Badimia vezdana Lücking, Farkas & Wirth
Mycobank MB 517737
Thallus foliicolous, continuous, 10–40 mm across and 15–25 µm thick, strongly verrucose, pale bluish grey; verrucae hemispherical, 0.1–0.15(–0.2) mm diam., pale bluish grey to white, filled with yellow crystals. Apothecia rounded, 0.3–0.8 mm diam. and 150–220 µm high; disc plane to slightly concave, bright yellow to orange-yellow; margin distinct, slightly prominent, yellow to orange. Excipulum with indistinct structure due to strong incrustation with yellow crystals, 20–40 µm broad, grey, in K under pressure dissolving into free, moniliform hyphae with globose cells and constricted septa. Hypothecium 20–30 µm high, colourless to pale yellow, K–. Epithecium 5–10 µm high, yellow granular. Hymenium 40–60 µm high, colourless. Asci 35–50 x 8–12 µm. Ascospores ellipsoid to fusiform, 3-septate, with slight constrictions at septa, 10–16 x 3.5–5 µm, 3–3.5 times as long as broad, colourless. Campylidia 0.7–1.6 mm broad, ferrugineous brown, wall incrusted with yellow crystals. Conidia filiform, 3–9-septate, 50–70 x 1.2–1.6 µm, with lateral appendages up to 10 µm long and 0.7 µm thick, colourless. Chemistry: usnic acid, zeorin.
This species was believed to be conspecific with the paleotropical B. galbinea (Kremp.) Vezda (Lücking, 2008). However, restudy of the available material confirmed the differences previously observed between the neotropical and paleotropical populations: the neotropical populations have a continuous, strongly and regularly verrucose thallus with white verrucae and yellow to yellow-orange apothecia, whereas in the paleotropical material, the irregularly laciniate thallus produces scattered and irregular, pale yellow verrucae and the apothecia are ferrugineous-orange. We therefore describe the neotropical populations under a separate name.
The epithet honors the late Antonín Vezda, one of the prominent lichen taxonomists of the 20th century (Wirth, 2009; Farkas, 2010; Farkas et al., 2010a, b).
Neotropical and restricted to the shady understory of undisturbed lowland rainforests.
Type:—COSTA RICA: Limón: Tortuguero National Park; 10°32’N, 83°30’W, sea level; lowland rainforest zone, primary rainforest close to village; Jun 1988, Lücking 88-56 (holotype F).
Additional specimens examined (paratypes):—COSTA RICA. Limón: Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge; Lücking 92-2386 (B, CR, GZU, LG, M, NY, STU, UPS), 92-2414 (B, CR, GZU, LG, M, STU, UPS). PANAMA. Colón: Barro Colorado Island; Lücking 92-581 (hb. Lücking). COLOMBIA. Nariño: La Espriella Forest Station, Sipman et al. 29591, 29665 (B). GUYANA. Potaro/Siparuni: Paramakatoi; Lücking 96-3779 (BRG), 96-3781 (US). Upper Takutu: 50 km S of Aishalton, trail to Kassikaityu river; Sipman 37086 (B). BRAZIL. Pará: Caxiuanã, 300 km W of Belém; Lücking 95-74 (F; Lücking, Lich. Fol. Exs. 57).
Sicut Badimia galbinea sed thallo continuo regulariter verrucoso differt.