Leucodermia appalachensis (Kurok.) Kalb, 2015

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

Leucodermia appalachensis (Kurok.) Kalb , comb. nov.

Mycobank MB 813829

36 • Phytotaxa 235 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press

MONGKOLSUK ET AL.

Basionym: Anaptychia appalachensis Kurok., Beih. Nova Hedwigia 6: 83 (1962). Type:— U.S.A. West Virginia: Hardy Co., Fabius, on base of chestnut oak, July 1956, Hale 12069 (holotype, US); Heterodermia appalachensis (Kurok.) W.L. Culb., Bryologist 69: 479 (1967 [1966]).

Chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow, C–, KC–, P+ yellow; medulla K+ yellow, C–, P– or P+ pale yellow; containing atranorin (major), zeorin (major), 6α-acetoxyhopane-16β,22-diol (submajor), appalachin (major).

Remarks: — Although we did not see the type, we did study authentic material from West Virginia and from other localities in the Appalachian Mountains. Appalachin is a new lichen substance of unknown composition; it is not a terpene most probably not the yellowish pigment reported for this species. Although we have recognized the latter in many specimens, we could not detect it on TLC plates after the solvents were evaporated. Appalachin seems to be a very rare compound in Heterodermia sens.lat., for despite analyzing more than one thousand specimens, we have only found it in L. appalachensis and one other specimen (RAMK 21767), which we tentatively have identified as Polyblastidium hypoleucum .

Selected specimens examined:— U.S.A. West Virginia: Pendleton Co.; 6 mi. W of Sugar Grove , base of trees, mountain sloppes, C . F . Reed 75688 ( NY) ; North Carolina: Swain Co.; Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sunkota Ridge , Ridge top forest with hardwoods dominant, on Quercus base, 2200–3400 ft., 35°29'42'' N, 83°24'46'' W, 21 June 2011, J . Lendemer 29427 ( NY) .