#peltigeraceae

[drhoz]

#2454 - Pseudocyphellaria sp. - Specklebelly Lichens

Another specklebelly lichen, but i'm not sure which species this one is. As you can see the treetrunk was absolutely encrusted with other species - I really could have spent hours on one tree, finding more species to photograph.

Taranaki Goblin Forest, New Zealand

[calochortus]

Peltigera venosa by Ken-ichi on Flickr.

[drhoz]

#2336 - Pseudocyphellaria faveolata - Honeycombed Specklebelly

AKA Crocodia cellulifera, Diphanosticta cellulifera, Lobaria billardierei var. cellulifera, Pseudocyphellaria cellulifera, Pseudocyphellaria condensata, Sticta billardierei var. cellulifera, Sticta cellulifera, Sticta condensata, Sticta elatior, Sticta fossulata var. cellulifera, Sticta faveolata, Sticta foveolata var. cellulifera, and Sticta lorifera. The fronds can be quite variable in size and shape, hence the proliferation of synonyms.

Found in New Zealand, SE Australia, Tasmania, and the southern end of South America. It grows on bark and twigs in windswept coastal scrub, lowland coastal forest, beech forest, mixed beech-podocarp forest, subalpine scrub close to or above treeline, and on successional vegetation in disturbed sites. Especially large and common in wet open forest habitats, close to margins of the forest. Intolerant of full shade.

Many species of Pseudocyphellaria are cyanolichens, containing the cyanobacterium Nostoc as a photobiont. This makes the lichens quite important in the nitrogen budget of their environment. Other species also contain the green alga Dictyochloropsis and restrict the Nostoc to warty gall-like structures on the lower surface of the lichen.

Some Pseudocyphellaria use either - P. murrayi and P. rufovirescens are actually the same fungus forming two very different lichens, one with a cyanobacterium and one with a green alga.

Many species of Pseudocyphellaria are restricted to old-growth forests in humid areas, and are therefore threatened by logging. Pseudocyphellaria crocata is severely threatened in Scandinavia, a development partly attributed to global warming and an attendant increase in grazing from snails.

Whakapapa Village, North Island Volcanic Plateau, New Zealand.

[drhoz]

#2453 - Pseudocyphellaria rufovirescens

A bark-dwelling epiphytic lichen found at lower altitudes on North Island, South Island, Stewart Island and Auckland Islands, most often in podocarp forests, along streams, or where Leptospermum is part of the succession.

In full sunlight specimens are often suffused brownish, but that might be because of which photobiont is dominant - most lichens feature either a green alga or a cyanobacterium, but Pseudocyphellaria rufovirescens has both. It's most often green, as here, but younger specimens have cyanobacteria. More interestingly, the fronds are quite distinct in shape as well as colour.

Like many lichens, this specklebelly lichen suffers if it gets too dry - but its photosynthetic ability also suffers if it gets too much rain - which must be a problem when its growing somewhere that gets over 10 meters of rain a year.

Taranaki Goblin Forest, New Zealand

[drhoz]

#2549 - Nephroma sp. - Kidney Lichen

A widely distributed genus of medium-to-large foliose lichens, with kidney-shaped apothecia on the lower surface of their lobe tips, which often curl upwards. Most species grow either on mossy ground or rocks, or on trees.

All species of Nephroma contain the cyanobacteria Nostoc which allows the organism to fix nitrogen. Some species also contain a green alga photobiont (Coccomyxa) and the Nostoc is restricted to warty structures on the upper or lower surface of the lichen.

Several species are restricted to pristine, old growth forests.

Nephroma has been used to produce brown dye and blue dye. Nephroma arcticum is called kusskoak by the Yup’ik of Alaska, and eaten after being boiled with crushed fish eggs, and in a medicinal tea. The special also contains several antifreeze proteins that have been used to improve the texture of low-fat ice cream.

St. Arnaud, Southern Alps, New Zealand

[drhoz]

#2452 - Yarrumia coronata

Named after James Murray (1923–1961) "who first detected polyporic acid in the two species comprising the genus, and who contributed so much to New Zealand lichenology, subsequent to his initial interest in the chemistry of Yarrumia coronata dating from 1949".

A large bark-dwelling lichen found on bark and twigs in full sunlight or in moderate shade in humid habitats, from sea level up to 1500m, on all the main islands of New Zealand and most of the outer islands as well.

The large lobes are very honeycombed with pits, and its inner layers are yellow, and the spore-bearing structures numerous and red-brown to blackish.

Taranaki Goblin Forests, New Zealand

[drhoz]

#2451 - Sticta lacera

AKA Cetraria lacera, Lobaria parvula, Sticta filix var. parvula, and Sticta parvula.

Found growing among moss on bark and sometimes on ground or among rocks, on North and South Island up to about 1000m, in moderate shade in forested areas, on soil on rocks in humid sites, and rarely on rocks in tussock grassland on Campbell Island. The more robust form that grows on treetrunks was formerly known as Sticta filix, but genetic evidence proved that it and the more delicate form growing around the base of the tree were the same organism.

Taranaki Goblin Forest, New Zealand

[drhoz]

#2687 - Podostictina pickeringii

Also known as Sticta pickeringii, Sticta durvillei, and Pseudocyphellaria flavicans.

Endemic to Aotearoa, where it grows on bark and rock on both main islands and the Chathams, and probably elsewhere. Sources differ on which family it should be in.

Queenstown, Aotearoa NZ