Rhizocarpon pycnocarpoides Eitner, Jahresbericht der Schles, 1911

Westberg, Martin, Timdal, Einar, Asplund, Johan, Bendiksby, Mika, Reidar Haugan,, Jonsson, Fredrik, Larsson, Per, Odelvik, Goeran, Wedin, Mats & Millanes, Ana M., 2015, New records of lichenized and lichenicolous fungi in Scandinavia, MycoKeys 11, pp. 33-61 : 45-46

Rhizocarpon pycnocarpoides Eitner, Jahresbericht der Schles, 1911

Rhizocarpon pycnocarpoides itner, Jahresbericht der Schles. Gesellschaft für vaterl. Cultur 88, 2: 46. 1911.

Holotype.

CZECH REPUBLIC, Krkonoše Mts, "an den alten Bergwerken im Riesengrunde" (not seen).

Distribution.

New to the Nordic countries. The species is apparently previously known only from the type locality in the Krkonoše Mts, where it was collected by Eitner about 1910 and by Kuťák in 1927. We have not seen the type material, but rather one duplicate of the material distributed by Kuťák in his exsiccate (Flechtensamml. Böhmen No. 520, O-L-184255).

The species grows on rocks with a high content of iron and the thallus is rust coloured (Fig. 10 ). It resembles R. oederi (Weber) Körb., which may be found in the same localities, but differs primarily by forming larger ascospores (mainly muriform, 24-30 × 10-15 µm in R. pycnocarpoides vs. mainly 3-septate, 12-18 × 3-7 µm in R. oederi ). Furthermore, the apothecia are more sessile, more regularly rounded, and with a thicker margin in R. pycnocarpoides , not in level with the areolae and angular to flexuouse as in R. oederi . An unpublished phylogenetic analysis of the genus Rhizocarpon (Bendiksby et al. in prep.), which includes four Norwegian specimens of R. pycnocarpoides , places the two species in sister position and well separated in the ITS marker.

Rhizocarpon pycnocarpoides has been found at five localities in Norway and one in Sweden. All localities are rich in rust stained rock and most sites are in or near old copper or zinc mines.

Specimens examined.

CZECH REPUBLIC. Krkonose. 1927, V. Kuťák, Kuťák, Flechtensamml. Böhmen No. 521 ( O L-184255). NORWAY. Buskerud: Ringerike municipality, the old mine Ertlien, 60°04.14'N, 10°02.89'E, alt. 160 m. 18 May 2013, Rui & Timdal 12854 ( O L-184267), TLC: No lichen substances; Nord-Trøndelag: Namsskogan municipality, S bank of river Namsen just W of Storholmen, 64°55.60'N, 13°08.72'E, alt. 200 m. 8 Aug. 2012, Haugan 11128 ( O L-183810), TLC: no lichen substances; Nordland: Fauske municipality, Sulitjelma, Furuhaugen, site of old copper mine (in operation 1896-1921), 67°09.02'N, 15°57.92'E, alt. 260 m. 11 Aug. 2012, Haugan 11125 ( O L-183808), TLC: no lichen substances; Oppland: Lunner municipality, the old zinc mine Nysetergru vene (in use 1889-1931), 60°15.69'N, 10°41.62'E, alt. 520 m. 16 July 2012, Rui & Timdal 12665 ( O L-179903); Sør-Trøndelag: Røros municipality, by river Orva upstreams from the bridge at Litlstuvollen, 62°38.78'N, 11°21.22'E, alt. 700 m. 16 June 2012, Bendiksby et al. 12630 ( O L-179554, L-179560), TLC: no lichen substances; Røros, Klasberget, old copper min NE of the farm Svensvollen. 62°39.25'N, 11°34.06'E. 16 June 2012, Westberg 12-061 ( S F265205), TLC: no lichen substances. SWEDEN. Torne lappmark: Karesuando par., Pältsan (Bealccan), N-facing slope of the middle peak (1444 m). Alt. 1240 m. 69,0106°N, 20,2366°E. 3 Aug. 2011, Westberg P122 ( S F265206).

Figures

Figure 10. Rhizocarpon pycnocarpoides (O L- 184267). Scale: 1 mm.