The Graphidaceae are a family of lichen-forming fungi in the order Graphidales. The family contains nearly a hundred genera and more than 2000 species. Although the family has a cosmopolitan distribution, most Graphidaceae species occur in tropical regions, and typically grow on bark.
Ochrolechia is a genus of crustose lichens in the family Ochrolechiaceae. These lichens typically form uneven, often thick, crust-like growths on various surfaces and are characterised by their white to pale grey thalli, which may have a greenish tint. The genus has a long evolutionary history, with fossils dating back to the Paleogene period, about 34 million years ago. Ochrolechia species have disc-like apothecia, which are usually yellowish or brownish-pink and often covered with a fine white powdery coating. The genus is widely distributed and includes both common and rare species, with some found in extreme environments such as arctic and alpine regions. Ochrolechia lichens produce diverse secondary metabolites, including orcinol depsides, depsidones, and xanthones.
Fissurina is a genus of lichenized fungi in the family Graphidaceae. It has about 160 species, most of which are found in tropical regions.
Clypeopyrenis is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Pyrenulaceae. The genus was circumscribed in 1991 by Dutch lichenologist André Aptroot, with Clypeopyrenis microsperma assigned as the type species. This lichen, originally described from material collected in Costa Rica, is also found in the Caribbean and South America. Clypeopyrenis porinoides was added to the genus in 2011; it was discovered in Costa Rica, close to the type locality of the type species.
Harpidium is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Harpidiaceae. The genus contains three species. Harpidium was circumscribed in 1855 by German lichenologist Gustav Wilhelm Körber, with Harpidium rutilans assigned as the type species.
Echinoplaca is a genus of lichens in the family Gomphillaceae.
Acarospora janae is a species of lichen in the Acarosporaceae family. Described as new to science in 2011, it is known only from New Mexico and Colorado in the United States, where it grows on siliceous rock.
André Aptroot is a Dutch mycologist and lichenologist. His primary research focus is on biodiversity, particularly tropical lichens, encompassing systematics, floristic surveys, and taxonomic reviews. A prolific researcher, he has published more than 500 scientific papers and described hundreds of new fungal and lichen species.
Amandinea maritima is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Caliciaceae. Found in Europe, it was described as new to science in 2011.
Fellhanera borbonica is a species of lichen in the family Pilocarpaceae. It was described as new to science in 2011. Found in Réunion, the specific epithet borbonica denotes the original name for Réunion, or Île Bourbon.
Chapsa rubropulveracea is a species of corticolous lichen in the family Graphidaceae. It is characterized by its transversely septate, translucent ascospores and pigmented apothecial discs. Found in Dominica, it was described as new to science in 2011 by Armin Mangold, Robert Lücking and H. Thorsten Lumbsch. The original specimen was collected by Mason Hale, who intended for it to be placed in the genus Thelotrema, but it was never published. The species epithet rubropulveracea refers to the red-pruinose apothecial disc.
Ramalina stoffersii is a species of lichen in the family Ramalinaceae. Known from the Lesser Antillean islands of Saba and St. Maarten/St. Martin and from Puerto Rico, it was described as new to science in 2011.
Lempholemma corticola is a species of lichen in the family Lecanoraceae. Known from Greece, it was described as new to science in 2011.
Chiodecton pustuliferum is a species of lichen in the family Roccellaceae. Found in Madagascar, it was described as new to science in 2011.
Acarospora flavisparsa is a species of lichen in the family Acarosporaceae. Found in Portugal and Spain, it was described as new to science in 2011. The lichen grows on acidic rock walls in inland areas.
Helge Thorsten Lumbsch is a German-born lichenologist living in the United States. His research interests include the phylogeny, taxonomy, and phylogeography of lichen-forming fungi; lichen diversity; lichen chemistry and chemotaxonomy. He is the Associate Curator and Head of Cryptogams and Chair of the Department of Botany at the Field Museum of Natural History.
Buellia sulphurica is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Caliciaceae. Found in the Galápagos Islands, it was described as new to science in 2011 by Frank Bungartz and André Aptroot. The type specimen was collected on the northern exposed inner caldera rim of the Alcedo Volcano on Isabela Island at an altitude of 1,055 m (3,461 ft). Here, near the sulphur vents, it was found growing on basalt rock; nearby vegetation included Adianthus concinnum and Tournefortia rufosericea. It has additionally been recorded on the Chico volcano, also on Isabela Island. The specific epithet sulphurica alludes to both the bright yellow colour of the thallus, and the proximity of the lichen to sulphur vents. Buellia sulphurica contains rhizocarpic acid, a secondary compound that is rare in genus Buellia.
Ocellularia albobullata is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling) lichen in the family Graphidaceae. Found in Costa Rica, it was described as new to science in 2011 by lichenologists Robert Lücking, Harrie Sipman, and Martin Grube. The type specimen was collected by Grube in Corcovado National Park at sea level. The lichen is known to occur in several locations in the coastal rainforest of southern Costa Rica. The specific epithet albobullata refers to the colour and form of the thallus, which is both white (albo-) and bullate. Ocellularia albobullata contains several secondary chemicals, including psoromic acid, subpsoromic acid, and 2'-O-demethylpsoromic acid.
Sekikaic acid is an organic compound in the structural class of chemicals known as depsides. It is found in some lichens. First isolated from Ramalina sekika, it is a fairly common lichen product in Ramalina and Cladonia, both genera of lichen-forming fungi. The species epithet of the powdery lichen Lepraria sekikaica refers to the presence of this substance—a rarity in genus Lepraria.
Verrucaria rhizicola is a rare species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), aquatic, crustose lichen in the family Verrucariaceae. Found in France, it was formally described as a new species in 2011 by lichenologists André Aptroot and Holger Thüs. The type specimen was collected by the first author from the Forêt de Boulogne (Pas-de-Calais). There, the lichen was growing on the roots of common alder. It is only known from the type collection. The species epithet rhizicola refers to its growth on roots. The roots holding the lichen are located along a stream in a temperate forest, and as such, the lichen is regularly immersed in fresh water. Verrucaria rhizicola is one of about 20 corticolous species in genus Verrucaria. In addition to its uncommon habitat, other unique characteristics of this species are the prominent, minute, shiny ascomata that have a distinctive dimidiate involucrellum, and the asymmetrically kidney-shaped ascospores.
