Calopadia cinereopruinosa Bungartz & Lücking
Mycobank MB 517741
Thallus corticolous or between bryophytes, continuous or marginally dispersed into rounded, confluent patches, up to 30 mm across and 20–40 µm thick, ecorticate or with an indistinct cortical layer, smooth, pale grey to greenish grey. Apothecia rounded, 0.4–1 mm diam. and 250–350 µm high; disc plane, grey-black and with distinct, white pruina; margin distinct, rather thick and prominent when young, grey-black and white-pruinose. Excipulum 50–70 µm broad. Hypothecium 50–100 µm high, aeruginous. Apothecial base aeruginous. Epithecium 5–10 µm high, granular, grey-brown. Hymenium 120–190 µm high, colourless. Asci 100–170 x 20–30 µm. Ascospores single, oblong-ellipsoid, muriform, 45–80 x 15–25 µm, 3–3.5 times as long as broad, colourless. Campylidia sessile, 0.4–0.7 mm broad; lobe well-developed, hood-shaped, grey but white-pruinose; socle not apparent. Conidia filiform with clavate apex, 3–7-septate, 40–55 x 1–1.5 µm.
Calopadia cinereopruinosa closely resembles C. subcoerulescens (Zahlbr.) Vezda in the grey-black apothecia and aeruginous hypothecium. However, the apothecia are thickly and persistently pruinose, a feature not observed in C. subcoerulescens. The new species is similar to C. editae, in forming pruinose apothecia and ascospores shorter than 100 µm, but C. editae has brownish apothecia often with a yellowish tinge and the hypothecium is light brown. The two paratype specimens bear campylidia only and their identification is not absolutely certain; however, the pruinose lobes indicate that they belong to the new species, as other species in the genus with non-pruinose apothecia also have non-pruinose campylidia.
The epithet refers to the grey-black, white-pruinose apothecia.
The new species was found fertile only on Isla Sán Cristóbal in the transition zone towards the humid upper parts of the island. Collections with campylidia were also found on other islands mostly in the humid zone. The species usually grows on bark of stems and twigs.
Type:—ECUADOR: Galápagos: Isla Sán Cristóbal, area W of Cerro Pelado on the way to El Ripioso, 0°52’S, 89°28’W, 400 m; transition zone, open Psidium guajava shrubland with Macraea laricifolia and dominant annual herb Malachra capitata, on bark and wood, dead twigs of Psidium guajava, sunny, wind- and rain-exposed; Aug 2008, Bungartz 8489 (holotype CDS-41135).
Additional specimens examined (paratypes):—ECUADOR. Galápagos: Isla Santa Cruz, N of El Puntudo; Bungartz 7295 (CDS). Isla Santa Cruz, near Los Gemelos craters; Bungartz 5480 (CDS).
Sicut Calopadia subcoerulescens sed apotheciis cinereopruinosis differt.