Melanelia agnata (Nyl.) A. Thell

Melanelia agnata (Nyl.) A. Thell

Platysma agnatum Nova Hedwigia 60:416 (1995) ≡ Platysma agnatum Nyl., Flora, Jena 60:562 (1877) ≡ Cetraria agnata (Nyl.) Kristinsson, Lichenologist 6:144 (1974).

Description.

M. agnata has foliose thallus with flat, smooth, 0.25-2 mm broad lobes which are thicker on the margins and rounded at the ends ( Szczepańska and Kossowska 2017). The upper surface is glossy, olive-brown to dark brown. The lower surface is pale brown to dark brown in the centre, with single, dark rhizines. M. agnata possess pseudocyphellae which are larger on the lobe margins and smaller, punctiform on the upper surface of the lobes. Pycnidia are mainly marginal to laminal, partially immersed and globose with hyaline bacilliform conidia (4.5-5.5 × 1 µm). Apothecia are not seen in examined material.

Chemistry.

No secondary metabolites were detected by TLC.

Distribution.

M. agnata is a rare taxon occurring in arctic and boreal regions in North America and Europe, growing in open stands on siliceous and basalt rocks ( Otte et al. 2005). Available molecular data concern samples collected only in North America (Greenland) and North Europe (Iceland, Norway).

Haplotypes differentiation.

Six different haplotypes were identified in M. agnata (n = 10), of which two Polish specimens, collected in the Karpaty Mountains, have the same, not previously known, haplotype (Fig. 3 View Figure 3 , Table 2 View Table 2 ). It differs from other haplotypes in at least seven positions. However, the remaining specimens originate from Greenland, Iceland or Norway and no other samples from Central Europe have been sequenced until now. Four Icelandic specimens have the same haplotype, which is similar to the haplotype from Norwegian specimens. In contrast, Icelandic haplotypes differ from Greenlandic haplotypes in at least eight positions. Whether their genetic diversity supports conclusions from previous papers suggesting potentially unrecognised species lineages in the M. agnata genus ( Leavitt et al. 2014; Xu et al. 2017) remains unresolved and should be further studied.