(2009): Lichens in Scandinavia known mainly from Norwegian type ...

15 Per Magnus Jørgensen & Anders Nordin GRAPHIS SCRIPTA 21 (2009)
(only the clearly different Japanese T. pacifica
Harada is known to us), though the original
label does not clearly indicate that it grew on
the shore, only by the fjord. However, the
accompanying species indicates a seepage rock
in the aerohaline zone. It has not been
recollected in the type locality recently, which
is urgently needed as it may prove to be an
unusual, specialized species in its genus.
Thelidium sordidum Th.Fr.
Type: Norway, Finnmark, Varanger, Aldsok,
1868, Th. M. Fries (UPS!, holotype, Fig. 14).
According to Orange, who revised the type
specimen, this is probably an overmature
specimen of a Verrucaria species of the V.
murorum group, normally with simple spores.
Since V. murorum is much more southern in
Scandinavia the identity of the type specimen
remains obscure.
Thelidium xyloderma Norman
Type: Norway, Opland, Land, Aavella, 1880,
J. M. Norman (S!, holotype).
The type is a non-lichenized fungus growing on
lignum covered by an algal sheet. This is
accordingly no lichen.
Thrombium ebeneum Norman
Type: Norway, Vestfold, Larvik, Jordfalden,
1882, J. M. Norman (UPS!, holotype?).
This species was established by Norman (1884)
on the basis of its blackish green pigmentation
of the fruitbody wall and the 4-spored asci
(also observed by us), which separates it from
T. epigaeum, a combination of independent
characters which normally would indicate an
autonomous species. Since it, however, has not
been collected anywhere else, this establishes
doubt as to whether it was an accidental
variation of that species. The matter can only
be conclusively solved when more material is
discovered, so a search in the region is urgently
required. There ought to be another specimen
Figure 14. Thelidium sordidum, drawing by
A. Orange attatched to the type specimen.
in a Norwegian herbarium, so we are uncertain
about the status of the one found in UPS, where
Norman usually did not place his types.
Verrucaria atlantica (H.Magn.)
Type: Norway, Rogaland, Randaberg, 1939,
A. H. Magnusson 16858 (UPS!, isotype for
Dermatocarpon atlanticum H.Magn., Fig. 15).
This interesting species has had a chequered
nomenclatural history. When describing it
Magnusson (1949) was obviously unaware of
the older Dermatocarpon atlanticum Werner.
Werner (1951) then introduced a new name,
Dermatocarpon magnussonii. Unaware of that,
Magnusson (1952) presented another substitute,
Dermatocarpon litorale. The combination
into Verrucaria (Santesson et al.
2004) was fortunately not formally made. As
seen above, the basionym is illegitimate and
the species appears not to belong in Verrucaria
s.str., as understood by Gueidan et al. (2007).
As pointed out by Breuss (1990), it is closest
related to ‘Dermatocarpon’ norrlandicum
H.Magn., a rare and poorly understood species
only known from its type specimen from
Lycksele Lappmark, Sweden. A third species
in this group in our region, Dermatocarpon
nuoljae H.Magn., is also only known from its
type (from Torne Lappmark). The whole group
is in urgent need of recollection and study, as it
is difficult to evaluate the taxonomy based on
these three specimens, and the material is too
old for molecular studies. V. atlantica, though,
appears to be rather distantly related to the two