Umbilicaria aprina Nyl. ( Nylander 1869: 12 )

Davydov, Evgeny A., 2022, On the status of Umbilicaria aprina var. halei and U. canescens (Umbilicariaceae, lichenized Ascomycota), Phytotaxa 533 (1), pp. 91-97 : 94

Umbilicaria aprina Nyl. ( Nylander 1869: 12) Mycobank no. 408077

Type :— ETHIOPIA (=Abyssinia). Dedschen Mts, elev. 14200 ft. W. Schimper (holotype H–NYL 31742!) .

Gyrophora canescens Dombr. (Dombrovskaya: 1970a: 131), syn. nov. Type:— RUSSIA. [Murmansk Region]: Peninsula Kolaёnsis, montes Chibinensis , ad declivitatem australem montis Vudjavrczorr , elev. 380 m, in schistosis ad lapides nudis, No 6, 5 June 1965, A. V. Dombrovskaya (holotype LE-L266!, Fig. 3 )

Umbilicaria canescens (Dombr.) Dombr. (Dombrovskaya: 1970b: 131), comb. inval., ICN Art. 41.1 ( Turland et al. 2018).

Umbilicaria canescens (Dombr.) N. S. Golubk. ( Golubkova & Savicz 1978: 115).

Thalloconidia produced on most of lower surface of the holotype specimen of Gyrophora canescens , spherical to ellipsoid, brown to dark brown, mainly unicellular, rarely 2-cellular ( Fig. 4 ). The sizes were (7.3–)7.9–8.7–9.6(–9.9) × (6.2–)7.0–7.6–8.2(–8.7) μm for 1-celled (n=25), and (10.6–)10.6–11.2–11.8(–12.3) × (7.2–)7.8–8.4–9.0(–9.0) μm for 2-celled (n=10). The wall was 1.2–1.8 μm. The size and septation of thalloconidia correspond to those known for U. aprina ( Hestmark 1990) . The morphology of the holotype ( Fig. 3 ) and paratype specimens of Gyrophora canescens also agree with the circumscription of U. aprina except for the dark grey colour of the upper surface. However, this is not a reliable distinguishing character because it may reflect ecological variances and varies even among specimens of the same population. Thus, it is proposed to reduce U. canescens (Dombr.) Golubk. into synonymy with U. aprina .

Aside from the locus classicus in the Kola Peninsula Umbilicaria canescens was reported for the Kamchatka Peninsula (Dombrovskaya 1970a), and Mongolia ( Byazrov 1986). All the specimens cited by Dombrovskaya (1970a) and Byazrov (1986) were examined and refer to U. aprina . Umbilicaria aprina Nyl. is distributed in the high Arctic, the Antarctic and high mountain habitats worldwide ( Davydov et al. 2011, 2019b, Hestmark 2015, 2016). References to U. aprina in the Russian Altai ( Davydov & Zhurbenko 2008) actually refer to U. rhizinata . According to its distribution pattern I suspect U. aprina may be present in Altai but I haven’t seen any verified specimens yet.

Selected specimens examined. Exiccata: Feige & Lumbsch, Umbilicariaceae Exs. no. 27, 67; Lichenotheca Afganica no. 16, 25, 58.— RUSSIA. Murmansk Region: Monchegorsk District, Nyavka-Tundra Range, at the middle section of Liva River , 9 km upstream from Livozero Lake, elev. 140 m, spruce forest, on stone, 21 July 1973. A. V. Dombrovskaya (KPABG–2707); Kirovsk District , Khibiny Mts , the slope of Vuonnemyok River valley near the Yuksporlak pass, mountain tundra, on rock. 21 July 1974. A. V. Dombrovskaya (KPABG–4434); Novosibirskie Is. , Bennett Island , c. 76°40’N 149°00’E, 130 m, 23 July 1989. M. P. Zhurbenko 8990 ( LE – L6191 ) ; Republic of Buryatia: Khamar-Daban range, Baikalsky reserve , elev. 1600–1700 m, 26 July 1993. G. P. Urbanavichus ( ALTB – L178 ) ; Kamchatka Region: Elizovsky District, Khalaktyrka River, vicinity of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky , 12 July 1980, I. M. Antonova (KPABG–4410).— MONGOLIA. Kosogol Lake , Mundu-Sardyka Mt. 23 July 1902. A. A. Elenkin ( LE – L5286 ) ; Uvs aimag, Han-Hu-Hei Range, Dulga-Ula Mt. , elev. 2928 m, 9 July 1976. L. G. Byazrov 4584 ( LE – L5287 ) ; Zavkhan aimag: Somon Tudevtei , elev. 2000 m., 11 July 1976. L. G. Byazrov 4585 ( LE – L5288 ) .— TAJIKISTAN. Turkistansky range, elev. 3000–3400 m, 15 July 1986. I. Kudratov ( LE – L6239 ) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Umbilicaria canescens (LE-L266—holotype). Upper and lower surfaces. Scale=1 cm

FIGURE 4. Umbilicaria canescens (LE-L266—holotype). Non-septate and one-septate thallocondia (light microscopy). Scale=10μm