Xanthoparmelia reptans
Synonyms
Parmelia reptans, Xanthoparmelia amphixantha
Family
Parmeliaceae
Flora category
Lichen – Native
Endemic taxon
No
Endemic genus
No
Endemic family
No
Structural class
Lichens - Foliose
Current conservation status
2018 | Not Threatened | Qualifiers: SO
Brief description
Characterised by the terricolous habit; dichotomously to subdichotomously branching lobes with a canaliculate lower surface, and forming small rosettes on soil; and by fumarprotocetraric acid in the medulla.
Distribution
South Island: Marlborough (Molesworth), Canterbury (Culverden, N of Wakari, Balmoral, Lake Heron, Twizel, N of Hakataramea Pass, Lake Tekapo, Lake Pukaki, Lake Ohau, Meyer’s Pass near Waimate), Otago (Ahuriri River near Omarama, Lindis River near Cluden, Tarras, Cromwell, Alexandra, Raggedy Range).
Known also from soil in drier areas of Australia.
Habitat
On exposed soil in depleted, arid grassland, montane and subalpine, to 1200 m. A common member of xeric lichen communities in these habitats, together with Cladia aggregata, Siphula coriacea, Xanthoparmelia concomitans, X. molliuscula, X. semiviridis and X. sorediata.
Detailed description
Thallus loosely attached, 1-3 cm diam., rosette-forming, lobes convex, 0.5-2 mm wide, subterete towards apices, sublinear-elongate, subdichotomously to irregularly branched, often imbricate, ± separated near margins of thallus, margins entire, apices brown-tipped. Upper surface greenish-yellow, smooth, ± maculate especially at lobe apices, simple or sparingly branched black rhizines, 1-2 mm long, sometimes present, apices of lobes sometimes pseudosorediate, isidia absent. Lower surface brownish to pale yellowish-brown, smooth, often shining, weakly faveolate or subcanaliculate, sparsely to moderately rhizinate. Rhizines black, simple or sparingly branched, 1-3 mm long. Apothecia and pycnidia not seen.
Chemistry: Cortex K−; medulla K+ red-brown, C−, KC−, Pd+ red; containing ±succinprotocetraric, fumarprotocetraric, ±protocetraric (tr.), ±physodalic (tr.) and usnic acids.
Similar taxa
Xanthoparmelia molliuscula can look similar and often occupies the same dryland habitats, but that species is characterised by the revolute lobes; a pale lower surface; development of highly branched subterete to cylindrical lobules in the centre of the thallus; and the presence of the stictic acid complex in the medulla.
Substrate
Terricolous
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Melissa Hutchison (22 September 2021). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features, and Extra information 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.