Search

Phaeophyscia kaghanensis Niazi, Nadeem, Afshan & Khalid, sp. nov. (Fig. 2) The taxon is characterized by its greyish white to grey thallus, absence of asexual diaspores or cortical hairs, flat to slightly concave lobes, white medulla, black lower surface, large, Physcia-type ascospores of 24-30× 12-17 µm, and absence of secondary substances. HOLOTYPE. — Pakistan. Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Garhi Dupatta, 34°36’N, 73°35’E, 817 m alt., on tree bark, 2.X.2021, N. S. Afshan & A. R. Niazi, CKR-22 (holo-, LAH [LAH37615]; GenBank[OP933723]). ADDITIONAL SPECIMEN EXAMINED. — Pakistan. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kaghan Valley, Sharan, 34°30’N, 73°18’E, 2500 m alt., on tree bark, 22.VIII.2022, N. S. Afshan & A. R. Niazi, KA-17 (LAH [LAH 37616]; GenBank[OP 933724]). ETYMOLOGY. — The specific epithet ‘kaghanensis’ (Latin) refers to the type locality of Kaghan Valley. CHEMISTRY. — Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; no lichen substance detected by TLC. HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION. — The known collections of the new species are from moist temperate, coniferous forest in the Himalaya in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The specimens were found on siliceous rock. The forest is dominated by species such as Pinus roxburghii Sarg., Pyrus pashia L., Quercus oblongata D.Don and Q. glauca Thunb. The maximum daily temperature of the region varies around 30-32°C during the summer, the average winter temperature is 4°C, and there is moderate rainfall. MYCOBANK. — MB846997. DESCRIPTION Thallus Foliose, epiphloeodal, greyish white to grey, remaining unchanged when wet, loosely attached to substratum, 3-5 cm in diam., more or less circular in outline. Lobes Densely, dichotomously or irregularly branched, without pruina, lobe tips greyish-white, flat to slightly concave, imbricate, usually upturned near the tips, 0.8-2.5 mm wide. Soralia and isidia Absent. Upper surface Dark brown, paraplectenchymatous, 20-25 µm thick. Algal layer 30-35 µm thick. Photobiont cells Globose, 10-15 µm in diam. Medulla White. Lower surface Black, usually becoming pale to dark grey towards lobe tips, not rhizinate. Rhizines Absent. Lower cortex Paraplectenchymatous, dark brown, 28-35 µm thick. Apothecia Frequent, usually present, 2.5-4 mm in diam., stipitate, lacking cortical hairs, epruinose. Disc Chocolate brown to black, dull, epruinose, flat to strongly convex. Margins Prominent, creamy to pale white. Epihymenium Light brown to brownish orange, 13-17 µm. Hymenium Hyaline, 90-110 µm. Hypothecium Hyaline, 25-35 µm. Ascus Cylindrical to clavate, 70-83 × 22-28 µm. Ascospores Dark brown, ellipsoid, Physcia - type, 24-30× 12-17µm. Paraphyses Hyaline, branched and anastomosing, 2-3 µm thick, wider at the apex, 4-5 µm thick. Pycnidia Not found., Published as part of Niazi, Abdul Rehman, Afshan, Najam-ul-Sehar, Naseer, Arooj, Nadeem, Muhammad, Iftikhar, Fatima, Fayyaz, Iram, Ashraf, Asma, Imtiaz, Sawera, Fatima, Shahzadi Qamar & Khalid, Abdul Nasir, 2023, A new species and a new record of the genus Phaeophyscia Moberg (Lecanorales, Physciaceae) from Pakistan supported by phenotypic and molecular phylogenetic analyses, pp. 51-59 in Cryptogamie, Mycologie 20 (4) on pages 52-56, DOI: 10.5252/cryptogamie-mycologie2023v44a4, http://zenodo.org/record/7867201, {"references":["MOBERG R. 1995. - The lichen genus Phaeophyscia in China and Russian Far East. Nordic Journal of Botany 15 (3): 319 - 335. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1756 - 1051.1995. tb 00158. x","SVOBODA D. 1978. - Phaeophyscia hirsuta - a little known lichen in the Czech Republic. Mycotaxon 7: 302.","LIU D. & HUR J. S. 2019. - Revision of the lichen genus Phaeophyscia and allied atranorin absent taxa (Physciaceae) in South Korea. Microorganisms 7 (8): 242. https: // doi. org / 10.3390 / microorganisms 7080242"]}

Phaeophyscia microspora Aptroot & Schumm (Fig. 3) Virtuelles Herbarium de Flechtengattungen Hyperphyscia, Paeophyscia, Physcia und Physconia: 193 (Schumm & Aptroot 2019). SPECIMENS EXAMINED. — Pakistan. Margalla Hills, Islamabad, 1604 m alt., on tree bark, 33°41’35”N, 73°03’50”E, 09.IV.2019, A. Ashraf, K. Habib & M. Usman, T5-02 (LAH[LAH37622]; GenBank[OQ024193]); Azad Jammu and Kashmir, District Bagh, 33.9259°N, 73.7810°E, 4734 m alt., on tree bark, 10.XI.2021, A. Naseer, B-04 (LAH[LAH37624]; GenBank[OQ073895]); Azad Jammu and Kashmir, District Bagh, 33°55’33.24”N, 73°46’51.6”E, 4734 m alt., on tree bark, 12.XI.2021, A. Naseer, B-05 (LAH[LAH37625]; GenBank[OQ073896]); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kaghan Valley, Shogran, 34°64’N, 73°46’E, 2362 m alt., on bark, 24.VIII.2021, A. R. Niazi & M. Nadeem, SN-1 (LAH [LAH37618]; GenBank[OP933725]); Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kaghan Valley, Siri Paya, 33°71’N, 78°08’E, 3000 m alt., on tree bark, 26.VIII.2022, A. R. Niazi & M. Nadeem, BK-14 (LAH [LAH37617]; GenBank[OP933722]). CHEMISTRY. — Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; no lichen substance detected by TLC. HABITAT AND DISTRIBUTION. — Pakistani collections of this species are from humid to moist temperate, coniferous forest and scrub forest. The specimens were found on tree bark. The maximum daily temperature of the Himalaya region varies around 30-32°C during the summer, the average winter temperature is 4°C, while Margala Hills have an average maximum temperature of 34.3°C and minimum of 3.4°C with an average rainfall of 1200 mm per year. DESCRIPTION Thallus Foliose, epiphloeodal, rust grey to pale grey, remaining unchanged when wet, loosely attached to substratum, very variable in size, 2-4 cm in diam. Lobes Densely, dichotomously or irregularly branched, without pruina, lobe tips creamy white, flat to strongly convex, imbricate, usually upturned near the tips, 0.5-1.5 mm wide. Soralia and isidia Absent. Cortex Dark brown, paraplectenchymatous, 18-23 µm thick. Algal layer 28-34 µm thick. Photobiont cells Globose, 8-13 µm in diam. Medulla White. Lower surface Black, usually becoming pale to dark grey towards lobe tips, rhizinate. Rhizines Dense, black, simple, 1.3-2.5 mm long. Lower cortex Paraplectenchymatous, dark brown, 18-30 µm thick. Apothecia Abundant, usually present, 1.5-3 mm in diam., stipitate to very shortly stipitate, the margin entire or becoming regularly crenate, with prominent cortical hairs, epruinose or slightly pruinose. Disc Charcoal black, shiny, flat to strongly concave or sometimes convex. Margins Prominent, creamy to pale white. Epihymenium Light brown to orange, 18-24 µm. Hymenium Hyaline to creamy, 70-90 µm. Hypothecium Creamy white, 22-28 µm. Ascus Cylindrical to clavate, 45-55 ×12-14 µm. Ascospores Dark brown, ellipsoid, Physcia - type, 16-20 ×7.5-9 µm. Paraphyses Hyaline, branched and anastomosing, 1.7-2.8µm thick, wider at the apex, 3-4 µm thick. Pycnidia Not found., Published as part of Niazi, Abdul Rehman, Afshan, Najam-ul-Sehar, Naseer, Arooj, Nadeem, Muhammad, Iftikhar, Fatima, Fayyaz, Iram, Ashraf, Asma, Imtiaz, Sawera, Fatima, Shahzadi Qamar & Khalid, Abdul Nasir, 2023, A new species and a new record of the genus Phaeophyscia Moberg (Lecanorales, Physciaceae) from Pakistan supported by phenotypic and molecular phylogenetic analyses, pp. 51-59 in Cryptogamie, Mycologie 20 (4) on pages 56-57, DOI: 10.5252/cryptogamie-mycologie2023v44a4, http://zenodo.org/record/7867201, {"references":["SCHUMM F. & APTROOT A. 2019. - Virtuelles Herbarium der Flechtengattungen Hyperphyscia, Phaeophyscia, Physcia und Physconia. Books on Demand, Norderstedt, 632 p."]}

Niazi, Abdul Rehman, Afshan, Najam-ul-Sehar, Naseer, Arooj, Nadeem, Muhammad, Iftikhar, Fatima, Fayyaz, Iram, Ashraf, Asma, Imtiaz, Sawera, Fatima, Shahzadi Qamar, Khalid, Abdul Nasir (2023): A new species and a new record of the genus Phaeophyscia Moberg (Lecanorales, Physciaceae) from Pakistan supported by phenotypic and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Cryptogamie, Mycologie 20 (4): 51-59, DOI: 10.5252/cryptogamie-mycologie2023v44a4, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4878.3.2

The paper provides data on morphology, ecology, differentiation and distribution of the crustose, epiphytic and epixylic lichen Rinodina sibirica in Eurasia. An anatomical and morphological description of R. sibirica is provided based on 138 specimens studied. Based on these records, we show that the distribution of the species from the Russian Far East is ranging from the Kamchatka Peninsula to the Mongolian border in the south and the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Tyumen Region in the west. Current data suggest that R. sibirica is an American-Asian species with a wide Amphiberingian range, only slightly extending to Europe in the Ural Mts.

Seven genera new to science, i.e.: Helmutiopsis, Huriopsis, Johnsheardia, Klauskalbia, Kudratovia, Kurokawia and Poeltonia of the Physciaceae are proposed for the ‘Rinodina’ atrocinerea, the ‘Rinodina’ xanthophaea, the ‘Rinodina’ cinnamomea, the ‘Heterodermia’ obscurata, the ‘Rinodina’ straussii, the ‘Anaptychia’ isidiata and the ‘Physconia’ grisea groups consequently that all form strongly supported monophyletic branches in a phylogeny analysis based on a combined matrix of nrITS and mtSSU sequences. Phylogenetic positions of species belonging to the genera Kashiwadia s. l., Leucodermia, Mischoblastia,Oxnerella, Phaeorrhiza s. l., Polyblastidium and Rinodinella s. l. are discussed. Oxnerella afghanica which for the first time recorded as parasitic lichen species from both epiphytic and saxicolous crustose lichens is designated as type species for the genus Oxnerella. Sequences of the recently described Physcia orientostellaris as well as Huriopsis xanthophaea and additional sequences of Kashiwadia aff. orientalis and Mischoblastia aff. oxydata are submitted to the GenBank. The positions of Polyblastidium casaterrinum from Costa Rica, ‘Rinodina’ efflorescens from Białowieża, Poland, and ‘Mischoblastia’ confragosula from Cambodia in the Physciaceae are confirmed in a phylogeny analysis based on the nrITS sequences. The presence of ‘extraneous mycobiont DNA’ in lichen associations is exemplified with earlier incorrect identifications of Heterodermia, Kashiwadia, Kurokawia,Oxnerella and Poeltonia specimens. Fifty-six new combinations are presented: Helmutiopsis alba (for Rinodina alba Metzler ex Arn.), Helmutiopsis aspersa (for Lecanora aspersa Borrer), Helmutiopsis atrocinerea (for Parmelia atrocinerea Fr.), Huriopsis chrysidiata (for Rinodina chrysidiata Sheard), Huriopsis chrysomelaena (for Rinodina chrysomelaena Tuck.), Huriopsis lepida (for Lecanora lepida Nyl.), Huriopsis luteonigra (for Rinodina luteonigra Zahlbr.), Huriopsis plana (for Rinodina plana H. Magn.), Huriopsis thiomela (for Lecanora thiomela Nyl.), Huriopsis xanthomelana (for Rinodina xanthomelana Müll. Arg.), Huriopsis xanthophaea (for Lecanora xanthophaea Nyl.), Johnsheardia cinnamomea (for Rinodina mniaroea var. cinnamomea Th. Fr.), Johnsheardia herteliana (for Rinodina herteliana Kaschik), Johnsheardia jamesii (for Rinodina jamesii H. Mayrhofer), Johnsheardia reagens (for Rinodina reagens Matzer et H. Mayrhofer), Johnsheardia zwackhiana (for Lecanora zwackhiana Kremp.), Kashiwadia austrostellaris (for Physcia austrostellaris Elix), Kashiwadia jackii (for Physcia jackii Moberg), Kashiwadia littoralis for Physcia littoralis Elix), Kashiwadia nubila (for Physcia nubila Moberg), and Kashiwadia tropica (for Physcia tropica Elix), Klauskalbia crocea (for Heterodermia crocea R. C. Harris), Klauskalbia flabellata (for Parmelia flabellata Fée), Klauskalbia obscurata (for Physcia speciosa (Wulfen) Nyl. *obscurata Nyl.), Klauskalbia paradoxa (for Heterodermia paradoxa Schumm et Schäfer-Verwimp), Kudratovia bohlinii (for Rinodina bohlinii H. Magn.), Kudratovia candidogrisea (for Rinodina candidogrisea Hafellner, Muggia et Obermayer), Kudratovia luridata (for Buellia luridata Körb.), Kudratovia metaboliza (for Rinodina metaboliza Vain.), Kudratovia pycnocarpa (for Rinodina pycnocarpa H. Magn.), Kudratovia roscida (for Lecanora roscida Sommerf.), Kudratovia straussii (for Rinodina straussii J. Steiner), Kudratovia terrestris (for Rinodina terrestris Tomin), Kurokawia bryorum (for Anaptychia bryorum Poelt), Kurokawia isidiata (for Anaptychia isidiata Tomin), Kurokawia mereschkowskii (for Physcia mereschkowskii Tomin), Kurokawia palmulata (for Psoroma palmulatum Michx.), Kurokawia runcinata (for Lichen runcinatus With.), Kurokawia stippea (for Parmelia aquila var. stippea Ach.), Lecania safavidiorum (for Oxnerella safavidiorum S. Y. Kondr., Zarei-Darki, Lőkös et Hur), Leucodermia erinacea (for Lichen erinaceus Ach.), Mischoblastia confragosula (for Lecanora confragosula Nyl.), Mischoblastia destituta (for Lecidea destituta Nyl.), Mischoblastia moziana (for Lecanora moziana Nyl.), Mischoblastia moziana subsp. parasitica (comb. et stat. nova for Rinodina moziana var. parasitica Kaschik et H. Mayrhofer), Mischoblastia ramboldii (for Rinodina ramboldii Kaschik), Mischoblastia vezdae (for Rinodina vezdae H. Mayrhofer), Oxnerella afghanica (for Rinodina afghanica M. Steiner et Poelt), Oxnerella castanomelodes (for Rinodina castanomelodes H. Mayrhofer et Poelt), Physciella nigricans (for Lecanora nigricans Flörke), Poeltonia elegantula (for Physconia elegantula Essl.), Poeltonia grisea (for Lichen griseus Lam.), Poeltonia isidiomuscigena (for Physconia isidiomuscigena Essl.), Poeltonia perisidiosa (for Physcia perisidiosa Erichsen), Poeltonia venusta (for Parmelia venusta Ach.), and Polyblastidium albicans (for Parmelia albicans Pers.) are proposed.

This paper presents a new saxicolous species of Rinodina from the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia. Rinodina jacutica is characterized by spores of the Dirinaria-type and type A development, a light-gray thallus with a slight yellowish tinge and spot tests K+ yellow and P+ yellow, atranorin present. The paper provides data on the morphology, anatomy, ecology, and collection site of R. jacutica.

Rinodina jacutica Galanina & Konoreva sp. nov. Mycobank no: 841873 (Figs 1A–C) Thallus thin to thick, areoles at first discrete, becoming confluent, light gray with a slight yellowish tinge. Apothecia quickly become narrowly attached. Vegetative propagules absent. Ascospores Dirinaria - type, (16.5–) 18.0–20.0 (– 23.0) × (7.5–) 8.5–10.0 (–11.5) μm, lumina Physcia- like, spores lightly pigmented at maturity, most mature spores inflated at septum, more so on application of KOH; torus absent; walls lightly ornamented. Secondary metabolite atranorin by TLC. Type:— RUSSIA, Republic of Sakha, Oymyakonskiy District, near Ust-Nera, right bank of Ambar-Yuryuete, Larix gmelinii - Sphagnum -lichen forest, 64°30′31.6″N, 143°16′56.8″E, 1179 m a. s. l., 7 July 2016, L. A . Konoreva 75 (holotype LE 15578!, isotype VLA L –2928!). Thallus thin in young parts to thick (0.4 mm) in old parts, light gray with a slight yellowish tinge, areolate, margin of scattered areoles. Areoles 0.2–0.5 mm wide, at first discrete, margins even or dissected and sublobate, then confluent, surface, matt, slightly convex. Prothallus black, well developed, clearly visible between areoles in young parts of the thallus (Fig. 1A). Vegetative propagules absent. Apothecia numerous, broadly attached when young but quickly become narrowly attached, scattered when young and densely contiguous in older parts of the thallus, 0.9–1.0 (–1.5) mm diameter (n = 30); disc black, at first plane, becoming slightly convex; thalline margin concolorous with thallus, mostly continuous but sometimes with a crenulate (beaded) appearance, to 0.1 mm wide, persistent, excipular ring absent. Сortex of apothecia to 20–30 μm wide with a slight yellowish tinge, not expanded below, epinecral layer absent, algal cells to 8.5–12 μm long. Proper exciple hyaline, 15 μm wide, expanding to 20 μm at surface, pigmented the same colour as epihymenium; hypothecium hyaline, 30–90 μm high; hymenium 80–150 μm high, paraphyses 1.5– 2.0 μm wide, not conglutinate, apices to 5.5–6.0 μm wide, forming a dark brown epihymenium, pigment arnoldiana - brown. Ascospores 8 per ascus, type A development, Dirinaria - type (Fig. 1: B, C; 2: A, B), (17.0–) 18.3–20.4 (–23.0) × (7.8–) 8.4–9.5 (–11.0) μm (n = 60), torus lacking, septal disc sometimes present (Figs. 1C, 2B 4), walls lightly ornamented. Chemistry: cortex K+ yellow, P+yellow (atranorin confirmed by TLC on 3 July 2021 by Paukov; and on 19 January 2022 by Konoreva). Etymology: The species is named after the site of its discovery, Yakutia, the cold pole of the northern hemisphere. Ecology: On stones in coniferous moss-lichen larch forest of the Ambar-Yuryuete river valley. Notes: The species was found in the Oymyakonsky Region, located in the eastern part of the Republic of Sakha (previously Yakutia) on the border with the Magadan Region and the Khabarovsk Territory. The Tas-Kystabyt Ridge (highest point 2341 m) is located within this region. The climate of the Oymyakonsky Region is very continental, the annual temperature range spans 100 °C (minimum -65 °C, maximum 35 °C). The region is extremely dry, the annual precipitation being around 200 mm. The region is in an area of continuous permafrost (Danilova, 2005). Larch woodlands occur at altitudes of 600(–800) m to 1200(–1600) m above sea level. At higher altitudes larch forests are replaced by thickets of dwarf pine, and mountain tundras are located at the highest elevations (Karavaev & Dobretsova, 1964; Danilova, 2005). Additional specimen examined (paratype). RUSSIA, Republic of Sakha, Oymyakonskiy District, near Ust-Nera, right bank of Ambar-Yuryuete, Larix gmelinii - Sphagnum -lichen forest, 64°30′31.6″N, 143°16′56.8″E, 1179 m a. s. l., 7 July 2016, L. A . Konoreva 65 (paratype LE 15579!)., Published as part of Galanina, Irina A., Sheard, John W. & Konoreva, Liudmila A., 2022, A new saxicolous species, Rinodina jacutica (Physciaceae, lichenized Ascomycota) from the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia, pp. 121-126 in Phytotaxa 564 (1) on pages 122-124, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.564.1.10, http://zenodo.org/record/7077729, {"references":["Danilova, N. S. (ed.) (2005) Diversity of the flora of Yakutia. Publishing house of SB RAS, Novosibirsk, 328 pp. [In Russian]","Karavaev, M. N. & Dobretsova, L. A. (1964) A brief sketch of the vegetation of the river valley Nera in its lower reaches (basin of the upper Indigirka). Botanicheskii Zhurnal 49 (11): 1544 - 1559. [In Russian]"]}

This study aims to explore how lichen diversity, composition, and distribution vary with altitude, and environmental factors (temperature and relative humidity). The study was conducted in the forest of Gunung Bunga Buah, Selangor at five sites (different altitudes). Forty-four lichen species were identified. Their diversity, composition, and distribution correlated significantly with the altitude and environmental factors, increasing diversity at higher altitudes. Graphidaceae and Physciaceae species were present at all altitudes, and the dominant species changed according to altitude: Some Parmeliaceae species were found only at higher altitudes (601-1430 m) while Chrysothrix xanthina and a few Physciaceae species were present only at lower altitudes (0-600 m). These findings will provide additional information about the lichens of the tropical montane forest of Malaysia to enhance knowledge on how to manage and sustain lichens in this type of forest.

Lichen is a mutualism symbiotic organism between fungi (mycobiont) and photosynthetic symbiont in the form of algae (photobiont). It can be found from the lowlands to the highlands, growing epiphytically on soil, rocks, weathered wood, and tree bark, as shown on surface of the tea plants (Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze) in The PT Sarana Mandiri Mukti Tea plantation in Kepahiang regency, Bengkulu Province. The purpose of this research was to identify and find out the species of epiphytic lichens on the tea plant in this place. The study was conducted in May–November 2019. Samples was collected purposively, by taken ephyphitic lichens growth on the bark of tea plants stems. Then, samples was identified based on morphological characteristics at the Basic Science Biosystematics Laboratory, FMIPA University of Bengkulu. The data obtained were analyzed descriptively. It was identified as many as 35 species of lichens from the Ascomycota division, belonged to three classes, six orders, 11 families; those are Graphidaaceae, Stereocaulaceae, Parmeliaceae, Lecanoraceae, Malmideaeceae, Pertusariaceae, Teloschistaceae, Caliciaceae, Physciaceae, Arthoniaceae, dan Pyrenulaceae. 23 species have crustose type thalus and 12 species have foliose type thalus.

The lichen genus Rinodina in the Magadan Region is revised on the basis of extensive collections by the authors in 2011–2015. Fifteen species have been recorded, of which Rinodina cinereovirens, R. endospora, R. laevigata, R. metaboliza, R. olivaceobrunnea, R. parasitica, and R. subparieta are new for the study area. Rinodina endospora and R. sicula are rare in Russia and have only recently been found in Northeastern Asia. The presence of R. archaea and R. exigua in the Far East of Russia has not yet been confirmed.

The article presents information about the taxonomy and ecology of lichens in the Ohaliksai River basin. According to the conducted studies, 11 families of the Lecanoromycetes class (Parmeliaceae, Lecanoraceae, Ramalinaceae, Megasporaceae, Physciaceae, Teloschistaceae, Peltigeraceae, Collemataceae, Candelariaceae, Umbilicariaceae, Physciaceae), 1 family of the Eurotiomycetes class (Verrucariaceae) and 1 family Lichinaceae of the class Lichinomycetes were identified, 18 groups and 23 species were noted as widespread. The taxonomic analysis and ecological characteristics of the identified species are presented.

The Polylepis australis forests in Central Argentina support a great biodiversity in a relative small area. As a result of this study focusing on the diversity and ecology of the lichen communities of these forests, we present five new species for South America: Rinodina ficta, R. malcolmii, R. obscura, Usnea glabrata, Tetramelas triphragmioides and eight taxa new for Argentina: Calicium abietinum, Erioderma leylandii subsp. leylandii, Leptogium microstictum, Phaeophyscia endococcinodes, Rinodina dolichospora, R. intermedia, Usnea cirrosa and U. flavocardia. Unidentified Usnea species, similar to U. silesiaca, were also characterized and discussed.

The principal goal of our study was to test whether ecologically and chemically different populations of lichens in thePhysconia muscigenagroup belong to a single, or multiple, species. We used sequence data from three markers (ITS rDNA, mtSSU rDNA and TEF1-α) for the reconstruction of phylogenetic trees based on a sampling of mostly European and Canadian populations ofP. muscigena(Ach.) Poelt,P. muscigenavar.bayeri(Nádv.) Poelt andP. isidiomuscigenaEssl. In addition, we sought any possible geographical or ecological trends among chemotypes and haplotypes. Results show that: 1) sequence data of ITS rDNA and TEF1-α show large genetic variation in thePhysconia muscigenagroup, which does not correlate with geographical distribution or thallus chemistry; 2)Physconia muscigenavar.bayeriandP. isidiomuscigenaappear undifferentiated withP. muscigenain our phylogenetic trees, and the three species cannot be distinguished on the basis of ITS rDNA, mtSSU rDNA and TEF1-α sequences. We therefore synonymizedPhysconia muscigenavar.bayeriwithP. muscigenaand we recombineP. isidiomuscigenaas a variety ofP. muscigena.

Rinodina salicis Lee & Hur and Rinodina zeorina Lee & Hur are described as new lichen-forming fungi from forested wetlands or a humid forest in South Korea. Rinodina salicis is distinguishable from Rinodina excrescens Vain., the most similar species, by its olive-gray thallus with smaller areoles without having blastidia, contiguous apothecia, non-pruinose discs, paler disc color, wider ascospores in the Pachysporaria-type II, and the absence of secondary metabolites. Rinodina zeorina differs from Rinodina hypobadia Sheard by areolate and brownish thallus, non-pruinose apothecia, colorless and wider parathecium, narrower paraphyses with non-pigmented and unswollen tips, longer and narrower ascospores with angular to globose lumina, and the absence of pannarin. Molecular analyses employing internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences strongly support the two new species to be unique in the genus Rinodina. An updated key is provided to assist in the identification of all 63 taxa in Rinodina of the far eastern Asia.

The presented work is based on the study of extensive material collected by Ezhkin A. K. in 2014–2018 from the islands of Kunashir, Iturup, Paramushir, and Shikotan. As a result of the study, the new list of species of the genus Rinodina for the Kuril Islands consists of 17 taxa. One species, Rinodina herrei H. Magn., is new to northeastern Asia and Russia, 14 taxa are new to the Kuril Islands. The genus Rinodina is represented by species with disjunctive distribution by 35.3 % (6 species). They are divided into two groups: East Asian – West American (R. herrei, R. megistospora) and East Asian – East North American (R. ascociscana, R. subminuta, R. tenuis and R. willeyi). East Asian species account for 17.6 % (3 species: R. hypobadia, R. subalbida and R. xanthophaea) of the known number of Rinodina species of the Kuril Islands.

The species diversity is significantly associated with forest structure and species composition of tropical forest communities. Humans have also been exploiting lichens and their substances for various purposes since long time and they area also act as Bioindicators. The main objective of the present study is to document the diversity and distribution pattern of lichen in the dry areas of Malnad region. In present communication we analysed diversity, distribution pattern of 29 species of lichens from tropical forests in Mallenahalli forest of Chikkamagaluru district. The study area covers moist and dry deciduous type of vegetation. From the present enumeration we recorded 17 macrolichen, and 12 microlichens species belongs to 17 genera and 15 families. Habitat specialization can account for the coexistence of lichen species in tropical forests. The members of families Parmeliaceae (7), Physciaceae (3), Pertusariaceae (3) exhibited the maximum species in the area. In our study, the foliose lichens were dominant, comprising 14 species followed by 12 species for crustose and three species for fruticose lichens.

Key to Phaeorrhiza 1. Apothecia cryptolecanorine, disc concave to plane........................................................................................................... P. nimbosa - Apothecia lecideine, disc strongly convex......................................................................................... P. sareptana var. sphaerocarpa, Published as part of Zhong, Qiuyi, Zhang, Yanyun, Wang, Xinyu, Timdal, Einar, Gong, Hede, Wang, Zizhi & Wang, Lisong, 2021, Phaeorrhiza (Physciaceae), a new lichen genus record to China, pp. 228-238 in Phytotaxa 510 (3) on page 231, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.510.3.3, http://zenodo.org/record/5426411

The genus Phaeorrhiza is reported as new for the Chinese lichen biota, including the two species, Phaeorrhiza nimbosa (Fr.) H. Mayrhofer & Poelt and P. sareptana var. sphaerocarpa. (Tr. Fr.) H. Mayrhofer & Poelt. The genus grows on soil in alpine meadows, morphologically characterized by a squamulose to subfoliose thallus, rhizohyphae, and Beltraminia-type ascospores. P. nimbosa has cryptolecanorine to eulecanorine apothecia, while P. sareptana var. sphaerocarpa has lecideine apothecia. Descriptions, a key and a phylogram of these species are provided.

Three new genera Coppinsidea, Vandenboomia and Wolseleyidea are described and the genera Ivanpisutia, Lecaniella and Myrionora are resurrected on the basis of a phylogenetic analysisof multi-locus sequence data of the Ramalinaceae including the nuclear protein-codingmarker rpb2, the internal transcribed spacer and a fragment of the small mitochondrialsubunit. The genus Hertelidea was positioned within the Ramalina clade of the phylogenetic tree of the Ramalinaceae. Bacidia sipmanii, Phyllopsora chlorophaea, P. castaneocincta and Ramalina subbreviuscula were recorded from South Korea for the first time here confirming by molecular data, too.Forty-eight new combinations are proposed: Bacidia alnetorum (basionym: Biatoraalnetorum S. Ekman et Tonsberg), Biatora amazonica (basionym: Phyllopsora amazonica Kistenich et Timdal), Biatora cuyabensis (basionym: Lecidea cuyabensis Malme), Biatora halei (basionym: Pannaria halei Tuck.), Biatora kalbii (basionym: Phyllopsora kalbii Brako), Biatora subhispidula (basionym: Psoroma subhispidulum Nyl.), Coppinsidea alba (basionym: Catillaria alba Coppins et Vězda), Coppinsidea aphana (basionym: Lecidea aphana Nyl.), Coppinsidea croatica (basionym: Catillaria croatica Zahlbr.), Coppinsidea fuscoviridis (basionym: Bilimbia fuscoviridis Anzi), Coppinsidea pallens (basionym: Bilimbia pallens Kullh.), Coppinsidea ropalosporoides(basionym: Gyalidea ropalosporoides S. Y. Kondr., L. Lőkos et J.-S. Hur), Coppinsidea scotinodes (basionym: Lecidea scotinodes Nyl.), Coppinsidea sphaerella (basionym: Lecidea sphaerella Hedl.), Ivanpisutia hypophaea (basionym: Biatora hypophaea Printzen et Tonsberg), Ivanpisutia ocelliformis (basionym: Lecidea ocelliformis Nyl.), Lecaniella belgica (basionym: Lecania belgica van den Boom et Reese Naesb.), Lecaniella cyrtellina (basionym: Lecanora cyrtellina Nyl.), Lecaniella dubitans (basionym: Lecidea dubitans Nyl.), Lecaniella erysibe (basionym: Lichenerysibe Ach.), Lecaniella hutchinsiae (basionym: Lecanora hutchinsiae Nyl.), Lecaniella naegelii(basionym: Biatora naegelii Hepp), Lecaniella prasinoides (basionym: Lecania prasinoides Elenkin), Lecaniella sylvestris (basionym: Biatora sylvestris Arnold), Lecaniella tenera (basionym: Scoliciosporum tenerum Lonnr.), Mycobilimbia albohyalina (basionym: Lecidea anomala f. albohyalina Nyl.), Mycobilimbia cinchonarum (basionym: Triclinum cinchonarum Fee), Mycobilimbia concinna (basionym: Phyllopsora concinna Kistenich et Timdal), Mycobilimbia ramea (basionym:Bacidina ramea S. Ekman), Mycobilimbia siamensis (basionym: Phyllopsora siamensisKistenich et Timdal), Myrionora australis (basionym: Biatora australis Rodr. Flakus et Printzen), Myrionora ementiens (basionym: Lecidea ementiens Nyl.), Myrionora flavopunctata (basionym: Lecanora flavopunctata Tonsberg), Myrionora globulosa (basionym: Lecidea globulosa Florke), Myrionora hemipolia (basionym: Lecidea arceutina f. hemipolia Nyl.), Myrionora lignimollis (basionym: Biatora ligni-mollis T. Sprib. et Printzen), Myrionora malcolmii (basionym: Phyllopsora malcolmii Vězda et Kalb), Myrionora vacciniicola (basionym: Lecidea vacciniicola Tonsberg), Phyllopsora agonimioides (basionym: Coenogonium agonimioides J. P. Halda, S.-O. Oh et J.-S. Hur), Phyllopsora sunchonensis (basionym: Agonimia sunchonensis S. Y. Kondr. etJ.-S. Hur), Vandenboomia chlorotiza (basionym: Lecidea chlorotiza Nyl.), Vandenboomia falcata (basionym: Lecania falcata van den Boom, M. Brand, Coppins, Magain et Serus.), Wolseleyidea africana (basionym: Phyllopsora africana Timdal et Krog), Wolseleyidea byssiseda (basionym: Lecidea byssiseda Nyl. ex Hue), Wolseleyidea canoumbrina (basionym: Lecidea canoumbrina Vain.), Wolseleyidea furfurella (basionym: Phyllopsora furfurella Kistenich et Timdal), Wolseleyidea ochroxantha (basionym: Lecidea ochroxantha Nyl.), and Wolseleyidea swinscowii (basionym: Phyllopsora swinscowii Timdal et Krog). The combination Biatora longispora (Degel.)Lendemer et Printzen is validated here. The new names Biatora vezdana for Lecaniafurfuracea Vĕzda and Coppinsidea vainioana for Lecidea sphaeroidiza Vain. are proposed. The phenomenon of presence of ‘extraneous mycobiont DNA’ in lichen association, i.e. DNA, belonging neither to mycobiont nor photobiont or to endophytic fungi is for the first time illustrated. So the presence of nrITS and mtSSU sequences of crustose lichen Coppinsidea ropalosporoides in thalli of crustose Verrucaria margacea and foliose Kashiwadia orientalis, as well as nrITS of Phyllopsora sp. KoLRI in Agonimia pacifica and Biatora longispora, or nrITS and mtSSU of Biatora longispora in thalli of Agonimia pacifica, Oxneriopsis oxneri and Pyxine limbulata, Ivanpisutia oxneri in thalli of Rinodina xanthophaea, etc. is documented. Scarce cases of presence of ‘extraneous mycobiont DNA’ in representatives of the Teloschistaceae, Physciaceae known from literature data are discussed, too.

This article consolidates lichenological data on foliose lichens of Azerbaijan and addresses their species diversity. It was determined that the studied lichens belong to classes Eurotiomycetes, Lecanoromycetes and Lichenomycetes of the phylum Ascomycota. They are represented by 166 species, including 8 orders: Caliciales , Candelariales, Lecanorales , Peltigerales , Teloschistales , Umbilicariales , Verrucariales , Lichinales ; 15 families: Candelariaceae, Collemataceae, Lecanoraceae, Lobariaceae, Nephromataceae, Pannariaceae, Parmeliacea e, Peltigeraceae, Peltylaceae, Physciaceae , Placynthiaceae , Stereocaulaceae , Teloschistaceae, Umbilicariaceae, Verrucariaceae; and 51 genera. Such species as Anaptychia elbursiana , Enchylium ligerinum , Phaeophyscia hirsuta , Parmelia fraudans , Physconia perisidiosa , Punctelia rudecta , Tuckermannopsis chlorophylla , and Umbilicaria proboscidea are new to the lichen flora of the studied region. The article provides information on the location in the studied region, the substrate and the ecological group for each species. It was found that the species diversity of foliose lichens is is mainly formed by five polymorphic families, such as Parmeliacea e, Physciaceae , Collemataceae, Peltigeracea e, and Umbilicariaceae, thatcomprise 132 species (79.5% of the total number of species). Among genera, only five of themhave significant species diversity: Peltigera (17 species), Physcia (15), Umbilicaria (13), Collema (9) and Parmelia (5). As for the humidity factor, five groups were distinguished: mesophytes (132 species), xerophytes (17), xeromesophytes (9), hygromezophytes (6), mesoxerophytes(2). As for the substrate, foliose lichens were devided into five ecological and substrate groups: epiphytes (53 species), epilites (48), epigeids (22), epibriophytes (18), eurysubstrate linchens (25).

Lichens are one of the most successful group of organisms and form an important aspect of biodiversity of any region. But still lichens are under explored in most of regions. The present work has been carried out in Padder Valley, Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). A thorough survey of the lichen diversity from all the possible habitats was conducted in the study area which indicated the presence of 110 species belonging to 54 genera and 23 families. Parmiliaceae has been recorded as the largest family (16 genera, 27 species) and is followed by Physciaceae (8 genera, 14 species). Four families have been observed to be monotypic. Lecanora has been recorded as dominant genera with 7 species followed by Peltigera with 5 species. Corticolous was most preferred substratum exhibited by 61 species while foliose was the most dominant type of growth form represented by 52 species. The study has added 94 lichen taxa as new records for district Kishtwar and is first of its kind in Padder Valley, J&K.