Additional lichen records and mineralogical data from metal-contaminated sites in Maine

Geochemistry and mineralogy of rocks play important roles in the occurrence of individual lichen species and assembly of lichen communities. Whereas lichens of metal-enriched settings have been a focus of study for many decades, only a few such lichen inventories exist for North America. We reexamined the lichen biota of Pine Hill, a serpentine outcrop on Little Deer Isle, Maine and Callahan Mine, a copper-and zinc-enriched Superfund site in Brooksville, Maine by conducting additional field surveys and reexamining unidentified taxa from previous collections. To better characterize the substrates upon which the lichens were found, we conducted elemental analyses via x-ray fluorescence and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry on rock samples collected at Pine Hill and recorded pH, electrical conductivity, and elemental concentrations via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on soil samples from Callahan Mine. The re-investigation of lichens of the two metal-enriched sites resulted in the addition of 20 taxa to Pine Hill and 10 taxa to Callahan Mine. These include Dermatocarpon leptophyllodes, Placynthiella hyporhoda, Pyrenocarpon thelostomum, and Vezdaea acicularis, all recorded for the first time from New England. In addition, we report the first documented records since the late 19th to early 20th century for New England of Porocyphus coccodes, Sarcosagium campestre, and Steinia geophana, and the first such record for Maine for Coccocarpia palmicola. Stereocaulon condensatum and S. subcoralloides, both considered as rare in New England, were also collected from Callahan Mine

An annotated checklist of lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi reported from the Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Peer reviewe

First supplement to the lichen checklist of South Africa

Peer reviewe

A new checklist of lichenised, lichenicolous and allied fungi reported from South Africa

Background: The last comprehensive list of lichenised, lichenicolous and allied fungi reported from South Africa was published in 1950. A checklist is important to provide basic information on the extent of the diversity, and to provide the most recent name and classification. Objective: To present a list of all the lichenised, lichenicolous and allied fungi reported from South Africa. Methods: The list presented is entirely literature based and no attempt has been made to check the report of any taxa or their status by checking the specimens upon which they are based. Firstly, all taxa that were not reported from within the modern boundaries of South Africa were excluded. Next, the Recent literature on lichens database was searched for literature on South African lichens since 1945 and all references checked for new species or new reports, which were then added to the list. These names were then checked against Index Fungorum to ensure that the most current name was being used. Finally, the list was rationalised by excluding all synonyms and dubious infraspecific taxa. Results: The current list includes 1750 taxa in 260 genera from mainland South Africa, with an additional 100 species and 23 genera from the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands, which are treated separately. The replacement name Verrucaria dagolavii Fryday is proposed for Verrucaria umbilicata Øvstedal. Conclusion: It is estimated that, when fully explored, the lichen biota of South Africa will consist of somewhere between 2500 and 3000 taxa

A preliminary investigation of the lichen biota associated with recently deglaciated terrain in southeastern Alaska

Glaciers worldwide are currently retreating at unprecedented rates, revealing large tracts of newly exposed rock and till. We present the results of a preliminary, qualitative investigation of the lichen diversity of transient habitats near three glaciers in southeastern Alaska: Muir Glacier within Glacier Bay National Park and Baird and Patterson Glaciers in the Tongass National Forest. This work is noteworthy as it; 1) documents previously undescribed lichen species and communities within rapidly changing glacier habitats, 2) illustrates the importance of cryptogams (lichens, bryophytes, algae and cyanobacteria) in the primary colonization of recently deglaciated terrain, 3) sets apart the lichen biota of recently deglaciated terrain in southeastern Alaska from that of other glacial regions worldwide (e.g., the European Alps, Svalbard, and southern South America) and even other parts of Alaska (e.g., Brooks Range) and, 4) emphasizes the importance of more lichen studies that focus on this rapidly changing habitat. The lichen biotas found at different successional stages near these glaciers are described and compared. The role of lichens and other cryptogams in post-glacial vegetation initiation, the threats to the lichen biota, and suggestions for the possible origins of the lichen propagules that colonize these newly exposed surfaces are also discussed.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Gilbertaria, a first crustose genus in the Sphaerophoraceae (Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota) for Catillaria contristans, Toninia squalescens and related species

Lecideoid lichen-forming fungi are a large, heterogeneous group that includes many species described during the nineteenth century that are of unclear taxonomic status. We revise such a group, the species of which have previously been treated under the much-misunderstood names Catillaria contristans or Toninia squalescens, and use a seven-locus phylogeny to determine its phylogenetic position. We found strong support for a previously unrecognized monophyletic lineage within the Sphaerophoraceae, comprising five phylogenetic species, and describe the new genus Gilbertaria to accommodate them. The new genus is characterized by a crustose growth form, 1-septate ascospores, thick ((1.5-)2-3(-4) mu m wide) paraphyses and asci of the Biatora-type. We revise the nomenclature and give new delimitations and descriptions of the Northern Hemisphere species Gilbertaria contristans comb. nov., G. holomeloides comb. nov., G. squalescens comb. nov. and describe the new species G. astrapeana from the Falkland Islands

New taxa, reports, and names of lichenized and lichenicolous fungi, mainly from the Scottish Highlands

Abstract: The new taxa Cliostomum subtenerum, Dactylospora suburceolata, Fuscidea oceanica, Lecania granulata, Lecidea herteliana, and Ropalospora lugubris f. sorediata are described from collections made from Scotland and Wales. Outside the British Isles, D. suburceolata is also known from Switzerland, L. herteliana from NE North America and R. lugubris f. sorediata from Sweden and NE North America. In addition, Lecidea luteoatra Nyl. belongs to the Lecanora marginata group and the name Lecanora viridiatra (Stenh.) Nyl. is taken up for this species, Peterjamesia sorediata is transferred to Roccellographa, and Ropalospora atroumbrina is included in the synonymy of R. lugubris f. sorediata

The genus Endocena (Icmadophilaceae): DNA evidence suggests the same fungus forms different morphologies

Numerous recent studies of lichenized fungi have uncovered hidden genetic diversity within a single phenotypic entity (so-called 'cryptic species'). Here we report the opposite situation with vastly different morphologies apparently deriving from the same genotype. Endocena is a monotypic genus known only from southern South America. The single reported species, the terricolous E. informis, is morphologically variable; the type and other collections from the west coast of Chile being subfruticose, whereas specimens from further south and east are almost crustose in form. A sorediate terricolous lichen that is frequent on the Falkland Islands was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of ITS rDNA and mtSSU rDNA sequences as being congeneric with E. informis and, surprisingly, both taxa were recovered as congeneric with the recently described genus and species Chirleja buckii, which is morphologically distinct from both E. informis and the sorediate taxon. Consequently, the genus Chirleja is included in the synonymy of Endocena and the new combination Endocena buckii is proposed. Because E. informis and the sorediate specimens have a similar thallus structure that differs radically from that of E. buckii, the name E. informis var. falklandica is proposed for the sorediate taxon. Poorly developed, incipient apothecia are also described from both varieties of E. informis, the first time that these have been reported for Endocena. We also report two lichenicolous fungi from E. informis var. informis, which are the first reports of lichenicolous fungi occurring on this genus