Heterodermia flabellata (Fée) D.D.Awasthi, Geophytology

Mongkolsuk, Pachara, Meesim, Sanya, Poengsungnoen, Vasun, Buaruang, Kawinnat, Schumm, Felix & Kalb, Klaus, 2015, The lichen family Physciaceae in Thailand-II. Contributions to the genus Heterodermia sensu lato, Phytotaxa 235 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

1. Heterodermia flabellata (Fée) D.D.Awasthi, Geophytology 3: 113 (1973). ( Figs. 13A, 13B )

Parmelia flabellata Fée, Essai Cryptog. Écorc. Exot. Officin., Deuxième partie: 122 (1837); Anaptychia flabellata (Fée) A.Massal., Mem. Lichenogr. 41 (1853). Type:—SOUTH AMERICA. Ad corticem Cinchonae lancifoliae; (G, holotype, n.v., fide Swinscow & Krog, Lichenologist 8: 113 (1976).

For further synonymy, see Kurokawa (1962).

Thallus foliose, orbicular to irregularly spreading, moderately to loosely adnate, to 5 cm wide, but often coalescing to form colonies up to 15 cm wide. Lobes 0.7–2.5 mm wide, ca. 2–4 mm wide at the tips, plane to weakly convex, sublinear to linear-elongate, regularly to irregularly branched, radiating; apices not ascending, contiguous to discrete, with short lateral lobes. Upper surface gray-white to greenish white, ±partly blackened in the centre, lacking soredia, isidia and pruina. Medulla white; lower medulla dark yellow to orange-brown. Lower surface ecorticate, with a superimposed layer of cotton-woolly hyphae, impregnated by yellow to orange-brown pigments, arachnoid. Marginal rhizines, black, simple or squarrosely branched, 1–2 mm long. Apothecia common, laminal, sessile to substipitate, 1–6 mm wide; margin crenate at first, lobulate at maturity; inner surface of lobules ecorticate, yellow-orange pigmented; disc concave, dark brown to brown-black, epruinose or weakly white-pruinose. Ascospores Polyblastidia - type, ellipsoidal, with 2–3 sporoblastidia present at maturity, 27–40 × 12–19 µm. Pycnidia common, immersed, then becoming emergent, visible as black dots; conidia bacilliform, 4–5 × 1 µm.

56 • Phytotaxa 235 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press

MONGKOLSUK ET AL.

Chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow, C–, KC–, P+ yellow; upper medulla K+ yellow, C–, P–; lower surface K+ violet; containing atranorin (major), zeorin (major), 16β-acetoxyhopane-6α,22- diol (major), leucotylin (minor), 7- chloroemodin (minor), flavoobscurins A, B1, B2 (minor).

Distribution and habitat:—The most common Heterodermia species in Thailand, occurring on bark of trees ( Garuga sp. , Acacia auriculiformis , Betula alnoides and Phyllanthus emblica are reported) in savanna, hill evergreen forest, dry evergreen forest, dry dipterocarp forest, lower montane scrub, secondary forest, coniferous forest, from 700 to1900 m above sea level; also in Australia, North, Central and South America, Africa, Asia ( China, India, Japan?) and Fiji.

Remarks:— This lichen is characterized by the linear to sublinear-elongate lobes with an ecorticate lower surface with a superimposed layer of cotton-woolly hyphae, impregnated by yellow to orange-brown (K+ violet) anthraquinones, and triterpenes and the absence of soredia and isidia. Lücking et al. (2008) presented a phylogenetic tree based on ITS sequences. At that time the authors did not accept the sorediate H. obscurata and the fertile H. flabellata as distinct species. However, before we accept this point of view we wish to await results based on a multigene analysis. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that the three species mentioned here as well as the isidiate Heterodermia crocea R.C. Harris are closely related and form a monophyletic group.

Material from Thailand examined:—There are too many collections to be listed individually, but a few representative specimens are cited. The species is known from the provinces of Nan: Doi Phu Kha, area of view point Doi Phu Kha, on bark of unidentified tree in hill evergreen forest, 1470 m, 19°18'12.83'' N, 101°09'54.97'' E, 10 May 2006, S. Meesim RU-DK28.1 ( RAMK 21606)— Chiang Mai: Queen Sirikit Botanic Garden; Doi Suthep-Pui, along trail from research centre of Suan Song Saeng Kasetsart University to National guard units 1 Pha Dum, in hill evergreen forest, on bark of unidentified tree, 1420 m, 18°45'04'' N, 98°53'16'' E, 30 April 2005, W. Hongsachart RU-WD 85, ( RAMK 21577); Doi Inthanon National Park, area along trail to Siriphum waterfall, in hill evergreen forest, on bark of unidentified tree, 1320 m, 18°32'50'' N, 98°30'56'' E, 9 September 2005, N. Juntawong RU-NJ 491, ( RAMK 21550)— Loei: Na Haeo National Park, area of check point 1, in dry evergreen forest, on Garuga sp. , 1900 m, 17°30'15'' N, 100°56'25'' E, 12 July 1995, P. Mongkolsuk 4739, ( RAMK 21874); Loei: Phuluang Wildlife Sanctuary, area Lon Tae of Forest protection unit, along trail to Pa Kob, in coniferous forest, on bark of unidentified tree, 1250 m, 17°12'00'' N, 101°33'48'' E, 12 November 2009, S. Meesim & K. Buaruang, RU-MSPL 593, ( RAMK 21125)— Phitsanulok: Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, along trail to Lan Hin Taek area, in lower montane scrub, on bark of Acacia auriculiformis , 925 m, 17°00'27'' N, 101°59'36'' E, 4 February 2003, C. Chansuk, RU-CS 86, ( RAMK 21533)— Kamphaeng Phet: Maewong, along trail Chong Yen, in hill evergreen forest, on Betula alnoides , 1340 m, 16°06'03'' N, 99°06'27'' E, 2 May 2006, S. Meesim RU-MW 12, ( RAMK 21545)—Nakon Ratchasima: Khao Yai National Park, along trail from the entrance to the old golf course, in a secondary forest, on bark of Phyllanthus emblica , 785 m, 14°25'38'' N, 101°23'13'' E, 21 January 2005, B. Wanna & S. Pintarari RU-22597(7), ( RAMK 8380); Khao Yai National Park, along the trail from 'Mo Singh To' to former restaurant of Tourist Authority of Thailand ( TAT), in secondary forest, on Schima wallichii , 830 m, 14°24'03'' N, 101°21'58'' E, 1 June 2000, W. Polyiam RU-20016, ( RAMK 7132)— Phetchaburi: Kaeng Krachan, along trail Khao Phanoenthung, in hill evergreen forest, on bark of unidentified tree, 1210 m, 12°53'07'' N, 99°37'53'' E, 12 February 2006, S. Meesim, RU-MW 107, ( RAMK 21544); ibid., S. Meesim, RU-MW 101, ( RAMK 21542).

Figures

FIGURE 13. A. Heterodermia flabellata (scale 5 mm). B. Heterodermia flabellata, lower side with superimposed cotton-woolly hyphae (scale 1 mm). C. Heterodermia obscurata (scale 5 mm). D. Heterodermia obscurata, lower side with superimposed cotton woolly-hyphae (scale 1 mm).