Cladonia mongkolsukii Parnmen & Ahti
Mycobank 517755
Primary thallus persistent, irregularly lobed to deeply laciniate, 0.77–1.85 mm long, 0.22–0.85 mm wide, lower surface white, ecorticate, upper surface greenish, corticate; podetia 10–65 mm tall, 0.35–3.00 mm thick, clavate, whitish grey to brownish, unbranched or slightly branched at apex, blunt, at first ascyphose but soon becoming tipped with very narrow scyphi, 1–3 mm in diam., 6–7 tiers of scyphi produced per podetium; podetial wall 87.5–150 µm: medulla 12.5–50 µm, stereome 70–100 µm; surface rough, ecorticate to discontinuously corticate with microsquamules, especially densely squamulate near tips; podetial squamules 0.58–1.98 mm long, 0.16–0.43 mm wide, upper part green, corticate, lower part whitish, ecorticate; apothecia pale brown to orange or brownish, terminal on podetia; ascospores simple, hyaline, oblong to ellipsoid, (6.4–)9–9.5–10(–14) x (1.6–)2.7–2.9–3.1(–4.2) µm, 8/ ascus; conidiomata not seen. Secondary chemistry: podetia: P+ orange turning red, K± yellow, C–, KC–, containing fumarprotocetraric acid (major) and homosekikaic acid (major).
Morphologically this new species resembles the Himalayan Cladonia awasthiana Ahti & Upreti (Ahti & Upreti, 2004), but that species differs in having sorediate podetia and microsquamules that are distributed over the entire length of the podetia and not densely squmulose near the tips. In our phylogenetic analysis (Parnmen et al., 2008) based on ITS sequence data, C. mongkolsukii [as cf. awasthiana; specimens SP271RAMK (EU113290) and SP283RAMK (EU113289)] was placed near Cladonia singhii Ahti & Dixit in the same clade with Cladonia fimbriata (L.) Fr., Cladonia gracilis (L.) Willd. subsp. gracilis and Cladonia ochrochlora Flörke. Stenroos et al. (2002) placed the last three species in their supergroup Cladonia.
The specific epithet honors the Thai lichenologist Pachara Mongolsuk (Bangkok).
At present, Cladonia mongkolsukii is known from lower montane scrub forests in north-east Thailand.
Type:—THAILAND: Pitsanulok Province: State Authority Agency areas, Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park; 16°59’N, 100°60’E, 1110 m; on rocks in lower montane scrub forest; May 2005, Parnmen SP271RAMK (holotype RAMK; isotype H).
Additional specimens examined (paratypes):—THAILAND. Pitsanulok Province: Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park, Lan Hin Pum; Jul 2002, Dangphui s.n. (RAMK); ibid., the office of the National Park and guesthouse; 400 m; Feb 2003, Dangphui s.n. (RAMK); ibid., the sideway to Ban CP house and the State Authority Agency; Feb 2003, Buarueng s.n. (RAMK); ibid., natural trail 100 m from car park; Feb 2003, Chaiyabutr s.n. (RAMK); ibid., Lan Hin Pum; Feb 2003, Homchantara & Diangsa s.n. (RAMK); ibid., the State Authority Agency areas; Jun 2003, Homchantara s.n. (RAMK); ibid., natural trail 100 m from car park; Jun 2003, Chaiyabutr s.n. (RAMK); ibid., Pha Chu Thong; Jun 2003, Homchantara & Diangsa s.n. (RAMK); ibid., the sideway to Lan Hin Pum; Jun 2003, Dangphui s.n. (RAMK); ibid., natural trail about 10 m from the State Authority Agency; Jun 2003, Chaiyabutr s.n. (RAMK); ibid., areas between the air raid shelter of the State Authority Agency; Jun 2003, Homchantara & Diangsa s.n. (RAMK); ibid., along the sideway to Lan Hin Teak; Jun 2003, Mongkolsuk s.n. (RAMK); ibid., along the sideway to Hmun Daeng waterfall; Mar 2004, Parnmen s.n. (RAMK); ibid., kilometer post 28; Apr 2004, Parnmen s.n. (RAMK); ibid., the State Authority Agency areas; May 2005, Parnmen s.n. (RAMK); ibid., Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary; Aug 2005, Parnmen s.n. (RAMK); ibid., the sideway to TV station; Aug 2005, Parnmen s.n. (RAMK).
Cladoniae awasthianae similis sed podetiis esorediatis et microsquamulosis differt.