New Lichen Species & Genera

The question has recently been raised whether Nephroma silvae-veteris Goward et Goffinet, an endemic species of the Pacific Northwest, might not appropriately be interpreted as the cyanomorph of L. oregana. This view is supported by comparison of fungal nucleotide sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and the 5.8S gene of the nuclear ribosomal DNA repeat from N. silvae-veteris with those of L. oregana. The fact, however, that N. silvae-veteris and L. oregana differ in several morphological and anatomical characters, as well as in the nature of their associated chlorobiont, suggests they are not entirely genetically identical. Nephroma silvae-veteris appears to be morphologically intermediate between L. oregana and N. arcticum, and may perhaps be interpreted as a species that arose through hybridization between L. oregana and N. arcticum. It is concluded that although N. silvae-veteris may appropriately be accommodated in Lobaria, it should for the time being be considered distinct from L. oregana. Consequently the combination L. silvae-veteris (Goward & Goffinet) Goward & Goffinet is made.

The new species Heterodermia sitchensis is described from British Columbia, Canada, where it is apparently a rare epiphyte restricted to sheltered localities at low elevations along the highly oceanic outer coast. Zeorin and atranorin are its primary phenolic constituents. Particularly interesting are the sterile, but sorediate, apothecial structures of this species. Heterodermia sitchensis is possibly a vicariad of the fertile H. podocarpa (Bél.) Awas.

The monotypic lichen genus Ahtiana Goward is here segregated from Parmelia s. str., and is demonstrated to have a close phylogenetic relationship with Cetraria s. lat. The type species, A. sphaerosporella, has a western North American distribution similar to that of its primary phorophyte, Pinus albicaulis Engelm.

The lichen genus Brodoa, comprising the so-called Hypogymnia intestiniformis group, is here segregated from Hypogymnia s. str. on the combined basis of a differing morphology, spore size, cortical structure, substrate, ecology and distribution. Phylogenetically, Hypogymnia s. str. appears to be more closely allied to Cavernularia and Menegazzia than to Brodoa.

The new species Hypogymnia oceanica is described from British Columbia, Canada, where it occurs as an epiphyte in humid localities, particularly along the outer coast. Physodic, physodalic, and protocetraric acids are its primary constituents. Hypogymnia oceanica is evidently a vicariad of the fertile H. occidentalis Pike & Hale. A key to the Hypogymniae of North America is provided.

The lichen Parmelia (subg. Parmelia) hygrophila Goward & Ahti, sp. nova, is reported from Alaska, British Columbia (typus), Idaho and Washington, where it is a widespread epiphyte in humid and subhumid sectors at low and middle elevations. Salazinic acid and atranorin are its major phenolic constituents. A key to the species of the P. saxatilis group in the Pacific Northwest is presented.

Hypogymnia metaphysodes was first described from Japan and Sakhalin, and later reported from western North America. Here we show that the North American material currently referred to H. metaphysodes differs from that species not only morphologically and chemically, but also in ascospore size and shape. We also show that the North American material is in fact heterogeneous, and can be assigned to two well-defined species here described as new: Hypogymnia recurva sp. nov. and H. wilfiana sp. nov. Both of these lichens contain distinctive secondary metabolites: vittatolic acid in the case of H. recurva, and 2-methylene-3-carboxy-18-hydroxynonadecanoic acid (“apinnatic acid”), reported here for the first time from Hypogymnia, in H. wilfiana. Both of our new species are so far known only from western North America, where they occur primarily as epiphytes on the branches of conifers. Hypogymnia metaphysodes s. str. has not yet been reliably reported from this region and should be excluded from the North American lichen flora.

The terricolous lichen Peltigera chionophila sp. nov. is described from the western cordillera of North America. It can be distinguished from other members of the P. aphthosa group by its even lobe margins, its uniformly corticate apothecial reverses, its well-defined veins that darken gradually toward the thallus centre, and by ts strict occurrence in mountainous regions subject to heavy, prolonged snow cover. Comparisons of sequences of the Internal Transcriber Spacer of the nuclear ribosomal DNA repeat support the taxonomic distinctness of this species. A map of its global distribution is provided.

Based on extensive field studies, herbarium research and thin layer chromatography, the taxonomy, distribution and ecology of 28 species of Peltigera occurring in British Columbia are discussed. Distribution maps are presented for selected species, and a key to the North American taxa is provided. Peltigera cinnamomea Goward is described as new, and the blue-green phototype of Peltigera leucophlebia (Nyl.) Gyelnik is documented for the first time. Peltigera scabrosella Holt.-Hartw. is reported as new for North America based on a collection from the Yukon Territory, Peltigera hymenina is new for British Columbia.

The epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia apinnata sp. nov. is described from the Pacific coast of North America. Although superficially similar to H. enteromorpha, H. apinnata is distinguished from that species both morphologically (in producing few or no marginal lobules) and chemically (in lacking medullary lichen substances). Range maps are provided for these common Pacific Northwest endemics.

Hypogymnia canadensis Goward & McCune is described as a new species of lichenized fungi from the west coast of North America, ranging from southeastern Alaska to western Oregon, inland to southeastern British Columbia. In many respects similar to H. metaphysodes (Asahina) Rass., H. canadensis is distinguished from that species by an imbricate growth form, more open branching, lobe tips that readily become brown in exposed sites, a darker ceiling of the lobe cavity, and the presence of 3-hydroxyphysodic acid in the medulla (K+ slowly reddish brown). So far H. canadensis is known from conifers in cool suboceanic to oceanic climates.

Two distinctive species of Leptogium (lichenized Ascomycotina, Collemataceae) are described. L. polycarpum P.M.Jørg. & Goward from humid coastal regions has 4-spored asci and bears copious small apothecia all over its upper surface. L. subaridum P.M.Jørg. & Goward from semi-arid intermontane regions of southern British Columbia and northern Washington is easily recognized by its shiny, thick, isidia and special ecology.

A new foliicolous lichen species, Enterographa oregonensis (Ascomycota: Arthoniales: Roccellaceae) is described from temperate coastal North America. It differs from similar, tropical species in its combination of 5(17)-septate spores, a gelatinous perispore, short lirellae and presence of gyrophoric acid. The ecology of this species is discussed and a conservation assessment is recommended.

Recent surveys of the inland rain forests of British Columbia and adjacent regions have brought to light an unexpectedly rich epiphytic lichen flora, including several species apparently new to science. In the first of a series of papers, we describe eight species discovered during these surveys as new: Absconditella amabilis T. Sprib. (Ostropales), Bacidina contecta S. Ekman & T. Sprib., Biatora aureolepra T. Sprib. & Tønsberg, Biatora ligni-mollis T. Sprib. & Printzen (all Lecanorales), Collema coniophilum Goward (Peltigerales), Pertusaria diluta C. Björk, G. Thor & T. Wheeler (Pertusariales), Schaereria brunnea C. Björk, T. Sprib. & T. Wheeler (Ostropomycetidae incertae sedis) and Scoliciosporum abietinum T. Sprib. (Lecanorales). We also call attention to a ninth species, Bacidina sp. A, a poorly known and possibly undescribed colonizer of moribund cyanolichens. A majority of the above species appear to be confined to old-growth forests, while two (Biatora ligni-mollis and Schaereria brunnea) are currently known only from “antique” forests older than about 500 years. Many additional undescribed epiphytic lichens are known from inland rain forests, underscoring the need for further baseline biodiversity research in light of its ongoing disappearance as a result of resource extraction. In addition to the eight new species, we report Absconditella celata as new to North America, Absconditella lignicola as new to Canada and Montana, Bacidina chloroticula as new to British Columbia and Gyalideopsis piceicola as new to Montana.

The Acharian “form genus” Cetraria is a large heterogeneous assemblage of predominantly foliose lichens, most of which can be characterized morphologically by the presence of marginal apothecia and chemically by the production of various fatty acids. Beginning in the late 1960’s (Culberson & Culberson 1965, 1968), but especially since the late 1980’s (Awasthi 1987: Kärnefelt et al. 1992, 1993; Kärnefelt & Thell 1993; Mattsson & Lai 1993; Thell 1995a; Thell et al. 1995a,b), Cetraria sensu lato has been subject to intense taxonomic scrutiny. As a result of this activity, the species formerly united within it are now placed in approximately 20 segregate genera. The present study describes a new segregate genus, Kaernefeltia, to accommodate two western North American species hitherto known as Cetraria californica (Cornicularia californica) and Cetraria merrillii (Tuckermannopsis merrillii).

The formerly monotypic genus Ahtiana (type species: A. sphaerosporella (Müll. Arg.) Goward is shown to include two additional species. A. aurescens (Tuck.) Thell & Randl. and A. pallidula (Riddle) Goward & Thell. All three species are endemic to North America, and are characterized by their greenish yellow, upper surface, globose ascospores, and caperatic acid in the medulla. The habitat ecology of these lichens is very specialized. Ahtiana is presumably most closely related to Tuckneraria Randl. & Thell and other cetrarioid genera having globose ascospores.

Three lichen species forming both a foliose chlorotype and a dendriscocauloid cyanotype are documented from western North America. Lobaria amplissima is reported from northern California and southeastern Alaska and is new to North America. Sticta oroborealis Goward & Tønsberg, sp. nov. is described from a small area in north coastal British Columbia. The cyanotype of Sticta wrightii, hitherto unknown, is reported from coastal southeastern Alaska. The cyanotype of all these species occur primarily as epiphytes in old-growth forests supporting a high cyanolichen diversity. The occurrence of ”Dendriscocaulon” intricatulum (Nyl.) Henssen in Pacific North America is questioned.

Bryoria fremontii and B. tortuosa are the only species in the lichenized ascomycete genus Bryoria known to contain the pulvinic acid derivative vulpinic acid. In B. fremontii this yellow pigment is restricted to the soralia and apothecia, while in B. tortuosa it can occur throughout the thallus. The actual amount of vulpinic acid produced by B. tortuosa isd rather variable, however with intermediate specimens bearing both white and yellow pseudocyphellae. We studied the relationship between the two species with parsimony analysis using four DNA regions: 1) the internal transcribed spacers of the nuclear rDNA including the 5.8S region (ITS), 2) partial sequences from the intergenic spacer of the nuclear rDNA (IGS), 3) partial sequences from the small subunit of the mitochondrial rDNA (mtSSU), and 4) partial sequences from the protein-coding glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene (GAPDH). Our phylogenetic analysis revealed that B. fremontii and B. tortuosa must be regarded as conspecific, but allowing for some genetic differentiation between European and North American populations. Bryoria tortuosa is therefore synonymized with B. fremontii.