Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, Volume 142(2), 2008 49 A CONTRIBUTION TO AN INVENTORY OF LICHENS FROM SOUTH SISTER, NORTHEASTERN TASMANIA by G. Kantvilas, J. A. Elix and S. J. Jarman (with five plates and one appendix) Kantvilas, G., Elix, J.A. & Jarman, S.J. 2008 (28:xi): A contribution to an inventory oflichens fromSouth Sister, northeastern Tasmania. f Papers and Proceedings o the Royal Society of Tasmania 142(2): 49-60. https://doi.org/10.26749/rstpp.142.2.49 ISSN 0080-4703. Tasmanian Herbarium, Private Bag 4, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia (GK*, SJJ); Department of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia (JAE). *Author for correspondence. A lichen survey at South Sister, northeastern Tasmania, has yielded 234 taxa. The following 16 are recorded from Tasmania forthe firsttime: Acarospora veronensis A. Massa!., Arthothelium macounii (G. Merr.) W.J. Noble, Austrolecia antarctica Herrel, Bacidia wellingtonii (Stitt.) D.J. Galloway, Buellia griseovirens (Turner & Barrer ex Sm.) Almb., Coccocarpia pellita (Ach.) Miill. Arg., Hafellia subcrassata Pusswald, H. xanthonica Elix, Hypocenomycesca laris (Ach.) M. Choisy, Illosporium carneum Fr., Lecidella pruinosula (Miill. Arg.) Kanrvilas & Elix comb. nov., Lecidella sublapicida (Knight) Hertel, Lep rariaeburnea J.R. Laundon, Micarea denigrata (Fr.) Hedi., Mycoblastus campbellianus (Ny!.) Zahlbr. and Mycoporum anteceflens (Ny!.) R.C. Harris. Ihe survey represents the first of its kind for any dolerite peak in Tasmania, and serves as a benchmark forfuture studies. Aspects oftbe distribution and ecology of the flora, the occurrence of rare, threatened or otherwise unusual species, and significant range extensions are discussed. 'lhe effect of metal-rich run-offfrom galvanised structures is identified as a potential threat to the flora values of the site. Key Words: biodiversity, dolerite, flora, Lecidella, lichenised fungi. INTRODUCTION relict rainforest (pis 1-2). Thesubsequent lichen survey was structured around this classification. ° South Sister ( 41 °32' S 148 lO'E) is a small dolerite pinnacle Collections were made of all species for identification or about 800 m a.s.l. in northeast Tasmania, overlooking the confirmation of identification in the laboratory. Identifi­ settlement of St Marys. Located within State Forest, the cation involved morphological examination, anatomical peak is a popular vantage point for bushwalkers, rock­ examination using high-power microscopy, chemical climbers and naturalists, as well as being the site for several analyses using standard methods (Orange et al 2001) and telecommunications installations. A proposal (in 2005) to comparison with reliably identified herbarium reference harvest timber froma coupe on its southern slopes generated specimens. Vouchers of all species recorded are housed at intense interest in the area, as well as considerable opposition the Tasmanian Herbarium (HO), with some additional frommembers of the local community. Thecampaign against material at the Centre for Plant Biodiversity Research in logging led to the compilation of extensive data on various Canberra (CANB). For taxa not identified to species rank, aspects of the area, including its natural history. The history a reference specimen number (e.g., GK 300/06) is provided of the campaign and much of this information is available in parentheses in appendix 1. at http:/ /www.southsister.org. Species nomenclature follows McCarthy (2008). As part of the study of the natural history of South Sister, Nomenclature of ascus types followsHafellner (1984). a survey of lichens was conducted, revealing a diverse and interesting flora, rich in seldom-encountered species. In view of the paucity of sound inventory data for lichens for RESULTS much of Tasmania, we present our results here to serve as a benchmark for future lichen surveys of Tasmania's peaks, Overview of the vegetation and as a permanent record of the many significant species recorded. The upper slopes of South Sister carry open forest dominated by Eucalyptus delegatensis R. Baker. The eucalypts become shorter and more widely dispersed towards the pinnacle and METHODS the taller understorey shrubs and trees become increasingly prominent, and dominate where the eucalypts are absent. Fieldwork was conducted by GK and JAE on 10-11 The most common of these species are Bedfordia salicina November 2004, and by GK and SJJ on 31 August 2006 (Labill.) DC., Tasmannia lanceolata (Poirer) A.C. Smith, and 22 November 2007. The proposed logging coupe was Notelaea ligustrina Vent. and Pittosporum bicolor Hook. examined although most effort was concentrated on the Several smaller shrubs, including Cyathodes glauca Labill., pinnacle and its immediate environs. Work was conducted Oxylobium ellipticum (Labill.) R. Br. and Olearia stellulata within a broad band fromthe car park at 750 m a.s.l., along (Labill.) DC., are also common. Ferns, mainly Porystichum the walking track to the pinnacle, on the scree slopes of the proliferum (R. Br.) C. Pres! and Microsorum pustulatum pinnacle itself, and along the small rock-climbers' tracks on (Forst.f.) Copel. on the pinnacle itself, occur below the small the slopes that lead to numerous rocky tors. A preliminary trees and shrubs, or in sheltered spots among the rocks. Grasses overview identifiedthe followingmaj or lichen habitats: wet are locally common in open areas. One very small patch of scrub, rock scree, large cliffsand tors, eucalypt woodland and relict rainforest, dominated by a few trees of Atherosperma 50 G. .1\..u!rttl/i~tUJ, J A. Elix and S. J Jarman PLATE 1 Vegetation ofSouth Sister. (Aj Dolerite tors emergentfrom wet scrub, with open eucalyptforest on the lower slopes (background). (Bj Dense wet scrub on a scree oflarge dolerite boulders. PLATE 2 Dolerite boulders, colonised by a highly diverse lichen flora. (Bj Detail oflichen mosaics on dolerite)' the dominant species shown here belong to the genus Placopsis. A contribution to an inventory oflichens ftom South Sister, northeastern Tasmania 51 moschatum Labill., occurs in a relatively fire-protected area septa. See Coppins & James (1979) as Arthothelium ilicinum on the south side of the pinnacle. var. reagens (= A. macounii) for further details. Everywhere on and around the pinnacle the land surface The Tasmanian specimens are from sheltered underhangs is rocky, limiting the extent and density of the woody on dolerite in wet scrub. The discovery in Tasmania of this plant layer and ensuring plenty oflight reaches the ground uncommon species, previously known only from western surface. In more sheltered situations, below overhanging Scotland and British Columbia, represents a remarkable rocks or under a sparse vegetation canopy, the surfaces of range extension. Superficially the Tasmanian specimens differ rocks, soil and living stems carry a rich flora of mosses, from typical material by their saxicolous habitat (elsewhere liverworts and lichens, creating an image oflush abundance. this species is an epiphyte) and the rather convex, almost Even in sites, on the brightly lit, sloping or vertical subglobose fruiting bodies (normally these are Rat and rock surfaces where conditions are unfavourable for many adnate); however, the latter feature may be interpreted as bryophytes, the diversity and abundance of lichens remain a function of the habitat. Anatomically, the similarity of high. the Tasmanian specimens to northern hemisphere material is unequivocal. There is another, as yet undescribed Lichen inventory Arthothelium species in Tasmania that also displays an identical K+ magenta reaction in the fruiting bodies, but In all, 234 lichen taxa were recorded (appendix 1). This figure this differs by having larger ascospores (38-43 x 18-20 rm) includes 16 species that are recorded for Tasmaniafor the first that are ellipsoid and muriform throughout. time; diagnoses, notes andlists ofreference specimens for these Specimens examined: TASMANIA: South Sister, 41 °32'S are given below. Two species new to science were discovered 148°10'E, 750 malt., 10.xi.2004, G. Kantvilas431/04 & fA. during the survey and have been published elsewhere: Elix (HO); Hartz Mountains, iii.1963, PW James (HO). Punctelia transtasmanica Elix & Kantvilas, also known from Flinders Island and New Zealand (Elix & Kantvilas 2005), Austrolecia antarctica Hertel, Beih. Nova Hedwigia and Trapelia lilacea Kantvilas & Elix, widespread on dolerite 79: 453 (1984) in the Tasmanian highlands (Kantvilas & Elix 2007); the Thallus crustose, bullate-areolate, white-greyto cream-white; latterhas since been recorded inNewZealand (D.J. Galloway, areoles to 3 mm wide, mostly with a minutely roughened pers. comm.). Additional new species are likely to be present surface; apothecialecideine, black, irregularlyto 1.5 mmwide, amongst the, as yet, not fully identified material, but await broadlyadnate, sometimes nestled deeplyamongst the areoles; future study. epihYfIlenium green, unchanged in K; hypothecium purple­ brown, unchanged in K; asci approximating the Catillaria­ New records type (sensu Hafellner 1984), with a well-developed amyloid tholus lacking discernible internal structures; paraphyses Acarospora veronensis A. Massa!., Ric. Auton. very robust, 3-4 rm wide, simple or occasionally bifurcate Lich. Crost.: 29 (1852) oranastomosing, with apices unpigmentedand not markedly Thallus areolate, reddish brown; areoles plane to convex to expanded; ascospores hyaline, ellipsoid to ± oblong, simple somewhat bullate, dispersed