| Vermilacinia ceruchis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Lecanorales |
| Family: | Ramalinaceae |
| Genus: | Vermilacinia |
| Species: | V. ceruchis |
| Binomial name | |
| Vermilacinia ceruchis | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Vermilacinia ceruchis is a fruticose lichen found on sand and rock in coastal fog areas of Peru and Chile. [1]
The typical form of the species (V. ceruchis) is distinguished from related species in the genus by its relatively few branches with a thick cortex (75–125 microns thick), and by the lack of apothecia. The secondary branches bifurcate near the apex, appearing antler-like and taper to a pointed apex. [1] The type specimens include one collected by Joseph Dombey near Lima of Peru and another by Archibald Menzies (lectotype) from Chile, possibly near Valparaíso. They appear to have been collected on sand based on the apparent habit of the thallus for the Menzies specimen, which shows branches arising mostly along one side of a main branch, and by its similarity to another specimen collected by Charles Darwin, who indicated that he found his specimen at "Iquique, 2,000 to 3,000 ft high, where clouds often hang ... lying without adhesion on bare sand ... through the coast mountains, no other plant on the coast for 16 leagues inward".
This sand-dwelling typical form may be extinct in view of Gerhard Follmann's reported effort to locate the “Darwin’s lichen oasis” since 1960. [2] In 1994, Follmann reportedly encountered a "lichen oasis" at 800–900 meters altitude further north than where the "Darwin Oasis" was thought to have occurred in northern Chile. Vermilacinia ceruchis was not among the "macrolichens" lichens he reportedly found, which were: "Heterodermia leucomelos, Niebla tigrina, Ramalina celastri, R. cochlearis, R. peruviana, R. pilulifera, Roccellina suffruticosa, and Xanthoria mendozae, all deviating ecologically and (or) morphologically from the typical forms." These were in "mats" in sheltered soil depressions among cactus skeletons and diorite rocks that had "mass development of saxicolous ecotype of Chrysothrix pavonii". Follmann further stated Austropeltis pervuiana and Leprocaulon subalbicans were on ground; on cactus skeletons were Trentepohlia sp., Roccellaria mollis and Tornabea ephebea. Niebla tigrina is classified in subgenus Cylindricaria as a synonym of Vermilacinia tigrina, which is also much like V. leopardina of coastal Baja California, differing only in accessory lichen substances. Both species occur on shrubs and cacti in South America; [1] V. tigrina also occurs on soil among cacti in South America. [3]
Vermilacinia ceruchis is perhaps the most confused species and misapplied name in the Vermilacinia-Niebla complex, one that encompasses the genera of Vermilacinia, Niebla and species in Ramalina related to R. bourgeana as explained below. It was first described by Erik Acharius in 1803 as a species of Parmelia (P. ceruchis). [1] [4] In 1810, Acharius transferred the species to the genus Borrera (B. ceruchis) in his Lichenographia Universalis where he also was the first to describe and name Ramalina homalea , from a specimen collected by Menzies on rocks around San Francisco. [5] In 1852, Jean Camille Montagne viewed the two species as one and the same in a new monotypic genus, Desmazieria (D. homalea), [6] an illegitimate name according to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Art. 53.3), but its illegitimacy was not realized until 128 years later; replaced by Niebla. [7] Parmelia ceruchis had also been classified in other genera, Usnea (U. ceruchis) by Montagne in 1834, [8] Evernia by Montagne in 1844, [9] and Ramalina by de Bory in 1828. [10] and De Notaris in 1846, [11] before placed in Desmazieria, and had included many varieties and one other South American species, Usnea tumidula, distinguished by Thomas Taylor [12] by its cylindrical branches with smooth irregular swellings as in "Alectoria" but with the "central strand of Usnea."
But lichenologists generally did not accept Montagne's 1852 view of the species (Desmazieria homalea) as the only one in the genus, occurring in both North America and South America. The South American thalli, which had been interpreted to grow on sand, rocks and shrubs, were reinstated to Ramalina ceruchis, and the North American thalli, strictly found on rocks, were returned to Ramalina homalea. [13] [14]
In 1866, Edward Tuckerman reported Ramalina ceruchis to occur in North America, on trees on Alcatraz Island and near San Diego (California), identified by "Dr. Cooper" and "Mr. Wright"; [15] however, William Nylander in his monograph of Ramalina in 1870 [16] still considered Ramalina ceruchis to occur only in South America. What was thought to be Ramalina ceruchis in North America seems to have been regarded by Nylander as Ramalina testudinaria, a new species he recognized to grow on trees, shrubs and also rocks, but the type specimens evidently came from rocks near Monterey, California. R. Heber Howe, Jr., in 1913 [17] in his revision of the North American species of Ramalina, recognized Ramalina ceruchis as a common species on shrubs and trees, and also on sandstone, from San Juan Island to San Diego and the Channel Islands, while he also recognized R. testudinaria to occur strictly on rocks in coastal California. Howe had also studied the type specimens and presented images of them.
It seems that Howe [17] firmly established Ramalina ceruchis as a corticolous lichen species in North America, whereas its occurrence in South America was still viewed as one that grew on rocks, sand and shrubs including cacti. Additionally, Nylander also described R. combeoides (=Vermilacinia combeoides) as a new species growing on rocks around San Francisco, California, and R. flaccescens (=Vermilacinia flaccescens) to occur on shrubs near Coquimbo, Chile and near San Lorenzo, Peru. [16] Since Nylander's monograph in 1870, the South American species of Vermilacinia ceruchis and related species there have not been revised except for those interpreted to occur in North America. [1] Saxicolous variants of typical Vermilacinia ceruchis have branches that arise from a holdfast, and well-developed apothecia. [18]
Although Howe [17] recognized Ramalina (Vermilacinia) ceruchis as a corticolous species, his interpretation of it as being the same as the type from South America is not supported by the thin-layer chromatography data. The corticolous North American species (subgenus Cylindricaria) generally lack the T3 compound, except species that produce soredia, and two other species that mostly occur in Baja California, V. cerebra, distinguished by swollen apical lobes, and V. tigrina, by accessory lichen substances of depsidones. The species are even more distinct by differences in the lichen cortex, [19] features that distinguish subgenera Cylindricaria and Vermilacinia. [1] In view of these differences Vermilacinia ceruchis is strictly a South American species, which includes other species that have yet to be clearly defined. [1] The species of Vermilacinia that occur on trees and shrubs along the Pacific Coast north of Baja California include: V. cephalota (frequent, California to southeastern Alaska), V. cerebra (infrequent, Los Angeles southwards and Channel Islands), V. corrugata (rare, Channel Islands), V. leopardina (rare on mainland, occasional in Channel Islands), V. nylanderi (infrequent, Channel Islands), and V. zebrina (frequent, California).
Vermilacinia, a genus of lichenized fungi in the family Ramalinaceae, is a yellow-green fruticose type of lichen with about 30 species that grow on rocks, trees, and soil within the fog zone along the Pacific Coast of North America and South America. The genus name refers to the thallus being divided into narrow worm-like (vermis) branches (lacinia);the latter part of the name (lacinia) generally applied in descriptions and taxonomic keys such as exemplified in a key to Sonoran Desert species of Ramalina.
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.
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 combeoides is a fruticose lichen found on rocks along the Pacific Coast of North America from Sonoma County, California south to San Quintín, Baja California, and also on Santa Catalina Island and Guadalupe 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
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 robusta is an olive-green fruticose lichen that occurs on rocks near ocean mist along the foggy Pacific Coast of southern California to northern Baja California and offshore islands. The epithet, robusta, was probably adopted in recognizing a more robust form of V. comboides, originally described as a variety of Ramalina combeoides by Reginald Heber Howe, Jr. in 1913.
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 cerebra is a fruticose lichen that grows on trees and shrubs in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of North America from the Channel Islands and mainland California near Los Angeles to southern Baja California, also occurring in South America in the Antofagasta Province of northern Chile. The epithet is in reference to the apical swollen lobes that resemble the cerebrum of the brain.
Vermilacinia corrugata is a fruticose lichen that grows on trees and shrubs in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of North America from the Channel Islands and San Diego in California to southern Baja California. The epithet is in reference to corrugated cortex of the species.
Vermilacinia flaccescens is a fruticose lichen that grows on cacti and shrubs in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of South America, Peru, Chile and in the Juan Fernandez Islands The epithet is in reference to the flaccid thallus but some specimens have been interpreted to have rigid branches.
Vermilacinia howei is a fruticose lichen that grows on trees and shrubs in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of North America in the coastal scrub region of the Channel Islands of California, and around Bahía de San Quintín, Baja California and further south in the Vizcaíno Desert. The epithet honors Reginald Heber Howe, Jr. for his contributions to lichenology, especially acknowledged for providing images of the type (biology) specimens in his revision of the genus Ramalina.
Vermilacinia leonis is a fruticose lichen usually found on branches of shrubs in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of North America and South America; in North America it is found on the southern half of the main peninsula of Baja California north to the southern coast of the Vizcaíno Peninsula. In South America, it occurs on bushes and rocks in Chile; reported from Colchaqua (Valley) and Santiago The epithet is in regard to absence of the black transverse bands often seen in other species such as V. leopardina, V. tigrina and V. zebrina.
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 nylanderi is a fruticose lichen that grows on branches of shrubs in the fog regions along the Pacific Coast of North America in the Channel Islands and in Baja California from near El Rosario south to the Vizcaíno Peninsula The epithet honors William Nylander who published a monograph on the related genus Ramalina in 1870.
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 isidiosa is a fruticose lichen known only from Guadalupe Island. The epithet, isidiosa is in reference to isidia (isidium) on the thallus.
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 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.