74 research outputs found
A phylogenetic survey of the ascomycete genus Arthrorhaphis (Arthrorhaphidaceae, Lecanoromycetes) including new species in Arthrorhaphis citrinella sensu lato
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New and noteworthy lichens and lichenicolous fungi from Norway
Twelve species of lichens and lichenicolous fungi are reported as new to Fennoscandia. Additionally, we report 19 species as new to Norway. New localites are given for 47 rare or seldom collected species. The new combination Reichlingia anombrophila (Coppins & P. James) Frisch is proposed. Most collections were made in the boreo-nemoral and boreal rainforests during the NBIC funded project Three storied diversity – mapping and barcoding crustose lichens and lichenicolous fungi in the Norwegian rainforests and associated fieldwork in recent years. With the present contribution, we hope to raise awareness on previously neglected groups of lichenised and lichenicolous fungi and encourage further fieldwork in understudied habitats in Norway.publishedVersio
A regional study of the genus Phyllopsora (Ramalinaceae) in Asia and Melanesia
Phyllopsora is a crustose to squamulose lichen genus inhabiting the bark of trees in moist tropical forests and rainforests. Species identification is generally challenging and is mainly based on ascospore morphology, thallus morphology and anatomy, vegetative dispersal units, and on secondary chemistry. While regional treatments of the genus have been conducted for Africa, South America and Australia, there exists no study focusing on the Asian and Melanesian species. Previously, 24 species of Phyllopsora s. str. have been reported from major national studies and checklists representing 13 countries. We have studied herbarium material of 625 Phyllopsora specimens from 18 countries using morphology, anatomy, secondary chemistry, and molecular data to investigate the diversity of Phyllopsora species in Asia and Melanesia. We report the occurrence of 28 species of Phyllopsora including the following three species described as new to science: P. sabahana from Malaysia, P. siamensis from Thailand and P. pseudocorallina from Asia and Africa. Eight species are reported as new to Asia. A key to the Asian and Melanesian species of Phyllopsora is provided
Integrative taxonomy reveals a new species, Nephroma orvoi, in the N. parile species complex (lichenized Ascomycota)
Our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of many groups of lichens remains poor due to unclear species boundaries and challenging species identification. We have studied the medium sized to large foliose lichen Nephroma parile, which is known to be heterogeneous in chemistry and genetics. Our aim has been to assess the potential presence of evolutionary significant units within the Nephroma parile species complex that may be worthy of recognition at species level. Using phylogenetic analysis of the fungal DNA-barcode marker (ITS) in combination with studies of morphology and chemistry, we discover two distinct lineages in the N. parile species complex. For the strongly supported clade that corresponds to chemotype II, we describe the new species Nephroma orvoi. The new species is known from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Canada (Alberta and British Columbia), USA (Washington), and Greenland.publishedVersio
Accelerated Rates of Floral Evolution at the Upper Size Limit for Flowers
SummaryEvolutionary theory explains phenotypic change as the result of natural selection, with constraint limiting the direction, magnitude, and rate of response [1]. Constraint is particularly likely to govern evolutionary change when a trait is at perceived upper or lower limits. Macroevolutionary rates of floral-size change are unknown for any angiosperm family, but it is predicted that rates should be diminished near the upper size limit of flowers, as has been shown for mammal body mass [2]. Our molecular results show that rates of floral-size evolution have been extremely rapid in the endoholoparasite Rafflesia, which contains the world's largest flowers [3]. These data provide the first estimates of macroevolutionary rates of floral-size change and indicate that in this lineage, floral diameter increased by an average of 20 cm (and up to 90 cm)/million years. In contrast to our expectations, it appears that the magnitude and rate of floral-size increase is greater for lineages with larger flowered ancestors. This study suggests that constraints on rates of floral-size evolution may not be limiting in Rafflesia, reinforcing results of artificial- and natural-selection studies in other plants that demonstrated the potential for rapid size changes [4–6]
Integrative taxonomy reveals a new species, Nephroma orvoi, in the N. parile species complex (lichenized Ascomycota)
Our knowledge of the diversity and distribution of many groups of lichens remains poor due to unclear species boundaries and challenging species identification. We have studied the medium sized to large foliose lichen Nephroma parile, which is known to be heterogeneous in chemistry and genetics. Our aim has been to assess the potential presence of evolutionary significant units within the Nephroma parile species complex that may be worthy of recognition at species level. Using phylogenetic analysis of the fungal DNA-barcode marker (ITS) in combination with studies of morphology and chemistry, we discover two distinct lineages in the N. parile species complex. For the strongly supported clade that corresponds to chemotype II, we describe the new species Nephroma orvoi. The new species is known from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland, Canada (Alberta and British Columbia), USA (Washington), and Greenland.publishedVersio
Combining population genomics and ecological niche modeling to assess taxon limits between Carex jemtlandica and C. lepidocarpa
Carex section Ceratocystis (Cyperaceae) is a group of recently evolved plant species, in which hybridization is frequent, introgression is documented, taxonomy is complex, and morphological boundaries are vague. Within this section, a unified taxonomic treatment of the Carex jemtlandica-Carex lepidocarpa species complex does not exist, and Norway may currently be the sole country accepting species rank for both. Carex jemtlandica is mainly confined to Fennoscandia and is thus a Fennoscandian conservation responsibility. This motivated us to test the principal hypothesis that both C. jemtlandica and C. lepidocarpa represent evolutionary significant units, and that both deserve their current recognition at species level. We investigated their evolutionary distinctiveness in Norway, using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing and ecological niche modeling. Our genomic results reveal two genetic clusters, largely corresponding to C. jemtlandica and C. lepidocarpa that also remain distinct in sympatry, despite clear indications of ongoing hybridization and introgression. The ecological niche modeling suggests that they occupy different environmental niches. Jointly, our results clearly show that C. jemtlandica and C. lepidocarpa represent separately evolving entities that should qualify recognition as evolutionary significant units. Given the high level of introgression compared to other hybridizing species pairs in Carex we recommend treating C. jemtlandica as a subspecies of C. lepidocarpa.Peer reviewe
Interesting lichenized and lichenicolous fungi found during the Nordic Lichen Society excursion in Nord-Trøndelag, Norway 2015
In August 2015, the Nordic Lichen Society held its 21st bi-annual meeting and excursion in Steinkjer, Nord- Trøndelag, Norway. During the excursion various habitats, including boreal rainforest, calcareous rocks with pine forest, coastal heath, heavy metal containing rock and montane spruce forest, were investigated. The most interesting findings are recorded herewith. Didymocyrtis pseudeverniae and Unguiculariopsis manriquei are new to Scandinavia, and six species are new to Norway: Absconditella celata, Catillaria aphana, Micarea contexta, Scytinium aquale, Tremella wirthii and Verrucaria sparsiuscula. Notes on a number of red-listed and/or rarely collected species in Norway are also provided
Lichens from the Vadstena Monastery churchyard – the burial place of Eric Acharius
A list of 120 taxa observed at the Vadstena Monastery churchyard includes some rare species and a few lichenicolous fungi. Lecanora semipallida is reported from the province Östergötland [Ostrogothia] for the first time
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