Stereocaulon condensatum Hoffmann (1796: 130)

Oset, Magdalena & Kukwa, Martin, 2014, Typification of two Stereocaulon names (Lecanorales, Ascomycota), Phytotaxa 181 (3), pp. 188-191 : 189-190

Stereocaulon condensatum Hoffmann (1796: 130)

Type: —[ Germany, Saxony] Rosswein: auf Halden an der Silberwäsche bei Gersdorf im Tal der Freiberger Mulde., October 1931, W. Flössner in Schade, Stolle & Riehmer, Lich. Saxon. Exs. 496 (neotype B–600184305!, designated here) .

Chemistry: As stated by Lamb (1977) and Oset (2008), the species usually contains atranorin and lobaric acid, but in some collections lobaric acid is lacking ( Lamb 1977; Oset 2008). In very few specimens (only known from Poland) atranorin is absent ( Oset 2008). In the selected neotype collection atranorin and lobaric acid are present.

Comments: Stereocaulon condensatum is characterized by the persistent primary thallus of warty or cylindrical, grey, sometimes bluish, squamulose phyllocladia, the hemispherical, scabrid, brown to black cephalodia containing Stigonema , dark brown apothecia present on the basal phyllocladia or on pseudopodetia and the common production of atranorin and lobaric acid. Pseudopodetia are infrequent, simple or sparingly branched, ± tomentose and up to 1(–2) cm tall ( Lamb 1977; Dombrovskaya 1996; Oset 2008).

Neither Lamb (1977) nor we could locate the authentic material of Stereocaulon condensatum in herbaria where Hoffmann’s collections are stored at present and thus it should be considered lost. In such a case, the original illustration could be selected as lectotype, however, Hoffmann (1796) did not publish any illustration of S. condensatum in his work. Therefore, a neotypification of this name is required. The species was introduced in Hoffmann’s book dealing with German flora, and for this reason we decided to select a specimen distributed in Schade, Stolle & Riehmer, Lichenes Saxonici Exsiccati. This material conforms to the present circumscription of the species presented by Lamb (1977), Dombrovskaya (1996) and Oset (2008).

Selected exsiccatae examined. Asahina, Lich. Japon. Exs. 293 (H). Cummings, Williams & Seymour, Lich. Bor.– Amer. 159 (H). Fałtynowicz & Miądlikowska, Lich. Polon. Exs. 13 (B, BM, H, LBL, LOD, UGDA, UPS). Fries, T., Lich. Scand. Rar. Critic. Exs. 64 ( BM). Hansen, Lich. Groenl. Exs. 173 (H). Harmand, Lich. Gall. Rar. Exs. 26 (H). Hakulinen, Lichenoth. Fenn. 1082 (H). Krawiec, Lichenoth. Polon. 71 ( BM, LBL, TRN, WA, WRSL). Schaerer, Lich. Helvet. Exs. 828 (WA). Magnusson, Lich. Sel. Scand. Exs. 155 (B, BM, H, sub S. condensatum var. condyloideum ). Malme, Lich. Suec. Exs. 486 (H). Nowak, Lich. Polon. Merid. Exs. 59 ( BM, BP, H, LBL, LOD, UPS). Suza, Lich. Bohemoslov. 65 ( BM, H). Thøgersen, Lich. Norveg. Medit. Exs. 20 (H). Vězda, Lich. Sel. Exs. 143 (BP, H). Vězda, Lich. Sel. Exs. 414 ( BM, H).