Heterodermia japonica
Synonyms
Anaptychia dendritica var. japonica M.Satô, Polyblastidium japonicum (M. Satô) Kalb
Family
Physciaceae
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
haracterised by the corticolous habit; the matt upper surface and fan-like lobe apices; the absence of a lower cortex, and a blackish violet lower surface.
Distribution
North Island: Northland (Three Kings Islands), Auckland (Domain), Taranaki (Stratford). South Island: Marlborough (Chetwode Islands).
Known also from Great Britain, Europe, the Azores, the Canary Is, Madeira, East and South Africa, Asia, Indonesia North America and Panama.
Habitat
On bark of trees and shrubs, coastal and inland.
Detailed description
Lobes slightly disjunct or adjacent, ± plane, not ascending, with short lateral lobes. Upper surface uneven, sorediate. Soralia apical, labriform. Lower surface ecorticate, white to blackish-violet. Apothecia laminal, sessile, to subpedicellate, thalline exciple sorediate. Ascospores with sporoblastidia 35-95 × 15-22 µm.
Chemistry: Atranorin, zeorin and norstictic acid. Spot tests: cortex K+ yellow C-, KC-, P+ yellow; medulla K+ yellow or K+ yellow to orange, C-, KC-, P- or P+ yellow to orange
Substrate
Corticolous, saxicolous
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
japonica: Of Japan
Attribution
Fact sheet prepared by Marley Ford (10 January 2024). Brief description, Distribution, Habitat, Features, and Similar taxa 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.