Bryoria fruticulosa Li S.Wang & Myllys, 2017

Wang, Li Song, Wang, Xin Yu, Liu, Dong, Myllys, Leena, Shi, Hai Xia, Zhang, Yan Yun, Yang, Mei Xia & Li, Li Juan, 2017, Four new species of Bryoria (Lichenized Ascomycota: Parmeliaceae) from the Hengduan Mountains, China, Phytotaxa 297 (1), pp. 29-41 : 35-36

Bryoria fruticulosa Li S.Wang & Myllys sp. nov. ( Fig. 3 )

Mycobank # MB 816227

Thallus erect to decumbent, tertiary branches broom-like, curved and soft, twisted and fragile, fawn brown to yellowish green in color, apothecia ciliate on the margins when mature.

Type:— CHINA. Sichuan: Xiangcheng Co., Daxueshan Mt. , 4350 m elev., 28°34’ N, 99°49’ E, on bushes of Rhododendron aganniphum , 12 September 2002, L. S. Wang 02-23521 ( KUN-L, Holotype!; CBM, isotype!) .

Etymology:— The epithet “fruticulosa ” refers to the curved and broom-like third-order branches.

Morphology:— Thallus erect to decumbent, 2–6 cm tall, without clear main branch ( Fig. 3A ); surface basal part black, upper part chestnut brown to dark brown, shiny; branching irregular, without clear main axis, branches cylindrical, 0.3–0.5 mm in diam., branch angles obtuse, secondary branches rare, third-order branches dense near the tips, broom-like, slim and soft, curved and twisted, yellowish green to fawn brown, fragile when dried ( Fig. 3B ); lateral spinules usually near the branch tips, 0.1–0.3 mm long, black to fawn brown; spinulose branches near the branch tips, angles between dichotomies perpendicular, light brown and shiny; pseudocyphellae rare, fissuriform and concave, grayish white to light brown, c. 0.1 × 0.5 mm; soralia very rare, tuberculate, wider than the branches, 0.2–0.5 mm in diam., white to grayish white ( Fig. 3C ); isidia - like spinules absent; cortex single-layered, 25–80 μm thick, outer part brownish to black, inner part hyaline; medulla hyphae not ornamented, 4–5 μm in diam.; apothecia rare, sessile, lateral to sub-apical, exciple concolorous with the thallus, eciliate when young, spinulose cilia present when mature, 0.2–1 mm long, disc light yellow to yellowish brown, concave when young, becoming flat to convex when mature ( Fig. 3D ); asci: clavate, c. 45–50 μm, 8-spored, ascospores broadly ellipsoid to subglobose, simple and hyaline, 7–8 × 4–5 μm, spore wall 2 μm thick; pycnidia not seen.

Secondary metabolites:— Medulla P+ orange red, K–, C–, KC–, containing fumarprotocetraric acid.

Substrate and ecology:— On bark of Abies, Sorbus , Larix and Rhododendron , usually with Bryoria confusa and B. poeltii (Bystrek) Brodo & D.Hawksw. , at elevations between 2500–4600 m.

Distribution in China:— Sichuan, Xizang and Yunnan.

World distribution:— Only known from the Hengduan Mt. area in China.

Notes: Bryoria fruticulosa is characterized by erect to decumbent thallus, which is black in the basal part, twisted, fragile and broom-like branch tips, fawn brown to yellowish green color, and ciliate apothecium disc.

The species may be confused with B. bicolor in having olive-brown tips and black basal part, but the latter species has third-order branches arising at right angles, and flexible branches when dried, and its apothecia has no marginal cilia. Bryoria fruticulosa is similar to B. divergescens (Nyl.) Brodo & D.Hawksw. in having marginal cilia in the apothecia, but the latter species has stalk in the basal part, and has rather dense lateral spinules. Furthermore, it contains lobaric acid in addition to fumarprotocetraric acid.

Selected specimens examined:— CHINA. Sichuan Prov.: Daocheng Co., Yading Vil., 4300 m, 28 o 26’N, 100 o 20’E, 16 September 2002, L. S. Wang 02–21421. Xizang Prov.: Chayu Co. , Muruo Vil., 3912 m, 28 o 35’N, 98 o 01’E, 26 September 2014, L. S. Wang 14–46729. Yunnan Prov.: Deqin Co. , Baima Snow Mt. , 4440 m, 28 o 20’N, 99 o 04’E, 12 July 1981, X. J. Li 81–2149 ; Gongshan Co., 2500 m, 98 o 41’N, 28 o 05’E, 21 October 1999, L. S. Wang 99–18665 ; Lijiang Co., Jiuhe Vil., Laojunshan Mt. , 4150 m, 26 o 37’ N, 99 o 42’ E, 26 November 1999, L. S. Wang 99-18741a ; Luquan Co., Jiaozi Snow Mt. , 3650 m, 31 January 1992, L. S. Wang 92–13150 ; Shanggerila Ci., Geza Vil., Daxueshan Mt. , 4200 m, 28 o 34’ N, 99 o 49’ E, 23 August 2000, L. S. Wang 00–19940 .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Bryoria fruticulosa. A. Habit; B. Broom-like third-order branches; C. White soralia; D. Ciliate apothecia. scale = 1 cm in A, scale = 1 mm in B–D, photo by Li Song Wang.