TANE 26,1980

LICHENS OF THE EASTERN BAY OF ISLANDS, NORTHERN NEW ZEALAND by Bruce W. Hayward* and Glenys C. Hayward •N.Z. Geological Survey, P.O. Box 30-368, Lower Hutt t35 Trafalgar Street, Waterloo, Lower Hutt

SUMMARY

One hundred and eleven species from forty-three genera are recorded from the eastern Bay of Islands. A rich and diverse flora of forty-one species occurs on the marine and maritime rocks. These grow in zones related to the tide with an intertidal black zone; a bare zone just above high tide mark; then successively higher - a white crustose zone (Buellia, Lecidea), a yellow zone (Caloplaca, Xanthoria) and finally a green zone (Heterodermia, Parmotrema, Xanthoparmelia, Ramalina and Usnea). Cliff-top and grassland rocks are clothed in their usual array of and Physciaceae. Rough-barked pines, pohutukawas and cabbage trees support surprisingly rich lichen floras with Parmeliaceae dominant on pines and pohutukawas and species of Pannariaceae, Stictaceae and Collemataceae becoming more common on cabbage trees. A rich epigean lichen flora of Cladoniaceae grows beneath low manuka heath on Moturua Island. Patches of mixed mature kanuka and regenerating coastal forest support a moderately diverse forest lichen flora with Stictaceae, Coccocarpiaceae, Pannariaceae, Collemataceae and Parmeliaceae dominant. The rare crustose lichen, Thelotrema periphysatum, grows on pohutukawa bark on Urupukapuka Island.

INTRODUCTION

The lichens recorded here were collected by us during the eight day Offshore Islands Research Group's trip to the eastern Bay of Islands in January 1980. The Bay of Islands is on the east coast of Northland about 200 km north of Auckland City (Fig. 1). The eastern Bay of Islands consists of six large islands and numerous smaller islands and rocks. Lichens were collected from three of the larger islands (Moturua, Motukiekie and Urupukapuka) and three of the smaller ones ("Middle" Whangaapau, Poroporo and Paeroa). Urupukapuka has large areas of grassland and is the only island being grazed. It has scattered patches of cabbage trees (Cordyline), pohutukawas (Metrosideros) and teatree (Leptospermum) of various ages. Moturua has not been grazed for over five years and 115 116 is predominantly covered in teatree heath. Motukiekie is covered in a mixture of native coastal plants and introduced trees with an interesting area of native grassland at the northern end. The smaller islands are clothed in varying combinations of long grass, bracken fern (Pteridium), flax (Phormium), teatree heath, coastal scrub, petrel scrub and regenerating coastal forest. Representative lichen collections were made from the main vegetation habitats (Fig. 1, species list). Specimens are held in the authors' herbarium. The only previous work on the lichens of the Bay of Islands has been the collection of herbarium specimens by a number of visitors.

SPECIES LIST

Key: Substrate: f = fence post Habitat: 1. marine, maritime r = rock 2. exposed cliff-tops s = soil 3. grassland t = tree bark 4 pine trees 5 pohutukawas 6. cabbage trees 7 low teatree heath 8. mixed kanuka and coastal forest

CLASS ASCOMYCETES ORDER LECANORALES Suborder Lecanorineae Baeomycetaceae Baeomyces fungoides (Sw.) Ach. 3s B. heteromorphus Nyl. 7s Cladoniaceae Cladia aggregate (Sw.) Nyl. 3rs, 7s Cladonia cf. balfouri Cromb. 7s C. borbonica Nyl. 8s C. capitellata (Tayl.) Bab. 7s C. cf. cenotea (Ach.) Schaer. 7s C. chlorophaea (Floerke) Spreng. 7s C. fimbriate (L.) Fr. 3s, 7s, 8s C. floerkeana (Fr.) Floerke 7s C. leptoclada Des. Abb. 3s, 7s C. pityrea (Floerke) Fr. 3s, 7s C. polycarpoides Nyl. 3s, 7s C. subcariosa (Nyl.) Vain. 7s C. subcervicornis (Vain.) Du Rietz 3s C. turgida (Ehr.) Hoffm. 7s C. verticillata (Hoffm.) Schaer. 7s Cladonia spp. 3r Coccocarpiaceae Coccocarpia erthroxyli (Spreng.) Swinsc.et Krog5t, 8t C. palmicola (Spreng.) Arvidas. et D.Gall. 8t C. pellita (Ach.) Mull. Arg. emend. R. Sant. 6t, 8t Erioderma sorediatum D. Gall, et P.M. Jorg. 8t Collemataceae laeve Hook.f. et Tayl. 8t C. subflaccidum Degel. 8t Collema spp. lr,3s,5t,8t austroamericanum (Malme) Dodge 6t 117 L. azureum (Sw.) Mont. 2r L. cyanescens (Ach.) Kremp. 8t Leptogium sp. 6t Lecanoraceae Lecanora spp. lr,3frs,8t Lecideaceae Catillaria melaclina (Nyl.) Zahlbr. 5t,8t Catillaria sp. 3t Lecidea crustulata (Ach.) Spreng. lr Lecidea spp. 4t,5t Rhizocarpon geographicum (L.) D.C. lr Pannariaceae Pannaria fulvescens Nyl. 2r,5t,7t,8t P. granulifera Mull. Arg. lr,8t P. n.sp. (isidiate) lr,5t,6t,8t Pannaria sp. 2r Psoroma contortum Nyl. 8t P. sphinctrinum Nyl. 8t Parmeliaceae Menegazzia circumsorediata Sant. 5t,7t,8t Neofuscelia pulla (Ach.) Essl. lr Parmelia horrescens Tayl. 5t "P. (Xanthoparmelia) isidiigera (Mull.Arg.) Gyeln." lr,2r,3r Parmotrema cetratum (Ach.) Hale 2s,3r,4t,5t P. crinitum (Ach.) Choisy lr,5t,6t,8t P. perlatum (Huds.) Choisy lr,2r,3frs,4t,5t, 6t,8t. P. reticulatum (Tayl.) Choisy lr P. tinctorum (Nyl.) Hale 3r Pseudoparmelia caperata (L.) Hale 3r,8t Xanthoparmelia furcata (Mull.Arg.) Hale lr,2r,3r Usnea arida Mot. 3f,5t U. inermis Motyka 2r,3f,4t,5t U. cf. neocaledonica Mot. lr,3f U. xanthopoga Stirtn. 8t Usnea spp. 4t,5t,6t Ramalinaceae Ramalina allanii Zahlbr. lr,4t,5t,8t R. linearis Ach. lr,2r,3fr,4t,5t R. menziesii Tayl. lr,3r R. yemensis Nyl. lr,4t Stereocaulaceae Stereocaulon ramulosum (Sw.) Rausch. lr,3s,7s Suborder Lichinineae Lichinaceae Lichina confinis (O.F. Mull.) C.Ag. lr Suborder Teloschistineae Teloschistaceae Caloplaca elegans (Link.) Th.Fr. lr,3r C. holocarpa (Hoffm.) Wade lr Caloplaca sp. 3t,8t Teloschistes flavicans (Sw.) Norm. 5t Xanthoria parietina (L.) Th.Fr. lr,3rt Suborder Peltigerineae Peltigeraceae Peltigera dolichorhiza (Nyl.) Nyl. 7s Stictaceae Lobaria montagnei (Bab.) Hellb. 6t,8t Pseudocyphellaria aurata (Ach.) Vain. 5t,6t,8t P. crocata (L.) Vain lr,2r P. episticta (Nyl.) Vain 6t,8t P. faveolata (Del.) Malme 6t,8t P. flavicans (Hook.f.) Vain. lr,6t P. granulata (Hook.f.) Malme 6t 118 Sticta coriacea Hook.f. et Tayl. lr,8t S. psilophylla Mull.Arg. 8t S. subcoriacea Nyl. lr,5t,6t,8t Suborder Physciineae Physciaceae "Anaptychia boryii (Fee) Massal." 5t 'Anaptychia japonica (Sato) Kurok." lr,8st Anaptychia cf. corallophora (Tayl.) Lynge lr Buellia alboatrum lr B. cf. punctata (Hoffm.) Massal. lr,2r,3f,5t Buellia sp. lr Dirinaria picta (Sw.) Clem, et Schaer. 3r Heterodermia dendritica (Pers.) Poelt. lr,2r,3rs,5t H. pseudospeciosa (Kurok.) Culb. 3fr,4t,5t,6t,7s, 8s Heterodermia sp. 5t Physcia albicans (Pers.) Thomson 6t P. caesia (Hoffm.) Hampe. 3r Physcia sp. lr Suborder Pertusariineae Pertusariaceae Pertusaria spp. lr,4t ORDER OSTROPALES Suborder Ostropineae Thelotremaceae "Ocellularia" sp. lr,3r Thelotrema lepadinum Ach. 5t,8t T. periphysatum Zahlbr. 5t Thelotrema sp. lr Suborder Graphidineae Graphidaceae Graphina subvelata (Stirt.) Zahlbr. 8t Graphis inquinata (Knight et Mitt.) Hook.f. lr,5t ORDER SPHAERIALES Pyrenulaceae Arthopyrenia sp. lr ORDER VERRUCARIALES Verrucariaceae Verrucaria maura Wahlenb. ex Ach. lr ORDER ARTHONIALES Opegraphaceae Opegrapha agelaeoides Nyl. 5t O, diaphoriza Nyl. lr O. intertexta Knight 3t 0. spodopolia Nyl. lr

HABITAT ASSOCIATIONS

Marine, maritime All the islands have rocky coastlines composed of greywacke sandstone that are covered in the usual range of lichens. As elsewhere the lichens grow in zones relative to high tide mark (Hayward and Hayward 1974). In the most optimal locations, five lichen zones can be recognised. (Fig. 2): A. Black intertidal zone. This zone is invariably present and extends from high tide level down to about lm below. Tufted, black Lichina confinis is present throughout the zone but black, crustose Verrucaria maura and Arthopyrenia are only present in the lower half. B. Bare zone. This zone is always present just above high tide level and 119 grass

green zone

yellow zone

white crustose zone Albert Point ' bare rock F black zone Split Island ' i;

J i

13 A o \/ c if a a * 1 y High Water Mark I I I I I I Fig. 2. Distribution of lichen zones in six transects over marine and maritime rocks at selected locations around "Albert Point", Urupukapuka Island.

varies in vertical width from 0.5 to 2m depending on exposure to wave action. C. White crustose zone. This is usually a narrow zone immediately above the bare rock and contains Buellia alboatrum, Lecidea, Buellia punctata, Pertusaria and rare yellow Rhizocarpon geographicum. D. Yellow zone. This zone is not always present (Fig. 2), but when it is, it occurs just above or in conjunction with the white crustose zone. The zone is marked by the presence of the distinctive yellow Xanthoria parietina and orange Caloplaca elegans. Also often present, in addition to the lichens of the white crustose zone are C. holocarpa, and Heterodermia dendritica. E. Green zone. This is always the highest zone of maritime lichens and depending on the exposure of the coast may extend tens of metres up the rocky cliffs. The lichens of both the white crustose and yellow zones are usually present in this zone also but in lesser quantity than lower down. Here the dominant lichens are usually yellow-green or grey foliose species (Parmelia (X.) isidiigera, Parmotrema crinitum, P. perlatum, P. reticulatum, Anaptychia japonica). Occasionally fruticose species predominate, particularly Ramalina allanii, R. linearis, R. menziesii, R. yemensis and Usnea spp. Other less common lichens on

120 open rock faces include Lecanora, Lecidea crustulata, Neofuscelia pulla, "Ocellularia", Thelotrema and Xanthoparmelia furcata, and on more shaded faces include Collema, Graphis inquinata, Opegrapha diaphoriza, O. spodopolia, Pannaria granulifera, P. n.sp., Pseudocyphellaria crocata, P. flavicans, Stereoculon ramulosum, Sticta coriacea and S. subcoriacea. 2. Exposed cliff-lops The exposed cliff-tops along the eastern coast of Urupukapuka are rocky with sparse grass. The more stable rocky areas are partially covered by the foliose lichens Parmotrema perlatum, Heterodermia dendritica, Parmelia (X.) isidiigera and Xanthoparmelia furcata with occasional specimens of Buellia cf. punctata, Ramalina linearis and Usnea inermis. The steep cliffs on the west side of Paeroa are rocky with patchy vegetation. The rocks on these darker, more moist cliffs have patches of dark grey, foliose lichens (Leptogium azureum, Pannaria fulvescens and Pseudocyphellaria crocata).

3. Grassland Some of the steeper parts of central Urupukapuka which were cleared for grazing, are now bare earth and clay banks and support a lichen flora predominantly of fruticose species (Baeomyces fungoides, Cladia aggregata, Stereocaulon ramulosum and five species of Cladonia). The older untanalised fence posts in grassland on Urupukapuka support small specimens of Ramalina linearis and three species of Usnea, together with the light grey, foliose Dirinaria picta, Heterodermia pseudospeciosa and Parmotrema perlatum. Small mature plants of Sodom's apple (Solanum) occur within the grassland of Urupukapuka in a few places and have a sparse lichen flora of Catillaria, Caloplaca, Physcia caesia and Xanthoria parietina, Opegrapha intertexta covers the bark of willows at Otehei Bay, Urupukapuka. A rocky area of native grassland occurs at the northern end of Motukiekie. The rocks are clothed in a dense cover of lichens, particularly Parmeliaceae (Parmelia (X.) isidiigera, Parmotrema cetratum, P. perlatum, P. tinctorum, Pseudoparmelia caperata and Xanthoparmelia furcata) and Physciaceae (Heterodermia dendritica and H. pseudospeciosa). Less abundant are the crustose lichens Lecanora and "Ocellularia,\ the fruticose Cladia aggregata, Ramalina linearis and R. menziesii and the yellow Caloplaca elegans and Xanthoria parietina,

4. Pine trees Several pine trees occur in the grassland of Urupukapuka. Their

121 rough bark supports a surprisingly rich lichen flora with abundant Parmotrema cetratum, P. perlatum and Heterodermia pseudospeciosa on the lower trunk and abundant fruticose lichens (Usnea inermis, Ramalina allanii, R. linearis and R. yemensis) on the younger branches. Also present are occasional specimens of the crustose lichen genera Lecidea and Pertusaria,

5. Pohutukawas Pohutukawas occur around the coastal fringes of most of the islands and in places, such as the south-east corner of Urupukapuka, form groves (Fig. 3). Wherever there is plenty of light beneath a high canopy lichens seem to flourish on the pohutukawa's rough bark. Twenty-eight species were collected from this habitat. As with the pines, the lower parts of pohutukawas support predominantly foliose species, mostly grey Parmeliaceae (Parmotrema cetratum, P. crinitum, P. perlatum and Parmelia horrescens). On the darker, more moist aspects of the lower trunks a number of other foliose species are often present (Coccocarpia erthroxyli, Collema, Pannaria fulvescens, P. n.sp., Pseudocyphellaria aurata and Sticta subcoriacea). Other foliose species to occur less commonly are Menegazzia circumsorediata, Anaptychia boryii, Heterodermia dendritica and H. pseudospeciosa, Crustose species are also uncommon and include Buellia cf. punctata, Catillaria melaclina, Graphis inquinata, Lecanora, Opegrapha agelaeoides, Thelotrema lepadinum and T. periphysatum. The higher branches of pohutukawas are often bedecked with pendulous old man's beard lichens (Usnea arida, U. inermis, Teloschistes flavicans) together with Ramalina linearis andiZ. allanii.

6. Cabbage trees Several groves of cabbage trees, in places growing with pohutukawas (Fig. 3), occur on sheltered slopes of Urupukapuka. The more moist and darker conditions that usually prevail beneath cabbage tree groves as opposed to pohutukawas, appear to suit the growth of Stictaceae (Pseudocyphellaria aurata, P. episticta, P. faveolata, P. flavicans, P. granulata, Lobaria montagnei and Sticta subcoriacea). Other foliose lichens commonly present are Coccocarpia pellita, Heterodermia pseudospeciosa, Leptogium austroamericanum, Menegazzia circumsorediata, Pannaria n.sp., Physcia albicans, Parmotrema crinitum and P. perlatum. No crustose lichens were found on the rough cabbage tree bark and the only fruticose form was a small Usnea.

7. Low teatree heath Stock were removed from Moturua approximately five years ago and much of the island that was previously grassland with patches of 122 Fig. 3. View south east over Urupukapuka Bay, Urupukapuka, with the mainland beyond, showing the typical grassland of the island. Lichen transects (Fig. 2) over marine and maritime rocks were studied around "Albert Point" on the far side of Urupukapuka Bay. Lichens were also collected from the bark of pohutukawas and cabbage trees that form the large grove on "Albert Point."

Fig. 4. View west from the bare eastern cliff-tops of Urupukapuka (right foreground) across teatree and grass-covered slopes to Entico Bay. The higher-canopied kanuka forest behind Entico Bay contained a sparse though reasonably diverse lichen flora. 123 teatree is now covered in dense low teatree heath. The lack of browsing stock has allowed the development of a rich epigean lichen flora, which is dominated by species of Cladonia (twelve of which have been recorded) together with Cladia aggregata. Other less abundant ground- dwelling lichens present are Baeomyces heteromorphus, Heterodermia pseudospeciosa, Peltigera dolichorhiza and Stereocaulon ramulosum.

8. Mixed kanuka and coastal forest Patches of high kanuka often mixed with regenerating coastal forest trees occur behind Entico Bay, Urupukapuka (Fig. 4), and on a number of the small islands, such as Paeroa and Poroporo. Lichens are not abundant on the bark of these trees although the total flora is fairly diverse with thirty-two species being recorded. The majority are foliose lichens from the families Coccocarpiaceae (Coccocarpia erthroxyli, C. palmicola, C. pellita, Erioderma sorediatum), Collemataceae (Collema laeve, C. subflaccidum, Leptogium cyanescens), Pannariaceae (Pannaria fulvescens, P. granulifera, P. n.sp., Psoroma contortum, P. sphinctrinum), Stictaceae (Lobaria montagnei, Pseudocyphellaria aurata, P. episticta, P. faveolata, Sticta coriacea, S. psilophylla, S. subcoriacea) and Parmeliaceae (Menegazzia circumsorediata, Parmotrema crinitum, P. perlatum, Pseudoparmelia caperata). Fruticose lichens are rare (Usnea xanthopoga, Ramalina allanii) and crustose lichens only sparsely represented (Catillaria melaclina, Graphis subvelata, Lecanora, Thelotrema lepadinum).

DISCUSSION

We collected one hundred and eleven lichen species from 43 genera on the islands of the eastern Bay of Islands. This diversity is comparable to that found on similar-sized northern islands and island groups that we have previously studied. Slipper Island group had 103 species from 34 genera (Hayward and Hayward 1974); Great Mercury Island had 104 species from 41 genera (Hayward, Hayward and Galloway 1976); Hen Island had 126 species from 44 genera (Hayward and Hayward 1978); and the Cavalli Islands had 85 species from 39 genera (Hayward and Hayward 1979). A flora of 111 species represents about half the lichen taxa that have been recorded from the northern offshore islands. For example we found ten of the 21 species of Stictaceae so far recorded from northern islands, 11 of the 20 species of foliose Parmeliaceae and six of the 13 species of Graphidaceae and Opegraphaceae. In the eastern Bay of Islands we found Coccocarpia palmicola on a northern island for the first time, and the second recordings on northern islands of Erioderma sorediatum, Parmelia horrescens, Parmotrema tinctorum, Opegrapha diaphoriza and O. spodopolia. The 124 find of Thelotrema periphysatum on pohutukawas on Urupukapuka is one of only a handful of records of this rare species which was described from the bark of Metrosideros excelsa on Rangitoto Island. The lichens on marine and maritime rocks in the eastern Bay of Islands are much the same as elsewhere (e.g. Hayward and Hayward 1974), although the number of species recorded here (41) is greater than we have found on any other island group. The only notable absences are the rare species Heppia spectabilis, Ochrolechia parella, Parmotrema grayanum, Xanthoparmelia scabrosa and X. tasmanica, all of which may be present if larger areas of coastline are searched in greater detail. The rough bark of pines, pohutukawas and cabbage trees have a surprisingly rich lichen flora on Urupukapuka. The pines have a flora characteristic of fairly dry and bright conditions (Parmeliaceae dominant) whereas the flora on pohutukawas, while still dominated by Parmeliaceae, has a few species on the lower trunks that prefer less light and more moist conditions. These species (e.g. Collemataceae, Pannariaceae, Stictaceae) are even more common on cabbage trees. The ground-dwelling lichen flora of low teatree heath is similar to other areas and like most other northern islands lacks the lace lichen Cladia retipora. The lichen flora that is most poorly represented in the eastern Bay of Island is that of the forest, and this reflects the absence of anything but regenerating coastal forest usually mixed with mature kanuka. The lichen flora of this mixed forest is more diverse however, than on the Cavalli Islands (Hayward and Hayward 1979), but less diverse than the forest lichen flora on Hen Island (Hayward and Hayward 1978). Notable northern lowland and coastal forest lichen species that are not recorded from the eastern Bay of Islands include many Stictaceae (e.g. Pseudocyphellaria argyracea, Sticta latifrons, S. sylvatica), plus Catillaria kelica, Coenogonium implexum, Clathroporina endochrysea, Lecidea corallina, Megalospora marginiflexa, Parmeliella, Sphaerophorus and Phaeographis australiensis.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank all members of the Bay of Islands trip for their assistance and particularly Jessica Beever, Dave Court and Anthony Wright for several collections. We are also grateful to Dr D.J. Galloway for the use of some of his unpublished notes in the identification of the Coccoparpiaceae and Thelotremaceae.

REFERENCES

Hayward, B.W. & Hayward, G.C. 1974: Botany of Shoe Island and the Slipper Island Group - Coromandel Peninsula. Part III. Lichens. Tane20:72-85. Hayward, B.W. & Hayward, G.C. 1979: Lichens of the Cavalli Islands, northern New Zealand. Tane 25:109-118. 125 ^ D.J. !976: Lichens of Great Mercury Island.

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