Cryptolechia pittieriana Kalb, Lugo & J.E. Hern., 2012

Kalb, Klaus, Buaruang, Kawinnat, Mongkolsuk, Pachara & Boonpragob, Kansri, 2012, New or otherwise interesting Lichens. VI, including a lichenicolous fungus, Phytotaxa 42, pp. 35-47 : 39-40

Cryptolechia pittieriana Kalb, Lugo & J.E. Hern. sp. nov. Mycobank MB 564178

Sicut Cryptolechia myriadella (Nyl.) D. Hawksw. & Dibben , sed ascosporis longioribus differt.

Type:— VENEZUELA. Aragua: Parque Nacional Henry Pittier, 12 km along the road from Maracay to Ocumare de la Costa , Estacion Biologica Dr. Alberto Fernandez Y. "Andrew Field trail", in an old tropical mountain rainforest (selva nublada), 1100-1200 m, 10°21' N, 67°40' W, 2 August 2010, G. Lugo, K. Kalb & J. Hernandez (holotype VEN; isotype hb. Kalb 38595) .

Etymology:—The new lichen is named after the type locality.

Thallus corticolous, thin, continuous to areolate-cracked, grey, prothallus not visible. Apothecia 0.2–0.3 mm diam., initially immersed in the thallus, then sessile with a constricted base, disc slightly concave or flat, waxy coloured. Margin thick and denticulate at first, becoming depressed and smooth with age, paler than the disc or developing a blackish tinge with age. Exciple paraplectenchymatous, laterally to 40 µm thick, composed of pachydermatous cells, 2–4 µm in diam. Hypothecium hyaline, 10–15 µm high. Hymenium hyaline, 110–140 µm high. Paraphyses simple, 1.5-2 µm wide, not thickened apically. Epihymenium with brown granules. Asci cylindrically clavate, 55–65 × 11–14 µm, with 12–16 spores. Ascospores long-ellipsoid, slightly tapering on one end, 6–9-septate, 23–38 × 2.5–3.5 µm. Pycnidia not seen.

Notes:—Previously there were only three species of Cryptolechia known to have ascospores with up to seven septa, namely C. caudata Kalb from Africa and Australia, C. myriadella from Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia, and C. plurilocularis (Vain.) D. Hawksw. & Dibben from Africa ( Kalb 2007). Cryptolechia caudata is distinguished by its tailed ascospores, C. myriadella has distinctly shorter and thicker ascospores (20–25 × 3.5–4.5 µm) while C. plurilocularis has only eight ascospores per ascus.