Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History)

More documents

Recommendations

Info

LICHEN GENUS MICAREA IN EUROPE 151 Biatora stizenbergeri Hepp, Flecht. Eur. no. 504 (1860). Type: Switzerland, Rifferschwell, on dry plant debris amongst roots in peat moor, Hegetschweiler (BM - lectotype!; isotypes distributed in Hepp. Flecht. Eur. 504: BM!, E!, WRSL!). Lecidea ilyophora Stirton in Scott. Nat. 5: 220 (1879). Type: Scotland, Perthshire, Black Wood of substances detected]). Rannoch, on lignum, ix 1879, J. Stirton BM - lectotype! [t.l.c. : no Lecidea melaena f. catillarioides Vainio in Medd. Soc. Fauna Fl. fenn. 10: 12 (1883). - Micarea melaena f. catillarioides (Vainio) Hedl. in Bih. K. svenska VetenskAkad. Handl. Ill, 18 (3): 83, 96 (1892). Type: Finland, Karelia borealis, Nurmes, Riihivaara, on bryophytes on rock, 1875, Vainio (TUR-VAINIO 21478 -holotype!). Lecidea melaena f. endocyanea Vainio in Medd. Soc. Fauna Fl. fenn. 10: 12 (1883). - Micarea melaena f. endocyanea (Vainio) Hedl. in Bih. K. svenska VetenskAkad. Handl. Ill 18 (3): 83, 96 (1892). Type: USSR, Karelia keretina, Kivakka, on mosses on rocks, 1877, Vainio (TUR-VAINIO 21476 - hole- type!). Bilimbia melaena f. aeruginosa Vainio in Acta Soc. Fauna Fl. fenn. 53 (1): 254 (1922). Type: Finland, Tavastia australis, Hollola, on lignum, 1875, Vainio (TUR-VAINIO 21461 - lectotype!). Bilimbia melaena f. epiphaeotera Vainio in Acta Soc. Fauna Fl. Fenn. 53 (1): 255 (1922). Type: Finland, Karelia borealis, Nurmes, Louhivaara, 'Kallion syrjalla', on bryophytes and old Cladonia squamules, 1875, Vainio (TUR-VAINIO 21472- lectotype!). ?Bilimbia melaena var. alnicola Savicz in Izv. imp. S. Peterb. bot. Sada 14 (I, Suppl.): 53 (1914). Type: USSR (?LE); request for loan received no reply. Bilimbia milliaria y. [var.] saprophila Korber, Parerg. lich. : 171 (1860); nom. superft. (Art. 63). Thallus effuse, superficial, of small, scattered to coherent or clustered, granular areolae (20-)25-80(-100) /xm diam, sometimes forming an uneven crust up to c. 150 fxm thick. Areolae very variable in colour, pale buff or pale dull green to dark grey-green; in section without an amorphous covering layer, outermost hyphae often with dark green (K-, HNO3-I- red) walls. Thallus often scurfy granular and blackish (especially in damp situations) owing to its disruption by invading dematiaceous fungi and foreign algae; in dry situations (e.g. undersides of fallen trunks) it may have a whitish or pale yellowish , farinose appearance due to a thick covering of an epiphytic alga, each cell of which is coated by hyaline, crystalline incrustations. Phycobiont micareoid, cells c. 4-7 jxm diam. Apothecia numerous, immarginate, convex-hemispherical to ± globose, sometimes tuberculate, black, matt or slightly glossy, 0- 12-0-4 mm diam, or to 0-5 mm diam when tuberculate. Hymenium 30-40(-50) /xm tall, dull to bright aeruginose or grey-blue, K— or K-l- green intensifying; alternatively lower part (or rarely the entire hymenium) dilute purple-brown, K-l- greenish or K-l- purple intensifying; pigment(s) often more dense around the apices of the paraphyses, thus appearing as a dark 'epithecium' (c. 2-10 jxm tall) that contrasts with the more dilute colouration of the rest of the hymenium. Asci clavate, c. 30-40-12-15 jxm. Spores ovoid-oblong or oblong, with rounded apices, straight, (l-)3(-5)-septate, 12-21 x4-5(-5-5) /xm. Paraphyses numerous, branched and anastomosing, sometimes a few unbranched, thin, 0-8-1 ^im wide; apices not swollen, or sometimes slightly incrassate and up to 1-5 jxm wide, hyaline but often individually surrounded by a pigmented hood of dense gel (easily detached in mounts in K, by tapping the cover slip). Occasionally intermixed with ordinary paraphyses are a few which are simple , stout (c. 1 -5-2 jxm wide) and coated with pigment throughout their length so as to appear 3-4 wide. Hypothecium c. 80-160 ^im tall, dark and ± black in thick sections, pigmentation variable (see 'observations' below), usually purple-brown and K— or K-l- purple intensifying, or, outer (more rarely whole) part K-l- olivaceous with central part ('core') remaining ± purplish brown; all parts HNO3-I- purple-red; hyphae c. 0-7-1-5 jxm wide but their walls coated with dense pigment so that they appear to be c. 3-4 /xm wide, interwoven or becoming vertically orientated towards the hymenium, sometimes a few extending into the hymenium as stout pigmented paraphyses; ascogenous hyphae similarly pigment, short-celled, c. 2-5 /am wide. Excipulum indistinct, sometimes evident in sections of young apothecia, green or purplish (usually darker than hymenium, but paler than hypothecium); hyphae radiating, branched and anastomosing, c. 0-7-1 jxm wide. Pycnidia rare, black, of two types: (a) c. 100-140 /xm diam, sessile; walls purple-brown or dull olive, K-l- green; conidia {macroconidia) curved or hamate, 0-7-septate, 18-33 x 1-1-5 /xm; (b)
152 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS c. 40-60 /Ltm diam, semi-immersed to sessile, walls green, K—;conidia (microconidia) fusiform- cylindrical, straight, 4-8-7x0-8-l /itm. Chemistry: Thallus K— , C+ red or C— , PD; sections of apothecia C— ; t.l.c: gyrophoric acid (healthy thalli), or no substances or gyrophoric acid in trace amounts (poorly developed or disrupted thalH). Observations: Micarea melaena is one of the commonest species of the genus, especially in northern Europe, and it displays a considerable amount of variation in thallus appearance and internal apothecial pigmentation. However, my examinations of over 200 specimens have revealed many intermediates between the known extremes. When well-developed, the thallus is composed of cohering, small, granular areolae and is pale buff to dull green in colour. In exposed situations the thallus often becomes a dark green-black due to the more intense pigmentation of the outermost hyphae of the granules. The appearance of the thallus can also be affected by the presence of other organisms (see description and p. 00). When on lignum, in dry exposed situations the thallus may become much reduced to a fine scattering of tiny (less than 30 /xm diam), blackish granules amongst the wood fibres. Such forms proved to be very common, during my explorations in Sweden. M. melaena also exhibits much variation with regard to the colouration of its apothecial tissues (especially the hypothecium). This is due to the presence of three (probably biosynthetically related) pigments, varying in their relative amounts and distribution. These pigments, all of which react HNO3+ purple-red, can be roughly identified as pigment A: green, K-l- green intensifying; pigment B: purple, K+ green; pigment C: purple, K+ purple intensifying. In the epithecium and hymenium pigment A is often found alone, but sometimes it is replaced in the lower hymenium (or in extreme cases throughout the entire hymenium and epithecium) by pigment C. Pigment C is usually dominant in the hypothecium, but is often replaced in the upper and outer parts (or more rarely ± throughout) by pigment B. If thin sections of apothecia in which pigment B is dominant are mounted in K the lower central ('core') of the hypothecium retains a purplish tinge (the rest having turned green), indicating the presence of a small amount of pigment C. The same type of variation, presumably involving identical (or very similar) pigments, is found in several other species, e.g. M. crassipes and M. sylvicola. The pycnidia of M. melaena are very inconspicuous and apparently sparingly produced. However, a close scrutiny of about 100 specimens revealed ten collections with the microconi- dial state and only two (e.g. Coppins 6041) with the macroconidial state. A mesoconidial state was not found but may well occur. Habitat and distribution: M. melaena is widely distributed and especially common in northwest Europe. Although, for a Micarea, it is a conspicuous species, it is often overlooked as a black or charred stain on the tops of stumps and peaty turf! It is a common inhabitant of stumps and fallen decorticate trunks in upland woodlands, or in lowland woodlands on very acid, nutrient-poor soils, and can exist in shaded to extremely exposed, sun-baked situations. In upland woods it can be found on the corticate trunks of healthy trees (especially Betula, Quercus, and Pinus). In areas heavily polluted by SO2 and its derivatives (e.g. West Yorkshire conurbation) it has been found on the acidified bark of Acer and Ulmus. Occurrences on decaying timber work (e.g. fence posts, gate rails and shingles) are not uncommon, especially in upland districts. Lichens associated with M. melaena on lignum and bark in the British Isles include Bryoria capillaris, B. fuscescens, Cladonia spp., Hypocenomyce scalaris, Hypogymnia physodes, Lecidea granulosa agg., L. icmalea, Micarea denigrata, M. prasina, Mycoblastus sterilis, Ochrolechia turneri, Parmelia saxatilis, Parmeliopsis spp., Platismatia glauca, Trapelia corticola, and Usnea spp. M. melaena is often terricolous, growing on oligotrophic, peaty soils, in montane regions or lowland heaths. In the English lowlands it is recorded from heaths in the Sussex Weald and east Norfolk. It is common on ± bare peat in the Pennines and Scottish highlands, but in the latter it is usually replaced near the higher summits (over c. 1000 m) by M. turfosa. Associated lichens on peaty turf in Britain include 'Botrydina' (i.e. Omphalina spp.), Cladonia coccifera, C. crispata,
Page 1 and 2:
O' M' Bulletin of the British Museu
Page 3 and 4:
. 18 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS 11. M.denig
Page 5 and 6:
20 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Micarea The g
Page 7 and 8:
22 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Morphology Th
Page 9 and 10:
24 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS (ii) Goniocys
Page 11 and 12:
26 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS A B Fig. 2 'M
Page 13 and 14:
28 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS 3 00
Page 15 and 16:
30 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 5 Sketch
Page 17 and 18:
32 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 6 Ascus
Page 19 and 20:
34 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 8 M. ala
Page 21 and 22:
36 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 10 A, M.
Page 23 and 24:
38 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 12 A,M.
Page 25 and 26:
40 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS r\ U Fig. 14
Page 27 and 28:
42 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 16 M. in
Page 29 and 30:
44 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 18 M. le
Page 31 and 32:
46 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 20 A-B,
Page 33 and 34:
48 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 22 M. me
Page 35 and 36:
Page 37 and 38:
52 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 26 M. pr
Page 39 and 40:
54 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS VJ Fig. 28 A,
Page 41 and 42:
56 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 30 M. su
Page 43 and 44:
58 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 31 - con
Page 45 and 46:
60 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 33 M. tu
Page 47 and 48:
62 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 34 Two t
Page 49 and 50:
64 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Table 1 Conid
Page 51 and 52:
66 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 36 Sugge
Page 53 and 54:
68 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 37 M. ad
Page 55 and 56:
70 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS s o o c o c o
Page 57 and 58:
72 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS n 1/ [\ f] n
Page 59 and 60:
Page 61 and 62:
76 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Fig. 45 M. li
Page 63 and 64:
78 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS B OOQog Fig.
Page 65 and 66:
Page 67 and 68:
Page 69 and 70:
84 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS In the case o
Page 71 and 72:
86 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS 6 - 5h 4 3 2
Page 73 and 74:
. 88 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS the epithec
Page 75 and 76:
90 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS fM. elachista
Page 77 and 78:
92 BRIAN JOHN COPPINS Saxicolous ha
Page 80 and 81:
LICHEN GENUS MICAREA IN EUROPE 95 T
Page 82 and 83:
LICHEN GENUS MICAREA IN EUROPE 97 a
Page 84 and 85:
Infrageneric considerations LICHEN
Page 86 and 87: LICHEN GENUS MICAREA IN EUROPE 101
Page 102 and 103: 5. Micarea bauschiana (Korber) V. W
Page 144 and 145: LICHEN GENUS MICAREA IN EUROPE Tabl
Page 154 and 155: 32. Micarea osloensis (Th. Fr.) Hed
Page 158 and 159: 34. Micarea prasina Fr. LICHEN GENU
Page 186 and 187:
LICHEN GENUS MICAREA IN EUROPE 201
Page 188 and 189:
Page 190 and 191:
Page 192 and 193:
Page 194 and 195:
Page 196 and 197:
conferanda (Lecidea) 205 confusula
Page 198 and 199:
populina (Lecidea, Micarea) 31,32 p
show all

Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History)

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?