The Mixture Ratio of the Lichen Genus Thamnolia in New Zealand

Abstract

In New Zealand the Thamnolia population is composed of about 98% T. vermicularis (Sw.) Ach. ex Schaer. and 2% T. subuliformis (Ehrh.) W. Culb. This proportion agrees well with the worldwide quantitative distribution pattern of the two species. The occurrence of Thamnolia in New Zealand was early reported in Nylander's Lichenes Novae Zelandiae in 1888 and in other lichenological papers. The chemical constituents of New Zealand specimens, however, have never been studied. As I could not test any specimens collected in New Zealand before publishing my earlier study on the worldwide chemical variation in Thamnolia (Sato 1963), the details concerning the New Zealand population were unknown. In September, 1964, I went to New Zealand under the auspices of the Japanese Government to study the taxonomy and phytogeography of New Zealand lichens. During my stay there (September 23 December 14) I collected ample materials for a study of the chemistry of the local Thamnolia population. THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF THAMNOLIA IN NEW ZEALAND According to the lichenological papers hitherto published, only a few localities of Thamnolia in New Zealand were known, such as Tarndal in Nelson and Mt. Pisgah in Otago, South Island. Among the large collections of lichen specimens kept in the Botany Division, 1 The expense of this study was defrayed mostly by a grant from the Ministry of Education. I thank the botanists and national park rangers who helped me while I was in New Zealand; namely, Drs. E. J. Godley, L. B. Moore, and P. Wardle of the Botany Division, D.S.I.R.; Professor G. T. S. Baylis, Dr. A. F. Mark, and Mr. D. J. Galloway of the University of Otago; and Mr. P. Croft and Mr. D. Bell of Arthur's Pass National Park. I am also indebted to Dr. William Louis Culberson for his keen interest and encouragement in the work on Thamnolia. 2 Biological Institute, Faculty of Arts and Science, Ibaraki University, Mito, Japan. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.158 on Tue, 15 Nov 2016 03:58:21 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1965] SATO: THAMNOLIA IN NEW ZEALAND 321