Niebla arenaria

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Niebla arenaria
Niebla arenaria.jpg
Growing in fog desert habitat near Punta Baja, Baja California
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Parmeliaceae
Genus: Niebla
Species:
N. arenaria
Binomial name
Niebla arenaria
Spjut (1996)

Niebla arenaria is a fruticose lichen that grows along the Pacific Coast of North America in the fog regions of the northern peninsula of Baja California from near Colonet south to Morro Santo Domingo. The epithet, arenaria, is in regard to the species growing on sand. [1]

Contents

Distinguishing features

Niebla arenaria is recognized by a hemispherical thallus similar to the reindeer lichen Cladonia rangiferina , loosely attached to soil without a holdfast, intricately divided into narrow tubular prismatic branches shortly bifurcate near branch tips, the tips usually with black dot-like pycnidia, and by containing the lichen substance salazinic acid. It sometime forms pure colonies along sandy shores of bays and peninsulas, possibly as a result of the black-tipped branchlets breaking off and reproducing. Similar species are Niebla brachyura , distinguished by containing the lichen substance hypoprotocetraric acid, Niebla pulchribarbara , distinguished by containing protocetraric acid, and Niebla limicola , that differs by the broad flattened curled (crispate) branches near base from which short bifurcate acicular branchlets develop. [1]

Taxonomic history

Although Niebla arenaria was described in 1996, [1] it had been known earlier as a chemical variant of Niebla pulchribarbara that was distinguished from Niebla homalea by containing depsidones instead of depsides, and from Niebla josecuervoi by the lack of central basal attachment point and without apothecia. [2] These two groups of lichen substances could be separated by the medulla reaction to para-phenylenediamine, depsidones (pd+), depsides (pd-). [2] It was stated that: "This beautiful terricolous species forms extensive discontinuous mats...on beach terrace deposits atop coastal bluffs south of El Rosario and beyond, often in densities great enough to color the landscape yellow-green." [2] The extensive terricolous lichen growth has since been recognized to comprise N. arenaria and Niebla effusa , with occasional Niebla juncosa . [1] Niebla pulchribarbara is recognized strictly by the lichen substance protocetraric acid, and is considered a rare species found only in northern Baja California; however, one of the coauthors who first described N. pulchribarbara, has since considered the species to be a morphological and chemical variant of another species he described, N. josecuervoi, along with N. arenaria, and all other species that contain salazinic acid and hypoprotocetraric acid. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Niebla</i> (lichen) Genus of lichen

Niebla is a genus of yellow-green fruticose lichens that grow on rocks, trees, and shrubs within the fog zone of coastal North America, or more narrowly defined to occur on rocks and soil along the Pacific Coast from Mendocino County in California south to Baja California Sur.

Vermilacinia cedrosensis is a species of pale fruticose lichen that is endemic to Baja California, Mexico.

Vermilacinia paleoderma is a pale yellow-green fruticose lichen that occurs commonly along the fog zone of the Pacific Coast of Northern Vizcaíno Desert region of Baja Californica and occasionally in the Chaparral Islands of California.

Vermilacinia cephalota is a fruticose lichen usually found on trees, shrubs and wooden fences in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of North America from southeastern Alaska to the Vizcaíno Peninsula of Baja California.

Vermilacinia leopardina is a fruticose lichen usually that grows abundantly on the branches of shrubs in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of North America, in the Channel Islands and on the mainland of California from Santa Barbara County south to the Vizcaíno Peninsula of Baja California. The species is also reported to occur in Chile, based on a single specimen mounted on a large index card off to one corner with the type (biology) of Usnea tumidula in the center and bottom ; it is possible that the specimen of V. leopardina was from North America and placed on the card for the purpose of making a comparison to the type for Usnea tumidula, which was annotated Ramalina ceruchis var. gracilior Muell.Arg., a name of uncertain status. The epithet, leopardina, is in reference to the black transverse bands and irregularly shaped black spots commonly seen on the thallus branches that obviously imply a similarity to the leopard animal, while also making comparative distinctions to other black banded species: V. tigrina and V. zebrina, obviously to a tiger and zebra, and to V. leonis, obviously a lion, which has no black stripes.

Vermilacinia tigrina is a fruticose lichen that grows on branches of shrubs and on earth among cactus and shrubs in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of North America and South America; in North America found in the Channel Islands and near San Diego, California, and in central and southern Baja California; and in South America from Peru to Chile. The epithet is in reference to the irregular black spots or bands on the thallus branches.

Vermilacinia zebrina is a fruticose lichen that grows on bark of trees and shrubs, occasionally on rocks, in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of North America, from Puget Sound in northern Washington to near El Rosario in Baja California. The epithet, zebrina, is in reference to the black transverse bands on the thallus branches; however, the species is interpreted to include thalli without black bands.

Niebla brachyura is a rare fruticose lichen that grows along the Pacific Coast of North America in the fog regions of the northern peninsula of Baja California in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert. The epithet, brachyura, is in regard to the species resembling a crab lying on its back with its leg appendages pointing up.

Niebla effusa is a fruticose lichen that grows on gravelly soil along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California from near Punta Colonet south to near Punta Rosarito. The epithet, effusa is in reference to the thallus spreading widely along the surface.

Niebla flabellata is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert, from San Fernando Canyon to the northern shore of the Vizcaíno Peninsula west to Cedros Island. The epithet, flabellata is in reference to the flattened branches of the thallus.

Niebla josecuervoi is a fruticose lichen that grows on rock, stony soil and sand along the Pacific Coast of northern Baja California from near Misión San Vicente Ferrer to Punta Santa Rosalilillita. The epithet, josecuervoi is in honor of a field assistant, “Jose Cuervo”.

Niebla limicola is a fruticose lichen that grows on barren mud flats and on sand among salt scrub along the Pacific Coast of the Vizcaíno Desert, of Baja California from San Vicente Canyon to Scammon’s Lagoon. The epithet, limicola is in reference to the thallus growing on barren (alkali) soil.

Niebla marinii is a fruticose lichen that grows on lava along the Pacific Coast of Baja California from near San Fernando Canyon south to Morro Santo Domingo. The epithet, marinii, is in honor of a field assistant, Richard Marin, who accompanied the author on lichen-collecting expeditions to Baja California during 1985–1996, while he also assisted in the gathering of samples of flowering plants for cancer research.

Niebla pulchribarbara is a rare fruticose lichen that occurs on sandy beaches or gravelly soil along the Pacific Coast, at San Antonio del Mar and at Bahía de San Quintín, Baja California. The epithet, pulchribarbara, is in reference to the strikingly beautiful lichen mat formed by the thallus.

Niebla rugosa is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California in the Vizcaíno Desert. The epithet, rugosa is in reference to the wrinkled reticulated surface of the thallus.

Niebla sorocarpia is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of California in the Channel Islands and in Baja California in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert. The epithet, sorocarpia, is in reference to the terminal aggregate apothecia.

Niebla spatulata is a fruticose lichen that grows on small rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of central Baja California in the Vizcaíno Desert. The epithet, spatulata is in reference to the flattened branches of the thallus, in contrast to another similar species, Niebla flabellata.

Niebla tesselata is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert of Baja California. The epithet, tesselata, is in reference to the cobblestone pattern on the surface of the thallus branches.

Niebla undulata is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks in the fog zone along the Pacific Coast of Baja California in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert, and also in the Channel Islands. The epithet, undulata, is in reference to the wavy margins of the thallus.

Niebla versiforma is a rare fruticose lichen that grows on gravelly soil along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California on a mesa above San Antonio del Mar just north of Punta Colonet. The epithet, versiforma is in reference to the various shapes of a thallus branch.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Spjut, R. W. 1996. Niebla and Vermilacinia (Ramalinaceae) from California and Baja California. Sida Bot. Misc. 14
  2. 1 2 3 Rundel P., P. A. Bowler and T. W. Mulroy. 1972. A fog-induced lichen community in northwestern Baja California, with two new species of Desmazieria The Bryologist 75: 501–508.
  3. Bowler, P. and J. Marsh. 2004. Niebla. ‘Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert 2’: 368–380.