Steinera symptychia, (Tuck.) T. Sprib. & Muggia

Ertz, Damien, Poulsen, Roar S., Charrier, Maryvonne & Søchting, Ulrik, 2017, Taxonomy and phylogeny of the genus Steinera (Arctomiales, Arctomiaceae) in the subantarctic islands of Crozet and Kerguelen, Phytotaxa 324 (3), pp. 201-238 : 233

‘Steinera’ symptychia (Tuck.) T. Sprib. & Muggia ,

Fungal Diversity 58: 182 (2013). Basionym: Pannaria symptychia Tuck., Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts Sci. 12: 168 (1877). Degelia symptychia (Tuck.) P.M. Jørg., Bibliotheca Lichenologica 88: 233 (2004). Type:— CHILE. Juan Fernández, T. Hill (Hassler Exp. 1876; holotype FH, seen by Jørgensen 2004).

Notes: ‘ Steinera’ symptychia belongs to the Koerberiaceae but is phylogenetically distinct from all other genera in the family (Fig. 2). The species, known from the southern South America and New Zealand ( Jørgensen 2004, Fryday 2007), is morphologically similar to Henssenia but differs by a large foliose thallus and by large apothecia that are sessile with a thick, raised proper margin and by an I+ deep blue hymenium ( Jørgensen & James 1990, as Degelia fluviatilis ). Spribille & Muggia (2013) found that Degelia symptychia was phylogenetically related to Steinera and subsequently combined the species into that genus. However, as shown here, Steinera belongs to the Arctomiaceae and in our phylogeny the species is recovered as being probably better placed in its own genus, but further data are needed to confirm this. Degelia subcincinnata (Nyl.) P.M. Jørg. is likely closely related to ‘ Steinera ’ symptychia according to Jørgensen (2004) and Spribille & Muggia (2013), but molecular data are needed to verify this hypothesis.