Anomomorpha lecanorina Sipman
Mycobank MB 517733
Thallus crustose, corticolous, forming large patches over 5–10 cm wide, pale grey, irregularly fissured, delimited by a dark-brown prothallus line; upper surface flat to depressed-verrucose, smooth; cortex strong, 15–25 µm thick, of densely conglutinated, periclinal hyphae; medulla ca. 200 µm thick, of loose hyphae, filled with many small crystals showing white in polarised light, sometimes including old, overgrown cortical layers. Photobiont trentepohlioid, cells ca. 10 µm in diam. Ascomata frequent, rounded with prominent thalloid margin, 1–3 mm wide, sessile with constricted, wide base, with pale to dark grey-brown, pruinose, flat disc surrounded by a thin, ca. 0.05 mm wide, white proper margin, which is often separated by a split from the thallus-coloured, ca. 0.2 mm wide thalline margin. Hymenium 75–100 µm tall, inspersed with ca. 1–2 µm wide, irregular droplets disappearing in K, I–. Paraphyses ca. 1.2 µm thick, septate, unbranched except near the tip; terminal locules subglobose and to 3 µm thick, not spinulose. Hypothecium yellow-brown, I–. Asci cylindrical with attenuated base, ca. 90 x 10 µm. Ascospores hyaline, 8/ascus, uniseriate, submuriform, with rounded lumina, I+ dark blue-violet, 10–15 x 7 µm, with 4 x 1–2 locules, halonate. Pycnidia not seen. Secondary chemistry: thallus K+ orange, C–, KC–, UV–. Secondary metabolites: constictic acid (TLC).
The family Graphidaceae is long known as very diverse in the tropics, but for a long time the large number of species described on limited and often unconvincing characters was in most cases prohibitive for a careful identification. Recent studies by Staiger (2002) and Lücking et al. (2008) have greatly improved the situation and currently many additional species are being recognized, e.g. Dal-Forno and Eliasaro (2010). Anomomorpha lecanorina is a very unusual species, because its ascomata look much like species of Lecanora. However, the I-negative hymenium and I+ dark-violet, muriform spores are a certain indication for Graphidaceae, and the species matches well the genera Anomomorpha and Platythecium (Staiger, 2002). Ascocarps in these genera are usually lirelloid, but may be rather variable in shape. Apart from the rounded apothecia, A. lecanorina differs from other species of Anomomorpha, which mostly have norstictic acid, in the unusual chemistry. The region where the species was found appears to be particularly rich in locally endemic lichens. For instance, Sipman et al. (2009) report three endemic Hypotrachyna species from the area.
The epithet reflects the similarity of the ascocarps with the genus Lecanora, quite unusual in Graphidaceae.
Known so far only from three specimens from the Reserva Biológica Sán Francisco, prov. Zamora-Chinchipe, southern Ecuador, where it was found in montane primary forest at 2000–2500 m. Two specimens were collected in the canopy of Elaeagia obovata trees, which have a rather acid bark.
Type:—ECUADOR. Zamora-Chinchipe: Estacion Cientifico Sán Francisco Nature Reserve, S of road Loja-Zamora, ca. 40 km from Loja; 79°04’W, 3°58’S, 2025 m; primary montane forest on steep slope, tree near 5/I-27, Elaeagia obovata, ca. 40 cm dbh, on canopy branches; Jun 2004, Sipman 52804 (holotype B, isotype LOJA).
Additional specimens examined (paratypes):—ECUADOR. Zamora-Chinchipe: Cordillera Numbala, Sán Francisco Biological Reserve, S of road Loja-Zamora, transecto 1, near Refugio; Sipman & Mandl 51464 (B, LOJA). Estación Científica Sán Francisco Nature Reserve, S of road Loja-Zamora, ca. 40 km from Loja; Sipman 53142 (B, LOJA).
Anomomorpha ascomatibus rotundis margine lecanorino provisis, ad basin constrictis; hymenio insperso, ascosporis submuriformibus 10–15 x 7 µm, 4 x 1–2 loculis.