The Lichenologist 38(5): 421–424 (2006)  2006 The British Lichen Society doi:10.1017/S0024282906005731 Printed in the United Kingdom Two new Lecanora species from India Sanjeeva NAYAKA, D. K. UPRETI and H. Thorsten LUMBSCH Abstract: The new species, Lecanora luteomarginata and L. subpraesistens, are described from northern India. The first is characterized by apothecia with dark brown discs and bright yellow margins, while L. subpraesistens is a multispored species that is readily distinguished by an egranulose epihymenium and a melacarpella-type amphithecium. Key words: Lecanorales, Lecanora, new species, taxonomy, India Introduction The large, cosmopolitan genus Lecanora Ach. (Lecanoraceae) is characterized by having hyaline, usually non-septate ascospores, Lecanora-type asci, usually thalline apothecial margins and a crustose growth form. Molecular data (Arup & Grube 1998; Grube et al. 2004) suggest that it is a heterogeneous assemblage. However, a core group of Lecanora species related to the type of the genus L. allophana Nyl., can be distinguished (the L. subfusca group). This group is characterized by the presence of calcium oxalate crystals in the amphithecium, filiform conidia, and the production of atranorin and/or usnic acid in the cortex. The L. subfusca group has received considerable attention in recent decades (e.g. Brodo 1984; Brodo et al. 1994; Guderley 1999; Lumbsch 1994; Lumbsch et al. 1995, 1996; Miyawaki 1988), and the Indian species have also been studied (Upreti 1998; Upreti & Chatterjee 1997). One of us (SN) is currently revising Lecanora to allow a better understanding of the diversity of this genus in the Indian subcontinent. Among S. Nayaka and D. K. Upreti: Lichenology Laboratory, National Botanical Research Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow 226 001, India. H. T. Lumbsch: Department of Botany, The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA. the material studied were specimens of two new species that are described below. Materials and Methods Specimens are deposited in the herbarium LWG. Sections 16–20
m thick of thalli and apothecia were cut using a freezing microtome and stained with lactophenol cotton blue. The chemical constituents were identified using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gradient-elution high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (Lumbsch 2002). The Species Lecanora luteomarginata Nayaka, Upreti & Lumbsch sp. nov. Thallus crustaceus, continuus aut verruculosus vel verrucoso-areolatus, epruinosus, flavidogriseus vel griseofuscus. Prothallus non evolutus. Apothecia sessilia, ad basin constricta, 0·5–1·8 mm diametro, disci atrobrunnei vel griseo-brunnei, margines apotheciorum crassi, flexuosi, viridulo-lutei vel flavicanto-sulphurei. Amphithecium crystalla magna minutaque continens. Hypothecium hyalinum vel flavidum. Epihymenium rubrofuscum, egranulosum. Asci clavati, octospori, ascosporae ellipsoideae, 6–113·5–5·0
m. Thallus arthothelinum, atranorinum, chloroatranorinum et acidum thiophanicum continens. Typus: India, Uttaranchal, Chamoli district, Mandakini river valley, trail from Gaurikund to Rambara, 1980–2800 m, 18 Sept 1976, on boulders, K. Dange 76-165 (LWG-LWU—holotypus). (Fig. 1A) Thallus crustose, continuous to verruculose or verrucose-areolate, thin, opaque, 422 THE LICHENOLOGIST Vol. 38 F. 1. Habit of two new Lecanora species. A, L. luteomarginata (holotype); B, L. subpraesistens (holotype). Scales: A & B=1 mm. epruinose, smooth, yellowish grey to greyish brown; margin indistinct; prothallus not visible; isidia and soredia absent. Apothecia sessile, constricted at base, 0·5– 1·8 mm diam., lecanorine; disc dark brown to dark grey-brown, shiny, plane or concave, epruinose; margin greenish yellow to dark sulphur-yellow, prominent, thick, smooth, entire, flexuose. Amphithecial cortex uniform, gelatinous, interspersed with crystals, hyaline, 25–35
m thick. Amphithecium with small and large crystals (=melacarpellatype); crystals in groups forming a fine network. Hypothecium hyaline to yellowish, 20–25
m high; parathecium hyaline, without crystals, 7–18
m thick. Hymenium 2006 Two new Lecanora species—Nayaka et al. hyaline, clear, 50–60
m high. Epihymenium red-brown, 10–15
m thick, egranular; crystals absent; pigmentation not dissolving in K (=glabrata-type). Paraphyses sparingly branched, apically slightly swollen, hyaline. Asci clavate, 30–356–8
m, 8-spored. Ascospores ellipsoid, 6–113·5–5·0
m, with obtuse ends. Pycnidia numerous, immersed, pyriform; conidiophores belonging to type III after Vobis (1980); conidia filiform, curved, 16– 250·5–1·0
m. Chemistry. Thallus and apothecial margin K+ yellow, C+ orange, KC
, PD+ pale yellow, UV+ yellow, containing arthothelin, atranorin, chloroatranorin, thiophanic acid, and traces of unidentified terpenes. Etymology. The species name refers to the characteristic dark sulphur-yellow apothecial margins. Notes. Lecanora luteomarginata is characterized by a smooth, thin thallus, dark brown apothecia with bright yellow margin, melacarpella-type amphithecia and glabratatype epihymenia, and the presence of xanthones. It is very distinctive and the only species that is morphologically similar is L. hensseniae Vänskä, known from Brazil and India. However, that species is readily distinguished by having paler apothecial margins, a pulicaris-type epihymenium and a dark hypothecium (Lumbsch et al. 1996; Upreti & Chatterjee 1997; Vänskä 1986). At present L. luteomarginata is known only from its type locality in Uttaranchal, where it grows on siliceous rocks at an elevation that experiences a temperate climate. Lecanora subpraesistens Nayaka, Upreti & Lumbsch sp. nov. Thallus crustaceus, verruculosus vel verrucosoareolatus, epruinosus, albido-griseus vel luteo-griseus. Prothallus non evolutus. Apothecia sessilia, 0·5– 1·5 mm in diametro, disci fuscobrunnei, margines apotheciorum tenues, laeves vel verruculosi. Amphithecium crystalla magna continens. Hypothecium hyalinum. Epihymenium rubrofuscum, egranulosum. Asci clavati, 12–16-spori. Ascosporae late ellipsoideae, 423 8–166–9
m. Thallus atranorinum, chloroatranorinum et zeorinum continens. Typus: India, Jammu and Kashmir, Gulmarg, on south-east side, 2500–2800 m, on bark of tree trunk, 2 July 1977, K. Dange 77-466 (LWG-LWU—holotypus). (Fig. 1B) Thallus crustose, verruculose to verrucoseareolate, moderately thick, opaque, epruinose, smooth, whitish grey to yellowish grey; margin indistinct; prothallus not visible; isidia and soredia absent. Apothecia sessile, 0·5–1·5 mm diam., lecanorine; disc red-brown, plane to slightly convex, epruinose, shiny; margin concolorous with thallus, prominent, thin, entire to verruculose, slightly flexuose. Amphithecial cortex uniform, hyaline, gelatinous, interspersed with small crystals, 10–20
m thick. Amphithecium with large crystals (=pulicaristype). Hypothecium hyaline; parathecium hyaline, without crystals, 10–15
m thick. Hymenium hyaline, 60–80
m high. Epihymenium reddish brown, without granules, pigmentation not dissolving in K (=glabratatype), 10–15
m thick. Paraphyses sparingly branched, apically slightly swollen; apices reddish brown. Asci cylindrical-clavate, 40–6016–25
m, 12–16-spored. Ascospores broadly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, 8–166–9
m. Pycnidia not seen. Chemistry. Thallus and apothecial margin K+ yellow, C
, KC+ yellow, PD+ pale yellow, UV
, containing atranorin, chloroatranorin, zeorin, and traces of unidentified terpenes. Etymology. The species is named after the similar species L. praesistens. Notes. This new species is characterized by a pulicaris-type amphithecium, glabrata-type epihymenium and 16-spored asci. It is similar to L. japonica Müll. Arg., in having multispored asci and a glabrata-type epihymenium. The latter, however, has an allophana-type amphithecium and lacks secondary metabolites apart from the atranorin chemosyndrome (Guderley & Lumbsch, 424 THE LICHENOLOGIST 1999). Another multispored species, L. praesistens Nyl., is morphologically similar to L. subpraesistens, but differs in having a granulose epihymenium. At present L. subpraesistens is known only from the type locality in northern India, where it grows on the bark of trees at high altitudes. We are grateful to the Director, National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow for providing laboratory facilities and to Armin Mangold (Chicago) for the chemical analysis. R Arup, U. & Grube, M. (1998) Molecular systematics of Lecanora subgenus Placodium. Lichenologist 30: 415–425. Brodo, I. M. (1984) The North American species of the Lecanora subfusca group. Beihefte zur Nova Hedwigia 79: 63–185. Brodo, I. M., Owe-Larsson, B. & Lumbsch, H. T. (1994) The sorediate, saxicolous species of the Lecanora subfusca group in Europe. Nordic Journal of Botany 14: 451–461. Grube, M., Baloch, E. & Arup, U. (2004) A phylogenetic study of the Lecanora rupicola group (Lecanoraceae, Ascomycota). Mycological Research 108: 506–514. Guderley, R. (1999) Die Lecanora subfusca-Gruppe in Süd- und Mittelamerika. Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory 87: 131–257. Vol. 38 Guderley, R. & Lumbsch, H. T. (1999) Notes on multispored species of Lecanora sensu stricto. Lichenologist 31: 197–210. Lumbsch, H. T. (1994) Die Lecanora subfusca-Gruppe in Australasien. Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory 77: 1–175. Lumbsch, H. T. (2002) Analysis of phenolic products in lichens for identification and taxonomy. In Protocols in Lichenology. Culturing, Biochemistry, Ecophysiology and Use in Biomonitoring (I. Kranner, R. P. Beckett, & A. K. Varma, eds): 281–295. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. Lumbsch, H. T., Feige, G. B. & Elix, J. A. (1995) A revision of the usnic acid containing taxa belonging to Lecanora sensu stricto (Lecanorales: lichenized Ascomycotina). Bryologist 98: 561–577. Lumbsch, H. T., Guderley, R. & Elix, J. A. (1996) A revision of some species in Lecanora sensu stricto with a dark hypothecium (Lecanorales, Ascomycotina). Bryologist 99: 269–291. Miyawaki, H. (1988) Studies on the Lecanora subfusca group in Japan. Journal of the Hattori Botanical Laboratory 64: 271–326. Upreti, D. K. (1998) Notes on saxicolous species of the Lecanora subfusca group in India. Bryologist 101: 256–262. Upreti, D. K. & Chatterjee, S. (1997) Notes on some Indian species of Lecanora s. str. with a dark hypothecium. Feddes Repertorium 108: 575–582. Vänskä, H. (1986) Lecanora vainioi and L. ahtii, two new lichen species from Brazil, compared with five allied species. Annales Botanici Fennici 23: 121–141. Vobis, G. (1980) Bau und Entwicklung der FlechtenPycnidien und ihrer Conidien. Bibliotheca Lichenologica 14: 1–141. Accepted for publication 20 March 2006