dome, Mid Dome). Stewart Island: (Mt Anglem).
Habitat
On rock faces, outcrops and boulders in fellfield, 550–3000 m. The most common and widespread species of sect. Neuropogon in New Zealand.
Detailed description
Thallus fruticose, erect, tufted to spreading, to 9 cm tall. Branches 2-3 mm wide at base, weakly dichotomously to richly branching above. Surface yellow to brown-red at base, often with black cracks, becoming conspicuously blackened or yellow-grey or bluish-purple above with conspicuous black bands, not papillate or sorediate, smooth, waxy and shining, often ± strongly faveolate. Apothecia frequent, lateral on branches, disc bluish-black, margins smooth, concolorous with thallus, with ray-like branchlets, black, few to many, thalline exciple smooth.
Chemistry: Medulla K+ yellow→red, C−, KC+ red, Pd+ orange-red; containing norstictic, protocetraric (±), salazinic, and usnic acids.
Similar taxa
Usnea torulosa is similar.
Substrate
Saxicolous
Etymology
ciliata: From the Latin cilia ‘eyelash’, meaning fringed with hairs
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (15 January 2022). 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.