Licea synchrysospora Bortnikov, 2022

Basanta, Diana Wrigley De, Mier, Carlos De & Lado, Carlos, 2023, A taxonomic revision of the species of Licea subg. Licea (Myxomycetes), Phytotaxa 629 (2), pp. 95-128 : 120-121

22. Licea synchrysospora Bortnikov , in Bortnikov, Gmoshinskiy & Novozhilov, Phytotaxa 541(1): 29 (2022) Figs. 19A–G

Sporophores sporocarpic, scattered, sessile. Sporocarps pulvinate, slightly oval from above, 0.18–0.42 mm diam. black. Peridium brownish orange with granular deposits and black lines of dehiscence by TL ( Figs. 19 D – E arrows); dehiscence along preformed dark lines. Spores adhering in clusters of 5–15 spores, brilliant yellow to yellow brown in mass, greyish olive to almost colourless by TL ( Figs. 18 F – G ), globose, (9.8–)10.2–11.2(–11.7) μm diam., smooth. By SEM the inner peridium is finely evenly warted; the platelet margins are smooth with small warts thickening along the edge ( Bortnikov et al. 2022: Fig. 18h ); the epispore densely ornamented with flattened verrucae, some joined in short lines.

Material examined: Holotypus. RUSSIA. Primorsky Krai, KPSNBR (Kedrovaya Pad State Nature Biosphere Reserve), 43°05’48.1’’N 131°33’30.9’’E, on the bark of living Chosenia arbutifolia , in mcc, pH=7.09, bark sampling 22 August 2017, mcc, starting 31 October 2017, sporocarps sampling January 2018, leg. F.M. Bortnikov, MYX 11315! . RUSSIA. Primorsky Krai, KPSNBR (Kedrovaya Pad State Nature Biosphere Reserve), 43,1195°N 132,78986°E, on the bark of living Populus maximowiczii , in moist chamber, pH=6.63, 25-X-2021, leg. F.M. Bortnikov, s.n .

Habitat: on bark of living trees ( Chosenia arbutifolia, Kalopanas septemlobus, Populus maximowiczii ).

Distribution: Known only from type territory (Russia).

Icon.: Bortnikov et al. (2022: 42, Figs. 18a–j ; 43, Figs. 20a–e ).

Notes. The clear micrographs, provided in the original paper obviated the need for repetition of SEM, but light micrographs were repeated to compare colours. This species is very similar to L. synsporos Nann. -Bremek. The differences given in Bortnikov et al. (2022) are the shape of the sporocarp and slight difference in spore colour. The holotype of L. synsporos ( NENB 6146) consists of only a few sporocarps mounted on slides (see below), so direct comparison of the two species was not possible. However from that publication, as far as we can judge, the main characters of two species are very similar. The sporocarps are dark, dehiscence is by preformed lines into platelets with thickened smooth margins, and the spores are clustered, 9–11(–12) μm diam., minutely warted, but the part of a spore turned to the center of the cluster or the contact areas of the adjacent spores are smooth. These similarities suggest that both species may be conspecific, but it is impossible to confirm this without detailed further study and, if possible, molecular information.

Figures

FIGURE 18. Licea rufocuprea.A–H, J (NENB 14668, BR5020067531199, Isotype); I, K. (dwb 3291). A–C. Herbarium box and labels. D–E. Sessile sporocarps. F. Peridial platelet by TL. G. Spores by TL. H. Peridial platelet by SEM. I. Detail of platelet margin by SEM. J–K. Spores by SEM. Scale bars: B–C = 0.1 mm, D–F, H = 10 µm, G = 50 µm, I = 5 µm.

FIGURE 19. Licea synchrysospora. A–B, D, F (MYX11315, Holotype); C, E, G (s.n.). A. Herbarium box. B–C. Sessile sporocarp. D–E. Peridial platelets (arrows) and spores by TL. F–G. Spore in clusters by TL. Scale bars: B–C = 0.1 mm, D–G = 10 µm.

FIGURE 20. Licea testudinacea. A–K (NENB 3472, BR5020053457106, Holotype). A–C. Herbarium box. D-E. Sessile sporocarps. F. Peridial platelet with ornamented margin by TL. G. Spores by TL. H. Peridial platelet margin by SEM. I Detail of the inner surface of the peridium and ornamented margin by SEM. J–K. Spores by SEM. Scale bars: D = 0.2 mm, E = 0.1 mm, F–H = 10 µm, I–K = 5 µm.