Niebla sorediata

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

Niebla sorediata is a fruticose lichen that grows on rocks along the foggy Pacific Coast of North America, in the Channel Islands (San Clemente Island) of California and on Guadalupe Island of Baja California. [1] The epithet, sorediata, is in reference to the development of soredia (soredium).

Contents

Distinguishing features

Niebla sorediata is distinguished by a thallus divided into subtubular-prismatic [2] branches from a pale yellow pigmented holdfast, the primary branches—from the holdfast—generally oblong in outline, [3] to 5 cm long and 1.0–3 mm wide, branching above base but from below the middle, with obscure cortical ridges between branch margins, the cortical ridges along branch margins with short rod-like isidia (isidium) that develop one to three terminal capitate [4] granular soralia (soredium), and by containing divaricatic acid, with triterepenes. [1] Similar species are those that produce only isidia, Niebla isidiaescens , Niebla isidiosa , and Niebla usneoides . [1]

Taxonomic history

Niebla sorediata was recognized as a result of undertaking a taxonomic revision of the genus in regard to developing a lichen flora of Baja California, which began in 1986. [1] A specimen at the United States National Herbarium (Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Natural History, Botany Department), [5] collected 18 June 1966 by William Weber and Rolf Santesson (type (biology)) specimen, was recognized by Richard Spjut as a distinct species in the genus by the development of soredia, the only sorediate species in the genus. The type, collected 18 June 1966 (no. 185), from Los Angeles Co., San Clemente Island, "Eel Point, west shore of island, 100-200 ft altitude on blocks of talus a few hundred yards from the shore, was noted by the collectors on their herbarium label to represent “a peculiar pale-sorediate phase forming discrete colonies distinct at a glance from the typical form.”

Niebla sorediata has been interpreted to belong to a broad species concept of Niebla homalea , one that recognizes only three species in the genus, two by the medulla reaction to para-phenylenediamine, depsidones (pd+, Niebla josecuervoi ), depsides (pd-, Niebla homalea ) and one by isidia ( Niebla isidiaescens ), [6] based on the genus concept defined by Spjut; [7] however, the broad taxonomic concept has many inconsistencies. [8] For example two other isidiate species were indicated as synonyms of N. isdiaescens, whereas the isidiate-sorediate N. sorediata was listed as a synonym of N. homalea. [6]

Related Research Articles

Vermilacinia acicularis is a fruticose lichen that occurs in the Channel Islands of California. The type specimen was collected from San Clemente Island. Other specimens have been collected from Santa Barbara Island and Anacapa Island.

Vermilacinia laevigata is a fruticose lichen that occurs in the fog zone along the Pacific Coast of the California Floristic Province from Marin County, California to 15 miles south of Misión San Vicente Ferrer in Baja California

<i>Vermilacinia procera</i> Species of lichen

Vermilacinia procera is a fruticose lichen of local occurrences on rocks near the sea along the Pacific Coast from San Francisco California to the Channel Islands, and to Punta Escarpada in Baja California. The species is also reported to occur further south to the Vizcaíno Peninsula and on Cedros Island, but these reports are controversial in view of different interpretations of the species that include V. pumila and V. paleoderma that were not recognized at the time V. procera was described ; for example, a specimen collected on Guadalupe Island by Weber and MCoy (L-3605, COLO that was cited by Phillip Rundel and Peter Bowler in 1994 as belonging to Niebla procera, whereas in a revision of the genus by Richard Spjut in 1996, it was cited as belonging to Vermilacinia paleoderma. Both authorities generally agree to some extent on the description of the species and its geographical range within the California Floristic Province.

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 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 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 isidiosa is a fruticose lichen known only from Guadalupe Island. The epithet, isidiosa is in reference to isidia (isidium) on the thallus.

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 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 palmeri is a fruticose lichen that infrequently occurs on sandy beaches or gravelly soil along the Pacific Coast from San Diego, California to mesas just north of Punta Baja, about 15 miles southeast of El Rosario, Baja California. The epithet, palmeri is in honor of an Edward Palmer who collected the species in the vicinity of San Diego and on Isla Coronado.

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 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 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 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 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 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 Spjut, R. W. 1996. Niebla and Vermilacinia (Ramalinaceae) from California and Baja California. Sida Bot. Misc. 14
  2. ↑ Tubular: cylindrical lengthwise, prismatic like a prism in cross section
  3. ↑ Oblong: branches with nearly parallel margins, the length less than 10 times width
  4. ↑ Capitate: forming a head
  5. ↑ United States National Herbarium, http://botany.si.edu/colls/collections_overview.htm
  6. 1 2 Bowler, P. and J. Marsh. 2004. Niebla. ‘Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert 2’: 368–380.
  7. ↑ Spjut R. W. 1995. Vermilacinia (Ramalinaceae, Lecanorales), a new genus of lichens. In: Flechten Follmann; Contr. Lichen in honor of Gerhard Follmann; F. J. A. Daniels, M. Schulz & J. Peine, eds., Koeltz Scientific Books: Koenigstein, pp. 337-351.
  8. ↑ Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert: Book Review, Richard Spjut, web page, http://www.worldbotanical.com/lichen%20flora%20review.htm
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