Candelariella boleana Etayo, Palice & T.Sprib. Nova Hedwigia 89: 546. 2009.

Westberg, Martin & Clerc, Philippe, 2012, Five species of Candelaria and Candelariella (Ascomycota, Candelariales) new to Switzerland, MycoKeys 3, pp. 1-12 : 4

Candelariella boleana Etayo, Palice & T.Sprib. Nova Hedwigia 89: 546. 2009.

Holotype.

SPAIN, Huesca, Central Pyrenees, Biescas, valle de Asieso, Barranco de Sta. Elena, 30TYN2126, 1100 m. 5 Aug 1993, J. Etayo 13812 & A. Gómez-Bolea (BCC-Lich., isotype herb. Etayo).

New to Switzerland. This newly described species is similar to Candelariella xanthostigma (Ach.) Lettau but is easily identified by its sphaerical spores (ellipsoid in Candelariella xanthostigma ). Its distribution is little known and it has hitherto been reported from Greece, Slovakia and Spain ( Etayo et al. 2009). All Swiss specimens were collected on deciduous trees in the lowest part of the montane belt between 700 and 1000 m. Only one specimen was collected in the framework of the Red List project and was identified as Candelariella xanthostigma . The small granular, corticolous species is a difficult group in Candelariella . When sterile it is often not possible to identify the different species. The thallus in Candelariella boleana is granular or becoming somewhat areolate with deeply incised areoles, up to c. 0.15 mm wide (Fig. 3). The Swiss specimens also showed aggregates of smaller granules (20-30 µm wide) here and there which could be interpreted as either groups of young granules or blastidiate soredia formed by disintegration of mature areoles. We do not know whether this is a characteristic feature of Candelariella boleana .

Specimens examined.

Bern: Frienisbergwald bei Bern - Meikirch, alt. 820 m, 15 June 1960, Frey (G 00298408); Fribourg: kleiner Wald zwischen Vaulruz und Semsales, westlich Les Ponts d’Amont, alt. 880 m, 1 July 1969, Frey (G 00122116); Nidwald: Emmetten, Alt Berg, alt. 985 m, 25 July 1995, Frei (G 00298380); Zug: Sihltal bei Unterschwand, alt. 660 m, 1964, Erb (G 00298381).