A new lichen and lichenicolous fungus from Larix laricina in patterned fens of boreal North America

Abstract

Calicium poculatum and Ramboldia canadensis are described as new species occurring on Larix laricina. Calicium poculatum, currently known from four Canadian provinces and the US state of Minnesota, is characterized by its short-stalked black ascomata, short ascospores and occurrence as a parasite on Lecanora caesiorubella subsp. saximontana. Based on DNA sequence data, its nearest relative is the likewise parasitic Calicium episcalaris. Ramboldia canadensis, currently known only from dead wood of Larix laricina snags in Canada, engages in a fully developed lichen symbiosis with Trebouxia simplex and is characterized in statu symbiotico by having a rimose to verrucose-areolate, greyish creamy sorediate thallus with dark brown to blackish soredia that begin on the margins, and the occurrence of a secondary metabolite similar to barbatolic acid. Phylogenetic analysis recovers it as sibling to a clade of the genus heretofore known only from the Southern Hemisphere and the lower latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. We also report Lecidella xylophila as new to North America.

Keywords

calicioid fungi; Calicium; kelo trees; Lecanoromycetes; phylogenetics; Ramboldia; saproxylic species; taxonomy; Trebouxia

Published in

Lichenologist
2024, volume: 56, number: 6, pages: 379-392
Publisher: CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

SLU Authors

• Thor, Göran

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Ecology
Microbiology

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0024282924000367

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/140148