![Thumbnail: [Volume 88, 1960-61 page 170]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_88/thumbnails/rsnz_88_02_0201_0170_ac_02.gif)
History of the Cladinae
For a time the only species recognized by the early lichenologists in the Cladinae was Cladonia rangiferina, though two others were listed as var. alpestris and var. sylvatica, and to these var. pycnoclada was later added. The next step was the raising of the three varieties to full specific status with the consequent limitation of C. rangiferina. From C. rangiferina, C. sylvatica, and C. pycnoclada, most subsequent species have been segregated. The relationship of the commoner species at present recognized is shown in the following table:—
In the above table species indigenous to New Zealand are indicated by an asterisk. Some forms of C. impexa, C. confusa and C. leptoclada are so closely alike in both morphological and chemical features as only to be distinguishable in the mass, and as has already been pointed out, it is sometimes necessary to know the origin of the plant before it can be named. It would be quite logical to regard these three “species” as nothing more than geographical races of C. implexa. They all contain usnic acid and perlatolic acid, and consequently are K−, P−, and KC+, where K represents an aqueous solution of KOH, P an alcoholic solution of p-phenylene-diamine, and KC an aqueous solution of KOH followed by an aqueous solution of bleaching powder.
Des Abbayes recorded that in plants formerly regarded as C. pycnoclada four species differing both morphologically and chemically could be distinguished. These
![Thumbnail: [Volume 88, 1960-61 page 171]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_88/thumbnails/rsnz_88_02_0202_0171_ac_02.gif)
he named C. fallax (K−, P+); C. evansi (K+, P−); C. impexa (K−, P−); and C. sandstedei (K+, P+). The name C. pycnoclada was dropped by him as a “nomen confusum” on the grounds that the type had been lost and that it was uncertain which of the four species listed was in fact the typical form. Santesson, however, gave good grounds for restoring C. pycnoclada and regarding C. fallax as a synonym, as it alone of the four occurs in the Falkland Islands, the type locality. Santesson further added that C. pycnoclada was endemic to South and Central America and that plants from elsewhere did not belong to that species.
Now the history of the Cladinae in New Zealand shows that Cladonia rangiferina alone was recorded at first, to which C. pycnoclada was later added. With the segregation of C. alpestris and C. sylvatica as valid species it was seen that C. rangiferina in its restricted connotation was not present in New Zealand, though the two segregates supposedly were. However, when C. mitis was in turn segregated from C. sylvatica, it now became clear that this latter species must also be expunged from the list of indigenous species, and it may be that C. alpestroides and not C. alpestris is present.
Santesson's opinion that C. pycnoclada is restricted to South and Central America demanded a re-examination of the numerous specimens from New Zealand which Kusan, Sandstede, Allan and others had so labelled. Through the courtesy of Dr. Rolf Santesson, I received for comparison authentic material of the true C. pycnoclada from South America, whic invariably gives a P+ reaction. Though closely similar morphologically New Zealand plants in no case gave a P+ reaction. What had been regarded as C. pycnoclada var. exalbescens in New Zealand proved to be C. impexa and “var. flavida” proved to be C. leptoclada, and specimens submitted to Dr. A. W. Evans were so labelled by him. These two species contain perlatolic acid, which is absent in C. pycnoclada. Whether C. leptoclada and C. impexa should be retained as separate species I much doubt, as they intergrade to such an extent that many specimens could well be placed under either species. C. confusa, however, is a morphologically distinct plant so far as I can gather from such specimens as I have for comparison, though perhaps little more than a geographic race of C. impexa.
New Zealand plants labelled C. sylvatica all prove to be P−, whereas the true species is always P+. Though frequently lacking the characteristic unilateral deflection of the ultimate branchlets, New Zealand plants appear to be forms of C. mitis. Thus of the four species listed by our early botanists—C. rangiferina, C. alpestris, C. sylvatica and C. pycnoclada, C. alpestris alone remains as a New Zealand species. It occurs in both the typical form and as var. portentosa.