Notes on the Genus Usnea Dill. Ex Adanson

Usnea quercina Bystrek & Gòrzynska, based on heterogeneous type material, is lectotypified and becomes a synonym of U. wirthii P. Clerc. Usnea wirthii is new for South America. A distribution map of U. madeirensis Motyka (Syn. U. silesiaca Motyka) in Europe is given. Usnea hesperina Motyka (Syn. U. elongate Motyka, U. schadenbergiana Göpp & Stein, U. subgracilis Vain., U. subplicata (Vain.) Motyka) is new for Africa, Asia and South America. Usnea hirta (L.) F. H. Wigg. (Syn. U. corrugate Motyka, U. foveata Vain., U. leprosa Motyka) is new for Africa. Usnea subscabrosa Nyl. ex Motyka (Syn. U. santae-annae Motyka) is new for South America. The holotype of U. marocana Motyka (=U. mutabilis Stirt.) was found in LB

Tetramelas thiopolizus comb. nov. with a key to all known species of Tetramelas

The study of the type and additional material of Buellia andicola, B. hypophana and B. reagens has shown that these taxa are conspecific with B. thiopoliza. Buellia thiopoliza is a muscicolous species growing at middle to high altitudes in the mountains of both hemispheres. It is easily recognized by its K+ purple-red yellow pigment mainly concentrated in the hypothecium, and by the presence of xanthones in the thallus and the apothecial tissues. The new combination Tetramelas thiopolizus is proposed. A key to all known Tetramelas species is included. The also muscicolous Buellia hypoleuca is reduced to synonymy with Phaeorrhiza sareptana var. sphaerocarp

The Lichen Genus Usnea On Quercus Suber In Iberian Cork-Oak Forests

Fifteen species of Usnea are recorded from Iberian cork-oak forests: U. ceratina, U. comma, U. dasaea, U. esperantiana, U. flammea, U. fulvoreagens, U. glabrata, U. hirta, U. mutabilis, U. rubicunda, U. subcornuta, U. subfloridana U. subscabrosa, U. substerilis and U. wasmuthii. A key for these species is provided. Details of morphology, chemistry, distribution, ecology and taxonomy are discussed. Usnea dasaea is reported as new to the Iberian Peninsula. New chemotypes of U. fulvoreagens (with squamatic acid) and U. wasmuthii (with psoromic acid) have been identified. Distribution maps of U. dasaeaand U. subcornuta in Europe are presented. A new combination, Usnea subfloridana subsp. praetervisa (Asahina) P. Clerc, is propose

A Rapid and Inexpensive Method for the Purification of DNA from Lichens and their Symbionts

A simple DNA extraction method is described, applicable to many different kinds of lichens. The method involves the use of the detergents DTAB and CTAB and yields DNA that can be directly amplified with the polymerase chain reaction or digested with restriction enzyme

The lichen genus Usnea (Parmeliaceae) in tropical South America: species with a pigmented medulla, reacting C+ yellow

In tropical South America (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil), we investigated the diversity of Usnea species with a pigmented, C+ yellow medulla. Four species are treated: the sorediate U. ceratina and U. entoviolata, the latter being new for South America, and the non-sorediate U. cristatula and U. flavorubescens, the latter being newly described here. A detailed description is provided for each species together with an identification ke

Usnea jezoformosana Y. Ohmura & P. Clerc, sp. nov. (Parmeliaceae, lichenized Ascomycota) from East Asia

Usnea jezoformosana is described as a new species from East Asia. The morphology of this taxon is very similar to Usnea fragilescens but differs by the presence of granular soredia (instead of farinose soredia). It differs furthermore chemically by the presence of protocetraric acid (major) and barbatic acid (major to trace). The monophyly and independence of the newly described species from U. fragilescens and related taxa were inferred by a molecular phylogenetic tree based on ITS rDNA sequences. Usnea jezoformosana was collected in subboreal forests of Hokkaido (Japan) and in Taiwan where it grew on tree barks, building wood or cliffs

Eumitrioid Usnea species (Parmeliaceae, lichenized Ascomycota) in tropical South America and the Galapagos

Eumitrioid Usnea species are characterized by a tubular central axis throughout the entire thallus. Four species were identified in South America: Usnea baileyi is a (sub-) tropical species occurring both in continental South America and the Galapagos; U. perplectata has a scattered distribution worldwide and occurs in continental South America, mainly on the eastern range; U. flaveola and the newly described species U. subflaveola are both so far endemic to the Neotropical Andes. Distinct chemotypes, as well as anatomical characters, such as the thickness ratio of the medulla or the presence of medullar pigmentation, are diagnostic in delimiting these species. A detailed description of the species is provided together with an identification ke

Multivariate analysis of anatomical characters confirms the differentiation of two morphologically close species, Melanohalea olivacea (L.) O. Blanco et al. and M. septentrionalis (Lynge) O. Blanco et al

This study investigates how anatomical characters can be used to differentiate two morphologically close species, Melanohalea olivacea (L.) O. Blanco et al. and M. septentrionalis (Lynge) O. Blanco et al. Although the two species are morphologically differentiated, mainly based on the position and shape of pseudocyphellae on the lobes, poorly-developed specimens can be difficult to identify based on morphology alone. For example, in Switzerland, both species are at the south-west limit of their distribution range and most specimens are small and not fully developed. In such cases, anatomical characters are particularly useful in separating the two species. Five anatomical characters were studied: spore length and width; hymenium, subhymenium and hypothecium height. A nested ANOVA showed that variation of spore length was 155 times greater between species than between individuals of the same species, itself 5 times higher than within individuals. In a Principal Component Analysis, despite a substantial variation of the anatomical characters within both species, a significant species differentiation appeared distinctly on the first axis (P < 0·001), which accounted for 62·35% of the total variance, and the type specimens nested within each species. Finally, a Discriminant Linear Analysis assigned 100% of the individuals to their species class, the best predictors to discriminate between the two species being subhymenium height and spore length. These characters proved to be powerful in identifying specimens with a poorly-developed morphology and confirmed the presence of M. olivacea in Switzerlan

Further new or interesting lichens and lichenicolous fungi from La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain)

Forty-five taxa of lichens and lichenicolous fungi are recorded from La Palma for the first time. Twelve are new to the Canary Islands archipelago. One further species, Didymocyrtis canarienis, is described as new for science. The total number of known taxa from the island La Palma has raised to 874. An alphabetical annotated species list of all taxa with collection localities, substrate and occasional further annotations is presented.