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A new species and new records of Lecanora (Lecanoraceae, Ascomycota) from south–east Asia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 December 2010

Khwanruan PAPONG ,
Kansri BOONPRAGOB  and
H. Thorsten LUMBSCH
Khwanruan PAPONG
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University, Kantarawichai, Maha Sarakham Province 44150, Thailand.
Kansri BOONPRAGOB
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ramkhamhaeng University, Huamak, Bangkok 10240, Thailand.
H. Thorsten LUMBSCH
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA. Email: tlumbsch@fieldmuseum.org
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Abstract

The new species Lecanora ulrikii from Bhutan and Thailand is described. It belongs to Lecanora s. str. and is characterized by relatively large, orange-brown to brown apothecia that are constricted at the base, a clear to inspersed hymenium, an epihymenium of the glabrata-type, and by the presence of atranorin, usnic acid and the isoarthothelin chemosyndrome. Further, three species, L. arthothelinella, L. austrotropica and L. subimmergens, are reported for the first time from Thailand.

Keywords

BhutanLecanora ulrikiilichenstaxonomyThailand
Type
Research Article
Information
The Lichenologist , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , January 2011 , pp. 47 - 50
Copyright
Copyright © British Lichen Society 2010

Introduction

Lecanora is the major genus in the Lecanoraceae (Lumbsch & Huhndorf Reference Lumbsch and Huhndorf2007). It includes crustose (including placodioid) lichens with hyaline, mostly single-celled ascospores, Lecanora-type asci and usually lecanorine apothecia. There is a large morphological and chemical diversity within this heterogeneous genus and thus it is not surprising that molecular data have shown that the genus is not monophyletic (Arup & Grube Reference Arup and Grube1998, Reference Arup and Grube2000; Lumbsch Reference Lumbsch2002; Grube et al. Reference Grube, Baloch and Arup2004). However, there is a core group of Lecanora species related to the type species, L. allophana Nyl. (Brodo & Vitikainen Reference Brodo and Vitikainen1984), characterized by the presence of calcium oxalate crystals in the amphithecium, filiform conidia, and by the presence of atranorin and/or usnic acid. This agrees with a recently extended circumscription of the Lecanora subfusca group to include taxa containing usnic acid (Lumbsch Reference Lumbsch1995; Lumbsch et al. Reference Lumbsch, Feige and Elix1995; Guderley Reference Guderley1999; Lumbsch et al. Reference Lumbsch, Messuti and Nash2003). The Lecanora subfusca group has received attention in recent decades following the seminal work of Irwin Brodo (Brodo Reference Brodo1984) on North American taxa (Brodo & Elix Reference Brodo and Elix1993; Brodo et al. Reference Brodo, Owe–Larsson and Lumbsch1994; Lumbsch et al. Reference Lumbsch, Feige and Elix1994; Lumbsch Reference Lumbsch1994, Reference Lumbsch1995; Bolognini & Cervo Reference Bolognini and Cervo1995; Ibáñez & Burgaz Reference Ibáñez and Burgaz1998; Jüriado Reference Jüriado1998; Guderley Reference Guderley1999; Lumbsch et al. Reference Lumbsch, Messuti and Nash2003), including studies focusing on Asian species, with revisions of species in Japan and India (Miyawaki Reference Miyawaki1988; Upreti & Chatterjee Reference Upreti and Chatterjee1997; Upreti Reference Upreti1998). However, there is no recent revision of Lecanora species in south–east Asia and one of us (KP) has recently started a project to revise Lecanoraceae in Thailand and adjacent countries. Among the collections from Thailand there were specimens collected in Bhutan by Ulrik Søchting (Copenhagen) and sent to HTL several years ago. These specimens do not agree with any described species of the L. subfusca group containing usnic acid (Brodo & Elix Reference Brodo and Elix1993; Lumbsch Reference Lumbsch1995; Lumbsch et al. Reference Lumbsch, Feige and Elix1995; Lumbsch & Elix Reference Lumbsch and Elix1997; Lumbsch & Elix Reference Lumbsch, Elix, McCarthy and Mallett2004). After having more material at hand, we feel confident to formally describe this material as a new species below and also report some Lecanora species for the first time from Thailand.

Materials and Methods

Specimens from the herbaria C, F and MSUT were studied. Hand-cut sections were examined in water, a solution of potassium hydroxide, and Lugol's solutions using a Zeiss Axioscope 2 plus compound microscope. HPTLC was performed with solvent system A (Culberson Reference Culberson1972; Arup et al. Reference Arup, Ekman, Lindblom and Mattsson1993).

The Species

Lecanora ulrikii Papong & Lumbsch sp. nov

Mycobank no. MB 515048.

Thallus crustaceus, continuus vel verrucosus, epruinosus, albido–griseus usque ad viridulo–griseus vel luteo–griseus. Prothallus non evolutus. Isidia et soredia nulla. Apothecia sessilia, 0·4–1·2 mm in diametro, disci aurantiaco–brunnei vel brunnei, eprunosi, margines apotheciorum crassi. Amphithecium crystalla magna minutaque continens. Hypothecium hyalinum vel flavidum. Epihymenium rubrofuscum. Asci clavati, octospori, ascosporae ellipsoideae vel allantoideae, 15–17 × 6–7·5 µm. Thallus atranorinum, isoarthothelinum et acidum usnicum continens.

Typus: Thailand, Kaiw Mae Pan, Doi Inthanon National Park, Chiang Mai Province, 18°57′ N, 98°48′ E, 2356 m, 6 February 2009, Papong 6476 (MSUT—holotypus; F—isotypus).

(Fig.1)

Fig. 1. Lecanora ulrikii. A, thallus with apothecia with entire margins (holotype); B, thallus with apothecia with verruculose margins (Søchting 9127); C, hymenium; D, ascospores. Scales: A & B = 1 mm; C = 25 µm; D = 20 µm.

Thallus crustose, continuous to verrucose, thin, not glossy, whitish to greenish grey or yellowish grey; margin indistinct; prothallus not visible; isidia and soredia absent.

Apothecia sessile, strictly constricted at base, 0·4–1·2 mm diam., lecanorine; disc orange-brown to brown, shiny, plane or concave, epruinose; margin concolorous with thallus, prominent, thick, smooth, entire to verruculose. Amphithecial cortex uniform, gelatinous, inspersed with crystals, hyaline, 25–45 µm thick, with hyphae growing out basally. Amphithecium with small and large crystals (=melacarpella-type). Hypothecium hyaline to yellowish, 25–30 µm high, parathecium hyaline, with yellowish crystals, 5–7 µm thick. Hymenium hyaline, 60–75 µm high, clear to inspersed with large oil droplets. Epihymenium red–brown, 10–12 µm thick, with few crystals; pigmentation not dissolving in K (=glabrata-type). Paraphyses sparingly branched, apically slightly swollen, hyaline. Asci clavate, 50–55 × 10–12 µm, 8–spored. Ascospores ellipsoid to allantoid, 15–17 × 6–7·5 µm.

Pycnidia not seen.

Chemistry. Thallus and apothecial margin K+ yellow, C+ orange, KC−, containing atranorin, usnic acid and isoarthothelin (majors) and chloroatranorin, 2,5-dichloronorlichexanthone, and 2,7-dichloronorlichexanthone (traces).

Etymology. The new species is named in honour of our colleague and friend Ulrik Søchting (Copenhagen) who sent HTL the first collections from Bhutan.

Notes. Lecanora ulrikii is characterized by orange-brown to brown apothecia with a constricted base, a clear to inspersed hymenium, a melacarpella-type amphithecium, glabrata-type epihymenium, and by the presence of atranorin, usnic acid and the isoarthothelin chemosyndrome. Similar species include L. arthothelinella Lumbsch, L. neoqueenslandica Lumbsch, L. pangerangoensis Zahlbr., and L. subcrenulata Müll. Arg. The last species is readily distinguished by a different chemistry (isonotatic acid and 2′–O–methylperlatolic acid) and a chlarotera-type epihymenium (Guderley Reference Guderley1999). Lecanora neoqueenslandica differs in containing pannarin and thiophanic acid, having smaller ascospores, and an epihymenium of the chlarotera-type (Lumbsch Reference Lumbsch1994). Lecanora arthothelinella and L. pangerangoensis may both contain usnic acid in minor quantities, but can be distinguished by having a granulose epihymenium of the chlarotera-type and also a distinct amphithecial cortex without outgrowing hyphae (Lumbsch Reference Lumbsch1994; Lumbsch et al. Reference Lumbsch, Feige and Elix1995).

Ecology and distribution. At present this species is known from bark, especially on twigs, of unidentified trees in Bhutan and Thailand. The lichen was collected at altitudes ranging from 1500 to 3850 m.

Additional specimens examined. Thailand: Phu Lung wildlife Sanctuary, Loei Province, from Pha Chang Pan to Pha Somdet, 17°16′ N, 101° 31′ E, P. Pornpom 65 (RAMK).—Bhutan: Thimphu District: Thujay Duck Lhakhang monastery, 2 km from Thimphu, 27°29′ N, 89°34′ E, U. Søchting 9127 (C); Gigme Lang tsho, 27°33′ N, 89° 30′E, U. Søchting 9160 (C).

New records from Thailand

When studying Lecanora material from Thailand, we found three species that have not previously been recorded from the country; the localities are given below. Descriptions of these species can be found elsewhere (Lumbsch Reference Lumbsch1994).

Lecanora arthothelinella Lumbsch,

J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 77: 71 (1994).

Specimens examined. Thailand: Chiang Mai Province: Kiew Mae Pan, Doi Inthanon National Park, 18°55′ N, 98°47′ E, Papong 6479 (MSUT). Loei Provice: Phu Lung Wildlife Sanctuary, 17°16′ N, 101°31′ E, Vongchewarat 67 (MSUT).

Lecanora austrotropica Lumbsch,

J. Hattori Bot. Lab. 77: 72 (1994).

Specimens examined. Thailand: Chiang Mai Province: Royal Garden Siribhume, Doi Inthanon National Park, 18°54′ N, 98°51′ E, Papong 6407 (MSUT); Phu Ping Royal Palace, 18°80′ N, 98°90′ E, Papong 6325 (MSUT).

Lecanora subimmergens Vain.,

Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 35: 51 (1921).

Specimen examined. Thailand: Mukdahan Province: Phu Pa Kud, Kam Cha Ae District, 16°49′ N, 104°41′ E, 298 m, Papong 6431 (MSUT).

This study was supported financially by The Thailand Research Fund and Office of the Higher Ecucation Commission and Mahasarakham University. We wish to thank Ulrik Søchting (Copenhagen) for sending us material he collected in Bhutan for examination.

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Figure 0

Fig. 1. Lecanora ulrikii. A, thallus with apothecia with entire margins (holotype); B, thallus with apothecia with verruculose margins (Søchting 9127); C, hymenium; D, ascospores. Scales: A & B = 1 mm; C = 25 µm; D = 20 µm.