Cladoniae luteoalbae similis, sed infra textura et hyphis angustibus squamulae primaerae differt, et acidae thamnolicum, decarboxythamnolicum, diacetylgracilliformicum, monoacetylgracilliformicum et skyrinicum continente differt.
Typus: Falkland Islands, East Falklands,Mt. Usborne, valley SW of Mt. Usborne, UTM 21F UC 7068 [51°720667’S, 58°877500’W], c. 200 ft. [61 m], Cortaderia heath and sandstone outcrops along stream, 10 January 1968, H. A. Imshaug (40175) & R. C. Harris (MSC-0108537— holotypus).
Description
Primary thallus as colonies covering several cm2 with scattered groups of squamules; squamules irregularly divided, ascending to flat-lying, upper side pale yellow-grey, wrinkled- sculptured, to 3 mm high and equally broad; upper cortex uncoloured (in section), almost cartilaginous, 10–45 mm high, with elongated lumina oriented towards surface but walls often indistinct; lower cortex absent. Medullary tissue with algae 350–370 mm high, ending in fairly uniform, short hyphae ends; hyphae c. 2.5 mm diam. Lower surface whitish, not arachnoid, yellow-orange at base, with indistinct veins.
Podetia rare, arising from squamule lamina, pale yellow-grey, tapering, with an open end, up to 6 mm high and 1 mm broad, corticated, in upper part with erect squamules, in lower part without squamules but cortex fissured. Uppermost part often eroded in some podetia.
Apothecia not observed.
Pycnidial gel brownish.
Chemistry. Thamnolic acid (major), decarboxythamnolic acid (minor), diacetylgracilliform acid (minor), monoacetylgracilliformin (trace) and skyrin (minor) (det. J. A. Elix 2009). The last three compounds are responsible for the yellow-orange pigmentation.
Distribution and ecology. Reported only from moribund bryophytes on the Falkland Islands.