Niebla eburnea

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Niebla eburnea
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Ramalinaceae
Genus: Niebla
Species:
N. eburnea
Binomial name
Niebla eburnea
Spjut (1996)

Niebla eburnea is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of North America, from Mendocino County in California south to near Punta Santa Rosalillita in Baja California, and also in the Channel Islands. [1] [2] The epithet, eburnea is in reference to the ivory like appearance of the cortex. [1]

Contents

Distinguishing features

Niebla eburnea is best recognized by the ivory-like cortex, appearing mostly smooth except for the creamy pastry-like ripples or creases, occasionally with transverse cracks; the thallus divided into subterete branches, generally half-twisted near base and often near apex, otherwise branches straight to curved, often with short elliptiform dilated segments, near apex more like the palm of the hand from which various claw-like to finger-like branchlets spread, often blackened around the base to a short distance above. Black dot-like pycnidia common along the margins, their development associated with thickened crinkled margins on the upper parts of branches and lobes. Niebla eburnea is further characterized by the presence of the lichen substance divaricatic acid, along with triterpenes and pigments concentrated near base. [1]

The ivory-like cortex of Niebla eburnea is 65–125 μm thick, in contrast to that of Niebla cornea , 45–60 μm thick, a similar species that also differs in having the lichen substance sekikaic acid. [1] Although Niebla eburnea can often be distinguished by its morphology, thin-layer-chromatography is a more definitive way to identify the species—by its lichen substance of divaricatic acid, with accessory triterpenes—in contrast also to Niebla disrupta , which has sekikaic acid and to species in the genus Vermilacinia that lack the depsides and have distinctive terpenes not found in Niebla; Vermilacinia laevigata and Vermilacinia procera are examples of species that can be confused with N. eburnea. [1] [2]

Taxonomic history

Niebla eburnea was recognized as distinct from Niebla homalea before it was described. On 30 April 1985 while collecting a minimum 25 gram samples near Cerro Solo in northern Baja California for a biodiversity screening of lichens in the search of new drugs by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Natural Products Branch to treat HIV, it was considered to represent another species that differed from Niebla homalea that had been collected near Punta Banda on the day before (29 April 1985, WBA-277, S & M 9032C, 58 g). [3] The sample for Spjut & Marin 9047A was not submitted to the NCI. Instead approximately 40 specimens from the sample were extracted with acetone to identify the lichen substances by thin-layer chromatography. All contained divaricatic acid, with accessory triterpenes. This material then became the type collection for Niebla eburnea, described by Richard Spjut in 1996, [1] and for exsiccati distributed later to other institutions through the ABLS Lichen Exchange [4] that was at Arizona State University.

It may be noted that Niebla eburnea has been treated as belonging to a broad spectrum of morphological and chemical variation in Niebla homalea that includes many different species of Niebla and Vermilacinia. This does not mean that Niebla eburnea is an equal synonym (taxonomy) as erroneously indicated by some. [2] This synonymy is based on the subjective interpretation of one taxonomic review of the genus [5] which has many errors and inconsistencies. [6]

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.

<i>Niebla homalea</i> Species of lichen

Niebla homalea is a species of fruticose lichen that grows on rocks in foggy areas along the Pacific Coast of North America, from Mendocino County, California south to Bahía de San Quintín on the main peninsula of Baja California, with an isolated occurrence further south on vertical rock faces above Punta Camachos, and other occurrences in the Channel Islands and on Guadalupe Island. The epithet homalea, given by Acharius, suggests it was in regard to the branches appearing flattened.

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.

Niebla caespitosa is a fruticose lichen that grows along the fog regions of the Pacific Coast of North America from southern California, including the Channel Islands, to the Vizcaíno Peninsula of Baja California. The epithet, caespitosa, is in regard to the clustered thallus branches spreading widely from a central attachment or holdfast

Niebla cornea is a fruticose lichen that grows along the fog regions of the Pacific Coast of North America from near Morro Bay, California to near Punta Santa Rosalillita in Baja California. The epithet, cornea, is in reference to the cortex appearing hard and close textured.

Niebla disrupta is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of California, from Marin County to San Luis Obispo County, in the Channel Islands, and on Guadalupe Island in Baja California. The epithet, disrupta was given by William Nylander possibly in reference to the terminal vine-like branchlets exhibiting a disruption or slight change in the direction of growth where apothecia develop, or possibly to the branchlets that appear to break off.

Niebla dissecta is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the Pacific coast of California, in San Mateo County and in the Channel Islands. The epithet dissecta is in reference to the thallus repeatedly divided into branches.

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 flagelliforma is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of Baja California mostly in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert. The epithet, flagelliforma is in reference to the individual branches of the thallus shaped like a flagellum.

Niebla laminaria is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the Pacific Coast of North America within the California Floristic Province, from Marin County, California south to Misión San Vicente Ferrer in Baja California, and in the Baja Channel Islands. The epithet, laminaria is in reference to the thallus divided into blade-like branches similar to a genus of brown algae, Laminaria.

Niebla lobulata is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of Baja California, from Bahía de San Quintín to Vizcaíno Peninsula and offshore islands, Isla San Martín, and Guadalupe Island. The epithet, lobulata is in reference to the lobed margins of the thallus branches.

Niebla podetiaforma is a fruticose lichen that grows frequently on small stones in fog regions along the Pacific Coast of Baja California from San Vicente Canyon to Morro Santo Domingo. The epithet, podetiaforma is in reference to a primary inflated branch of the thallus that resembles a podetium, a common feature in the lichen genus Cladonia.

Niebla siphonoloba is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of North America, in the Channel Islands, and from Bahía de San Quintín, Baja California to the Vizcaíno Peninsula. The epithet, siphonoloba is in reference to the pipe-like shape of the thallus branches.

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 suffnessii is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of North America within the Vizcaíno Desert region of Baja California. The epithet, suffnessii, is in honor of Matthew Suffness who was Chief of the Natural Products Branch in the National Cancer Institute during the late 1970s to mid 1980s, and later a coordinator of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) contracts for the drug discovery groups, and who also encouraged the screening of lichens and bryophytes in the search for new anticancer drugs.

Niebla testudinaria is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of North America, from Marin County, California to just south of Tijuana in Baja California, in the Channel Islands in California, and Isla San Martín and Guadalupe Island in Baja California The epithet, testudinaria given by William Nylander in 1870, is probably in reference to the dilated branch with a reticulated surface, similar to a tortoise shell.

Niebla turgida is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks in the fog zone along the Pacific Coast of Baja California in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert The epithet, turgida is in reference to the swollen branches of the thallus.

Niebla usneoides is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks in the fog zone along the Pacific Coast of Baja California in the Vizcaíno Desert and Magadalena Desert regions, and reported also from the Channel Islands and mainland of southern California. The epithet, usneoides is in reference to the similarity to the lichen genus Usnea.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Spjut, R. W. 1996. Niebla and Vermilacinia (Ramalinaceae) from California and Baja California. Sida Bot. Misc. 14
  2. 1 2 3 Niebla eburnea reported in Spjut (1996) as far north as Sonoma County; Mendocino County report from images shown and described on Enlichment web page titled Niebla homalea (Ach.) Rundel & Bowler, not all Niebla homalea according to Spjut (1996); Niebla eburnea, 1st and 12th images by Curtis Björk (Jughandle State Preserve, Mendocino County, 2011-07-09), 10th image by Jason Hollinger (Navarro State Park, 2007-02-24), a total of 14 images exhibited, 6 species represented. Other images in sequence are of Niebla disrupta (2nd & 12th images, Curtis Björk, Jughandle Preserve, 2011-07-09), N. homalea (3rd Jason Hollinger & 8th Curtis Björk images, Salt Point State Park, Jughandle State Park, 2007-02-24; 2011-07-09), Vermilacinia procera with Niebla testudinaria (4th image, Pt. Lobos St. Park), Vermilacinia combeoides (5th image), and Niebla cornea (6th, 7th & 9th images)
  3. ↑ Samples of lichens were collected from the Eastern and Western regions of the United States and Baja California, Mexico for anti-HIV screening during 1985. Prior to 1982, samples for antitumor screening were supplied in 1 kilogram (kg) quantity (dried) to the NCI by the USDA Agricultural Research Service. In October 1982, the funding for this cooperative agreement was terminated. World Botanical Associates (WBA) was formed by Richard Spjut in May 1983 to continue to supply samples for antitumor screening. Lichens were considered a potential novel source for new anti-HIV drugs since they had rarely been collected for the NCI antitumor screening program. Richard Spjut, the Senior Partner of WBA, proposed that the NCI reduce their 1 kg quantity to 25 grams in order to obtain a broad diversity of lichen samples. The NCI group maintains an inventory of natural product extracts with details on the collection data. Voucher specimens are deposited at the United States National Herbarium (Smithsonian Institution) and cited in Spjut's 1996 revision of the genus under N. homalea.
  4. ↑ ABLS Lichen Exchange, retrieved 21 Dec 2014
  5. ↑ Bowler, P. and J. Marsh. 2004. Niebla. ‘Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert 2’: 368–380.
  6. ↑ Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert: Book Review, Richard Spjut, web page retrieved 21 Dec 2014, http://www.worldbotanical.com/lichen%20flora%20review.htm
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