Ramalina tovarensis V. Marcano & A. Morales, 1994

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 : 64

4. Ramalina tovarensis V. Marcano & A. Morales

The Bryologist 97: 33 (1994) . Type:― VENEZUELA. Mérida: Tovar , 1000–1100 m, 25 November 1980 (holotype MERF!, isotype VEN!).

Thallus corticolous, erect, pale yellow, rugose, moderately to densely branched, up to 4 cm high. Branches shiny, dichotomously to irregularly flattened, weakly ridged and wrinkled, 2–4 mm broad, with sorediate, short secondary branchlets. Pseudocyphellae not seen. Soralia punctiform, raised on tubercles, abundant on upper and under surfaces. Peripheral chondroid tissue continuous. Medullary layer dense. Pycnidia not seen. Apothecia lateral, subapical or apical, discs flat or concave, 2.2–3.0 mm diameter, thalline exciple ridged. Ascospores 1–septate, short-ellipsoid, 10–10.5 x 4.8–5.5 um.

Chemistry (TLC, HPTLC): Strain 1. Sekikaic acid and cryptochlorophaeic acid (Lopez-Figueiras 24782–B). Strain 2. Cryptochlorophaeic acids and triterpenoids (A. Cleef & Th. van der Hammen 5119–B).

Ecology and distribution: Ramalina tovarensis occurs on trees and shrubs in very moist rainforest or secondary forests at 850–1300 m. It is known only from northern South America ( Colombia and Venezuela).

Remarks: Ramalina tovarensis could be confused with R. subfraxinea var. confirmata as these two species are morphologically very similar, and both produce cryptochlorophaeic acid as their major substance. However, R. subfraxinea var. confirmata lacks soralia. Ramalina tovarensis is also morphologically similar to R. africana but differs in having punctiform soralia, raised on tubercles, a weakly ridged and wrinkled surface; a lack of pseudocyphellae; and in possessing cryptochlorophaeic acid. By contrast, Ramalina africana has punctiform pseudocyphellae; a more or less rugose surface; a lack of soralia; and in producing sekikaic acid as its major medullary substance. Ramalina tovarensis shows two chemical distinct strains, both with cryptochlorophaeic acid as the major medullary substance.

Additional specimens examined: COLOMBIA: Huila: Finca Casa de Teja , ca. 8 km N Carzon, 850 m, 7 August 1972, A. Cleef & Th. van der Hammen 5119–B (B) . VENEZUELA: Mérida: La Roncona, Los Topes , 1000–1300 m, A. Morales 135, 136 ( MERF); Tovar. 1000–1100 m, Lopez-Figueiras 24782–B ( MERF) .