Ramalina tenella Müller Argoviensis

Marcano, Vicente, Méndez, Antonio Morales & Prü, Ernesto Palacios, 2021, The genus Ramalina Acharius (Ascomycota, Lecanoromycetes, Ramalinaceae) in northern South America, Phytotaxa 504 (1), pp. 1-77 : 63

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/phytotaxa.504.1.1
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D1E634-986D-7071-C5CD-FB29FAFBF8C2
treatment provided by	Marcus
scientific name	Ramalina tenella Müller Argoviensis
status

Treatment

4. Ramalina tenella Müller Argoviensis View in CoL

Flora, Jena 62: 162 (1879) . Type:― BRAZIL. Sao Paulo: Apiahy, 1877, Puiggari 152 (holotype G).

Thallus fruticose, caespitose, corticolous, rigid, weakly shrubby and small, up to 3 cm high, subdichotomously branched, with short lateral branchlets. Branches solid, pale yellow, thin, 0.6–0.8 mm width, main branches flattened, secondary branches terete. Pseudocyphellae linear, short, Soralia subcapitate, apical, lateral on main branches, sometimes with spinules. Pycnidia and apothecia not seen.

Chemistry (TLC, HPTLC): Salazinic and protocetraric (tr.) acids (Mägdefrau 26).

Ecology and distribution: This species occurs on branches in rainforests and paramo at 1350–3500 m. It is known from Africa ( Kenya), Australia, New Hebrides and South America ( Brazil and Venezuela).

Remarks: Ramalina tenella could be confused with R. dendriscoides , but the latter species is distinguished by a conspicuously shrubby, longer thallus (up to 10 cm high) and subterete or terete branches. Both species contain salazinic acid as the major medullary substance, but R. tenella contains accessory protocetraric acid (traces) whereas R. dendriscoides contains accessory sekikaic, ramalinolic, 4ˊ– O –demethylsekikaic and 2ˊ– O –methylsekikaic acids as well as substances in the protocetraric acid complex. Kashiwadani & Kalb (1993) considered R. tenella to be synonymous with R. dendriscoides , but these taxa are chemically distinct. Stevens (1987) reported the presence of salazinic acid, protocetraric acid (tr.), three unknowns and usnic acid in specimens of this species from Australia.

Specimens examined. VENEZUELA: Miranda: Los Guayabitos , 1350 m, 25 December 1957, K. Mägdefrau 26 ( VEN) . Mérida: Santo Domingo, Paramo de Mucubají , 3500 m, March 1992, V . Marcano 162a, b (MER).