Hypotrachyna indica Divakar, Lumbsch, Upreti & A. Crespo
Mycobank MB 518238
Thallus corticolous, adnate, small, to 5 cm across. Lobes short, sublinear, dichotomously branched with truncate apices, 0.5–2 mm wide. Upper surface greenish grey, dull, strongly white-maculate, sometimes reticulate near lobe apices, pustulate, without soredia and isidia; upper cortex fragile and flaking, with blackened, eroded areas. Pustules subterminal, erupting apically, not forming soredia but may shed corticated granules from open pustule margins. Medulla white. Lower surface black with narrow brown margins, rhizinate, rhizines richly dichotomously branched, to 1.5 mm long. Apothecia and pycnidia not seen. Secondary chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow; medulla K–, C–, KC+ orange, P–; containing atranorin, barbatic acid, 4-O-demethylbarbatic acid, obtusatic acid and norobtusatic acid (trace).
Hypotrachyna indica is characterized by a strongly white-maculate upper surface, flaking upper cortex, pustules that do not form soredia and the presence of the barbatic acid complex. This new species resembles Hypotrachyna exasplendens (Hale) Hale, reported from Central America and South Africa (Hale, 1975), but differs in containing barbatic acid, 4-O-demethylbarbatic acid, obtusatic acid and norobtusatic acid instead of alectoronic acid; and in having pustulate upper surface, which break open apically but do not produce soredia rather than capitate soralia. It is also similar to Hypotrachyna exsecta (Taylor) Hale, known from Australasia and South East Asia (Elix, 1994a; Divakar & Upreti, 2003; 2005), but the latter has an emaculate, shiny, and sorediate upper surface, a continuous upper cortex (not flaking), and broad (2–5 mm wide) lobes.
The specific epithet refers to the name of the locality.
The species grows on tree trunk in open and humid coniferous forest at 2607 m elevation. At present the taxon is only known from type locality.
Type:—INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Western Ghat, Nilgiri Hills, Dodabetta, trail from Samer to Tiger Hills; 11º24’N, 76º44’E, 2607 m; on coniferous tree trunk, Divakar et al. 19715K (holotype MAF-Lich; isotypes F, LWG).
Additional specimens examined (paratypes):—INDIA: Tamil Nadu: Western Ghat, Nilgiri Hills, Dodabetta, trail from Samer to Tiger Hills; Divakar et al. 19715O, 19718P (MAF-Lich).
Sicut Hypotrachyna exasplendens sed differt acidum barbaticum, 4-O-demethylbarbaticum, obtusaticum, et norobtusaticum continente, et pustulata, sorediis destituta..