Lecanora girigangaensis Papong, Nayaka & Lumbsch, 2012

Papong, Khwanruan, Nayaka, Sanjeeva & Lumbsch, H. Thorsten, 2012, Two new species and a new record of Lecanora sensu stricto (Lecanoraceae, Ascomycota) from India, Phytotaxa 68 (1), pp. 24-28 : 25-26

Lecanora girigangaensis Papong, Nayaka & Lumbsch , sp. nov. ( Fig. 1 A & B ) Mycobank no. MB800987

Similar to Lecanora alba , but differing in having a thicker thallus, larger apothecia, and the absence of xanthones.

Type:— INDIA. Himachal Pradesh: Shimla district, Rohru, Jubbal , Khara Pathar , towards Giri Ganga , elev. 2,500 m, on bark, 23 May 2002, S . Nayaka & R . Srivastava 02-101483 (holotype LWG!, isotype F!) .

Thallus crustose, verrucose to verruculose, thick, glossy, yellowish green to green; margin indistinct; prothallus not visible. Soralia not seen. Apothecia sessile, strongly constricted at base, 0.4–2.5 mm diam., lecanorine; disc red-brown to brownish black, shiny, plane, epruinose; margin concolourous with thallus, prominent, thick, smooth, verruculose, flexuose. Amphithecial cortex uniform, gelatinous, inspersed with crystals, hyaline, 35–45 µm thick. Amphithecium with small and large crystals (= melacarpella– type). Hypothecium hyaline, 45–50 µm high, parathecium hyaline, with yellowish crystals, 5–7 µm thick. Hymenium hyaline, 65–75 µm high, clear. Epihymenium light brown, 8–10 µm thick, without crystals (= glabrata– type); pigmentation and crystals not dissolving in K. Paraphyses sparingly branched, apically slightly swollen, hyaline. Asci clavate, 37.5–45.0 × 12.5–17.5 µm, 8-spored. Ascospores ellipsoid, 10.0–12.5 × 6.0– 7.5 µm. Pycnidia not seen. Chemistry: Thallus and apothecial margin K + yellow, C –, KC –, containing atranorin and usnic acid.

Notes: —The new species is characterized by having a rather thick, verruculose thallus, large apothecia with red-brown to brownish black, epruinose discs, with verruculose margins, a hyaline hypothecium, egranulose epihymenium, small, ellipsoid ascospores, and the presence of atranorin and usnic acid. Similar species containing usnic acid include L. alba Lumbsch in Lumbsch et al. (2003), L. interjecta Müller (1891: 390) , and L. ulrikii Papong & Lumbsch in Papong et al. (2011). The latter is readily distinguished by having lighter apothecial discs, larger ascospores, and containing the isoarthothelin chemosyndrome. Lecanora alba and L. interjecta differ in having a thinner thallus, smaller apothecia, and the presence of the arthothelin chemosyndrome. In addition, L. interjecta has a granulose epihymenium of the pulicaris- type.

Distribution and habitat: — Lecanora girigangaensis is known from two localities in Himchal Pradesh in northern India, where the species occurs on bark of trees in coniferous forests dominated by Pinus roxburghii and Cedrus deodara .

Etymology: —The new species is named after the locality where the type specimen was collected, close to Giri Ganga.

Additional specimens examined: — India. Himachal Pradesh: Solan distr., Chail Wildlife Sanctuary , elev. 2,000 m, on bark of Quercus , 2 Dec. 2000, S . Nayaka 20-86651 ( F, LWG) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. New Indian Lecanora species. A–B. L. girigingaensis (holotype). A. Detail of thallus showing apothecia. B. Habit. C–D. L. upretii (holotype). C. Detail of thallus showing apothecia. D. Habit. Scales: A–D=2 mm.