Licea aurea D. Wrigley, Lado & Estrada, 2019

Basanta, Diana Wrigley De, Mier, Carlos De & Lado, Carlos, 2023, A taxonomic revision of the species of Licea subg. Licea (Myxomycetes), Phytotaxa 629 (2), pp. 95-128 : 100-101

3. Licea aurea D. Wrigley, Lado & Estrada , in Wrigley de Basanta, Estrada & Lado, Phytotaxa 391(3): 221 (2019) Figs. 3A–J

Sporophores sporocarpic, dispersed or grouped, sessile. Sporocarps subglose, 0.05–0.15 mm diam., golden yellowish brown. Peridium single, membranous, translucent with a rough inner surface; dehiscence by fracture along preformed lines leaving 4–6 polygonal platelets with well-defined margins, no clear areas, pegs or larger ornamentation at the edges. Spores free, yellow in mass, pale yellow by TL, subglobose, (13.5–)14–15(–16) μm diam., smooth, spore wall thick with a large thinner area on one side. By SEM the inner peridial surface is roughened by an irregular reticulum of warts, the platelet margins are a continuum with no other ornamentation; the epispore is smooth with a wrinkled surface on the thinner area. Protoplasmodium colourless.

Material examined: Holotypus. PERU. Arequipa, Caylloma, Chivay, Caylloma-Chivay community, route AR-109 to Chivay, km 65, 15º42´01”S 71º35´24”W, 4470 m, on dead leaf bases of Azorella compacta in moist chamber culture (pH 7.4) , 20-X-2016, dwb 3815 (MA-Fungi 91750)! . Arequipa: Chivay, Caylloma-Chivay community, route PE-1SE, km 60, 24 km S of Chivay, 15°42’41”S 71°36’22”W, 4747 m, on dead leaf bases of Azorella compacta in moist chamber culture (pH 7.4) , 9-XI-2012, dwb 3533. Caylloma, Chivay, Caylloma-Chivay community, route AR-109 to Chivay, km 57, 15º44´00”S 71º35´45”W, 4823 m, on dead leaf bases of Azorella compacta in moist chamber culture (pH 6.6) , 19-X-2016, dwb 3814 .

Habitat: on dead leaves of Azorella spp.

Distribution: Known only from the Peruvian Andes.

Icon.: Wrigley de Basanta et al. (2019: 219, Figs. 1–11 ).

Notes. This species was found from leaf bases inside the compact cushion of the host plant Azorella compacta in the Peruvian Andes at almost 5000 m elevation. The unique combination of characters of this species includes its tiny, sessile, golden yellow sporocarps ( Figs. 3 B – E ), the dehiscence of the peridium into a few polygonal platelets with no border ornamentation ( Figs. 3 E – H ), and the large, yellow, smooth spores, with a conspicuous germination pore ( Figs. 3 F – G, I – J ). This species differs from L. ampulliformis by its golden sporocarps with no ornamentation and no clear areas on the margins to the platelets vs. the wrinkled, yellowish brown sporocarps with clear margins to the platelets in L. ampulliformis . In addition, this species has smooth spores vs. warted spores in L. ampulliformis . Licea aurea differs from L. belmontiana Nann. -Bremek. by its larger spores, 14–15 µm diam. vs. 10–13(–14) µm diam. in the latter. In addition, L. belmontiana has a double peridium, not a single like in L. aurea and dark brown angular sporocarps.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Licea alpina. A–F (AH 28531, Holotype).A. Herbarium boxes and slides. B–D. Stalked and subsessile sporocarps. E. Spores and peridial platelets by TL. F. Spores by TL. Scale bars: B–D = 0.1 mm, E–F = 10 µm.

FIGURE 2. Licea ampulliformis. A–H, K–M (dwb 1988, MA-Fungi 98835, Holotype), I–J (dwb 2535).A. Herbarium box. B–D. Sessile sporocarps. E. Spores and peridial platelets by TL showing clear margins to the platelets (arrows). F–H. Spores by TL. I. detail of platelet margin showing clear area by SEM (arrow). J. Inner surface of a platelet showing warted surface. K–L Detail of open sporocarp showing platelets and spore by SEM. M. Spores by SEM. Scale bars: B–D = 0.1 mm, E = 20 µm, F–H, L = 10 µm, I–J, M = 5 µm, K = 50 µm.

FIGURE 3. Licea aurea. A–G. (dwb 3815, MA-Fungi 91750, Holotype), H–J. (dwb 3533). A. Herbarium box. B–D. Sporocarps. E. Whole sporocarp and spores by TL. F. Fragment of the inner surface of the peridium and spores. G. Spores by TL with thick walls and thinner germination area. H. Whole open sporocarp showing spores by SEM. I. Group of spores by SEM. J. Spore by SEM. Scale bars: B–D = 0.1 mm, E–G, I = 10 µm, H = 50 µm, J = 5 µm.

FIGURE 4. Licea belmontiana. A–J (NENB-5879, BR-MYC 5020057898868, Holotype). A. Herbarium box. B–C. Sessile sporocarps. D. Peridial platelets by TL. E. Spores by TL. F. Dehisced sporocarp by SEM. G–H. Peridial platelets by SEM showing margins without outgrowths (arrows). I–J. Warted spores by SEM. Scale bars: B–C = 0.1 mm, D–G = 10 µm, H–J = 5 µm.

FIGURE 5. Licea capacia. A–I (12486.Oltra, AH 42711, Holotype).A. Herbarium box. B–D. Sessile sporocarps. E. Peridial platelets by TL. F. Angular spores by TL. G. Peridial platelet margins by SEM showing double peridium (arrow) and no outgrowths. H–I. Spores by SEM. Scale bars: B–D = 0.1 mm, E–F = 10 µm, G–I = 5 µm.

FIGURE 6. Licea castanea. A (BM 3025, BM001089212, Lectotype); B–G (MA-Fungi 16013); H, J (MA-Fungi 29564); I (MA-Fungi 15932); K–S (Holotype of L. bryocorticola, HK 201113-07a, M-0313079). A. Herbarium box. B–D. Sessile sporocarps. E. Spores and peridial platelets by TL showing outgrowths on the edges. F–G. Spores by TL. H. Spore by SEM. I. Peridial platelets by SEM, showing outgrowths along the margins. J. Spore by SEM. K. Herbarium specimen. L–N sessile sporocarps. O–Q. Peridial platelets by TL showing outgrowths on the edges. R–S. Spores by TL. Scale bars: B–D, L–N = 0.1 mm, E–G, P–S = 10 µm, H–J = 5 µm, O = 20 µm.

FIGURE 7. Licea castaneoides. A–I (NENB 16135, ex Y.Y. 6407, BR5020070191601, Holotype). A. Herbarium box. B–C. Sessile sporocarps. D. Peridial platelet and spores by TL. E. Spores by TL. F. Dehisced sporocarp by SEM. G. Platelet by SEM showing double peridium with no outgrowths on the edge. H–I. Spores by SEM. Scale bars: B–C = 0.1 mm, D–F = 10 µm, G–I = 5 µm.

FIGURE 8. Licea chelonoides. A–J (NENB 5620, BR5020057361348, Isotype). A–B. Herbarium box. C–D. Sessile sporocarps. E. Peridial platelet and spores by TL. F. Spores by TL. G. Dehisced sporocarp base by SEM. H. Platelet outer surface by SEM. Whole platelet showing well-defined edges. I. Edge of a platelet by SEM showing double peridium and no outgrowths on the edge. J. Spore by SEM. Scale bars: C–D = 0.1 mm, E–F, H = 10 µm, G = 50 µm, I–J = 5 µm.

FIGURE 9. Licea eremophila. A–C, F–J, L (dwb 2826, MA-Fungi 79158, Holotype); D–E, K (dwb 3002). A. Herbarium box. B–C. Stipitate sporocarps. D. Sporocarps. F. Whole sporocarp and spores by TL. G. Platelets by TL with lighter edges (arrow). H–I. Polygonal spores by TL. J. Platelets by SEM showing well-defined margins. K. Spore by SEM. L. Spore by SEM. Scale bars: B–E = 0.1 mm, F = 20 µm, G–J = 10 µm, K–L = 5 µm.

FIGURE 10. Licea lignicola. A–I (HK 200820-27a, M-0313080, Holotype). A. Herbarium specimen. B–C. Open sessile sporocarps. D. Peridial platelet by TL. E. Spores by TL. F. Dehisced sporocarp by SEM. G. Platelet margin by SEM showing lines of concentrated warts. H. Group of spores by SEM. I. Spore by SEM. Scale bars: B–C = 0.1 mm, D–E = 10 µm, F = 50 µm, G–H = 10 µm, I = 5 µm.

FIGURE 11. Licea mariae. A–H (MYX 11149, Holotype).A. Herbarium fragment. B–C. Sessile sporocarps. D. Peridial platelets by TL. E–F. Peridial platelets with row of conical outgrowths (arrows). G–H. Spores by TL. Scale bars: B–C = 0.1 mm, D–H = 10 µm.