Usnea torulosa
Synonyms
Usnea dasypogoides var. torulosa Müll.Arg., Usnea aurescens Motyka, Lich. Gen., Usnea torulosa var. aurescens (Motyka) G.N.Stevens
Family
Parmeliaceae
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 saxicolous habit: the erect or subdecumbent thallus to 5 cm tall, greenish yellow, pale-yellow or yellow-white, blackened at base; the simple, straight branches, 1–1.5 mm diam.; the glossy, waxy, annulate-cracked cortex; round to irregular, punctate to spreading pseudocyphellae that become granular-sorediate; and a variable secondary chemistry, generally containing squamatic acid (UV+ white).
Distribution
South Island: Nelson (Lake Cobb, Kakapo Peak, Mt Arthur, St Arnaud Range), Canterbury (Lewis Pass, Arthur’s Pass, Cass, Craigieburn Range, Foggy Peak Torlesse Range), Otago (Mt Earnslaw, The Remarkables, Garvie Mountains, Pisa Range, Dunstan Mountains, Old Man Range, Poolburn Reservoir, Rock & Pillar Range, Horse Range, Mt Misery, Lamb Hill, Silver Peaks, Waikouaiti Reservoir, Swampy Summit, Flagstaff, Maungatua, Waipori, Blue Mountains), Southland (West Dome, Fiordland).
Known also from Australia.
Habitat
From rocks in exposed alpine habitats. Associated with species of Bryoria, Usnea, Umbilicaria, Pseudephebe, Notoparmelia signifera etc.
Detailed description
Thallus fruticose, erect or partly decumbent, branches short, stiff, to 5 cm tall, pale greenish-yellow or pale yellow or yellowish-white blackened at base, crowded and convergent at base. Branches uniform, mostly simple, straight or rarely curved, 1-1.5 mm thick, thinner at apices, cortex glossy, waxy, annulate- cracked or fissured in parts, occasionally slightly faveolate, with small, round to irregular, punctate to spreading pseudocyphellae which become granular-sorediate. Soredia granular in convex masses, yellowish or blackened. Apothecia not seen.
Chemistry: Three distinct chemodemes are found in this species, and may in fact represent independent taxa: (1) psoromic, conpsoromic , ±squamatic and usnic acids, (2) squamatic and usnic acids [the type has this chemistry], (3) barbatic, 4-O-demethylbarbatic, squamatic (UV+ white) and usnic acids.
Substrate
Saxicolous, corticolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (11 January 2024). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, and Features sections copied from Galloway (1985, 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.