Dirinaria picta is a species of lichen within the family Caliciaceae, classified under the order Caliciales in the class Lecanoromycetes of the division Ascomycota.
Etymology The specific epithet "picta" means "painted or variegated".
Description Dirinaria picta forms suborbicular to spreading thalli, closely attached to the substrate, and can be saxicolous or corticolous. The lobes are stellate-radiating, contiguous, and pinnatifid to multifid, typically measuring 1-1.5 mm wide. They are generally discrete at the periphery, with acute to rounded apices that are not flabellate confluent.Galloway D.J. 1985: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens. Wellington: PD Hasselberg, Government Printer. 662 pp.Galloway D.J. 2007: Flora of New Zealand: Lichens, including lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi. 2nd edition. Lincoln, Manaaki Whenua Press. 2261 pp.
The upper surface is glaucous-white to pale grey, smooth, and sometimes faintly pruinose at the apices. Soralia are laminal, capitate, and sparsely distributed, with soredia that are fine and powdery. The lower surface is black. Apothecia are occasionally present, with a disc that is black and subpedicellate. Ascospores are biseriate and measure 12-21 × 5-9 μm.
Distribution Dirinaria picta is distributed in various locations, including the Kermadec Islands, Bangladesh, and (2011) Some lichens of Bangladesh. The Bryologist 114(3): 466–468. (RLL List # 225 / Rec. # 33313 - Recent Literature on Lichens) (DOI:10.1639/0007-2745-114.3.466) (JSTOR) (Dirinaria picta recorded for Bangladesh) and several regions in New Zealand. It is also widely recorded from tropical areas from both hemispheres.
Habitat This species is typically found on the bark of various tree species, including Rhopalostylis sapida, orange trees, Kunzea spp., Leptospermum scoparium, and Metrosideros excelsa. It also grows on fenceposts in open grassland areas.
Similar taxa Dirinaria picta can be distinguished from Dirinaria applanata by its pinnately or subpinnately divided lobes, which are discrete at the periphery, with narrow to oblong apices. Additionally, the thallus of D. picta is less wrinkled-plicate compared to that of D. applanata.
Substrate The species Dirinaria picta typically thrives on bark surfaces, a habitat known as corticolous.
References
Further reading
Awasthi, D.D. (1975) A Monograph of the Lichen Genus Dirinaria. - Bibliotheca Lichenologica No. 2, J. Cramer, Lehre. 108 pp. (RLL List # 93-3 / Rec. # 1294 - Recent Literature on Lichens) (Illustrations of Dirinaria picta: figs. 42, 43, 44 & 45) \Brodo, I.M.; Sharnoff, S.D. and Sharnoff, S. (2001) Dirinaria (pp. 305-307) In, Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven, 795 pages. (Discussion of Dirinaria picta: pp. 306-307; distribution map for North America: p. 306; color photo: p. 307, plate 318) GASPARYAN A, SIPMAN HJM, LÜCKING R. Ramalina europaea and R. labiosorediata, two new species of the R. pollinaria group (Ascomycota: Ramalinaceae), and new typifications for Lichen pollinarius and L. squarrosus. The Lichenologist. 2017;49(4):301-319. doi:10.1017/S0024282917000226
Thomson, J.W. (1963) The Lichen Genus Physcia in North America. - Beihefte zur Nova Hedwigia, Heft 7. J. Cramer. viii + 172 pp. (RLL List # 46 / Rec. # 18472 - Recent Literature on Lichens) (Illustration of Dirinaria picta: plate 46)
External links Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories Elix (2009) Australian lichens - Discussion of Dirinaria picta USDA Plants Database North American Lichen Checklist, Version (#16) 18 June 2010. LIAS Index Fungorum MycoBank
Links to photos
Pictures of tropical lichens - Dirinaria picta Stephen Sharnoff's Lichen Photos - Dirinaria picta