Bacidia ekmaniana R. C. Harris, Ladd & Lendemer, The Bryologist 119 (2): 154 (2016)

Lee, Beeyoung Gun & Hur, Jae-Seoun, 2022, A new species and four new records of Bacidia (Lecanorales, Ramalinaceae) from South Korea, with a key to Korean species, MycoKeys 93, pp. 107-130 : 107

Bacidia ekmaniana R. C. Harris, Ladd & Lendemer, The Bryologist 119 (2): 154 (2016)

Fig. 4

Description.

Thallus corticolous, crustose, somewhat granular when young and smoother when mature, grey, greenish-grey to pale grey, margin indeterminate. Prothallus generally not detected or whitish-grey when present.

Apothecia consistently flat or slightly convex when mature, marginate, without pruina, 0.4-1.4 mm diam. (mean = 0.75, SD = 0.23, n = 104). Disc biatorine, without thalline exciple, pale straw, light brown to brown, with a distinct proper margin which is smooth to rugose and becoming thinner but still distinct when mature. Proper exciple pale brown to red-brown, paler or colourless around rim and thicker downwards, 80-120 μm wide laterally. Epihymenium hyaline, smooth but not granular, ca. 5 μm high. Hymenium hyaline, 80-140 μm high. Hypothecium red-brown, prosoplectenchymatous (irregularly arranged), 120-250 μm high. Small crystals present a little in hypothecium, dissolving in K. Oil droplets absent. Asci narrowly clavate, 8-spored, 70-105 × 8-12 μm (n = 5). Ascospores acicular to filiform, cells near head sometimes irregularly swollen, 3- to 9-septate, 52-71 × 2-4.5 μm (n = 15). Pycnidia not detected.

Chemistry.

Thallus K-, C-. Apothecial section K-, C-. No lichen substance was detected by TLC.

Notes.

Bacidia ekmaniana is easily confused with B. schweinitzii under the microscope, as well as in the field because both species often share their habitat and the habiti of both species look similar particularly when the ascomata of the latter are paler. Both species are often detected from one specimen under the microscope and those were frequently regarded as one species, i.e. B. schweinitzii . Generally, however, B. ekmaniana differs from the latter by paler ascomata. Bacidia ekmaniana has brown but not black apothecia when mature ( Lendemer et al. 2016). Bacidia ekmaniana differs from the latter by colourless epihymenium and paler hypothecium as well.

Bacidia ekmaniana is more similar to B. arceutina than B. schweinitzii in morphology in having pale ascomata. However, B. ekmaniana differs from B. arceutina by the colourless to pale excipular rim, colourless epihymenium and wider ascospores with more septation ( Ekman 1996; also see the key couplet 23). Bacidia ekmaniana is new to Asia and this is the second record after North America ( Lendemer et al. 2016). Bacidia ekmaniana is supposed to occur widespread throughout the world as the species was assumed to be B. schweinitzii in the past. Phylogenetic analysis resulted in B. ekmaniana being located in its own clade in the genus Bacidia (Fig. 2 ).

Specimens examined.

South Korea, North Gyeongsang Province, Bonghwa, Chunyang-myeon, Mt. Munsu, 36°59.28'N, 128°48.17'E, 1,058 m alt., on bark of Quercus mongolica , 29 August 2019, B.G. Lee 2019-000072 (KBA-L-0000072); South Korea, South Jeolla Province, Gokseong, Jukgok-myeon, Taeansa Temple, 35°08.06'N, 127°23.26'E, 297 m alt., on bark of Salix pierotii Miq., 25 May 2020, B.G. Lee 2020-000212, with Bacidia schweinitzii (KBA-L-0000412); same locality, on bark of Salix pierotii , 25 May 2020, B.G. Lee 2020-000227, with Bacidia schweinitzii , Coenogonium pineti (Ach.) Lücking & Lumbsch, Phaeophyscia rubropulchra (Degel.) Moberg, Porina melanops Malme (KBA-L-0000427); same locality, on bark of Idesia polycarpa Maxim., 25 May 2020, B.G. Lee 2020-000231, with Bacidia schweinitzii , Porina aff. melanops (KBA-L-0000431); same locality, on bark of Idesia polycarpa , 25 May 2020, B.G. Lee 2020-000232 (KBA-L-0000432); same locality, on bark of Taxicodendron vernicifluum (Stokes) F. A. Barkley, 25 May 2020, B.G. Lee 2020-000233, with Biatora aff. pacifica , Lecidea sp., Phaeophyscia rubropulchra , Rinodina sp., Traponora varians (Ach.) J. Kalb & Kalb (KBA-L-0000433); South Korea, North Gyeongsang Province, Bonghwa, Chunyang-myeon, Mt. Okseok, 37°00.91'N, 128°46.65'E, 1,085 m alt., on bark of Quercus mongolica , 15 September 2020, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2020-001159, with Anisomeridium polypori (Ellis & Everh.) M.E. Barr, Bacidia schweinitzii , Rinodina sp. (KBA-L-0001359); same locality, on bark of Quercus mongolica , 15 September 2020, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2020-001162, with Rinodina sp. (KBA-L-0001362); South Korea, North Jeolla Province, Jangsu, Mt. Youngchui, 35°38.59'N, 127°37.00'E, 907 m alt., on bark of Carpinus tschonoskii Maxim., 08 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000563, with Lecanora megalocheila (Hue) H. Miyaw., Rinodina orientalis Sheard (KBA-L-0002035); same locality, on bark of Carpinus tschonoskii , 08 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000565, with Arthonia apatetica (A. Massal.) Th. Fr., Lecidella euphorea ( Flörke) Kremp. (KBA-L-0002037; GenBank ON352611 for ITS); same locality, on bark of Carpinus tschonoskii , 08 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000569, with Anisomeridium polypori , Lecidella euphorea , Rinodina orientalis , Scoliciosporum sp. (KBA-L-0002041); same locality, on bark of Carpinus tschonoskii , 08 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000573, with Arthonia apatetica , Lecanora aff. imshaugii Brodo, Lecidella euphorea , Porina hirsuta (KBA-L-0002045); South Korea, North Jeolla Province, Jangsu, Mt. Jangan, 35°38.58'N, 127°36.96'E, 925 m alt., on bark of Carpinus tschonoskii , 09 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000759 (KBA-L-0002231); same locality, on bark of Carpinus tschonoskii , 09 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000760, with Phaeophyscia adiastola (Essl.) Essl., Porina hirsuta , Rinodina orientalis , Scoliciosporum chlorococcum (Graewe ex Stenh.) Vězda (KBA-L-0002232); same locality, on bark of Carpinus tschonoskii , 09 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000766, with Lecania sp., Phaeophyscia sp., Rinodina orientalis (KBA-L-0002238); South Korea, North Jeolla Province, Jangsu, Mt. Baegun, 35°36.76'N, 127°36.85'E, 661 m alt., on bark of Cornus walteri Wangerin, 10 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000926 (KBA-L-0002398); same locality, on bark of Cornus walteri , 10 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000927 (KBA-L-0002399); same locality, on bark of Cornus walteri , 10 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000928 (KBA-L-0002400); same locality, on bark of Cornus walteri , 10 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000929, with Phaeophyscia adiastola (KBA-L-0002401); same locality, on bark of Cornus walteri , 10 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000930, with Phaeophyscia rubropulchra (KBA-L-0002402); same locality, on bark of Cornus walteri , 10 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000931, with Lecanora sp., Phaeophyscia adiastola (KBA-L-0002403); same locality, on bark of Cornus walteri , 10 June 2021, B.G. Lee & H.J. Lee 2021-000932 (KBA-L-0002404).

Figures

Figure 2. Phylogenetic relationships amongst available species in the genus Bacidia, based on a Maximum Likelihood analysis of the dataset of ITS sequences. The tree was rooted with the sequences of the genus Biatora, based on Gerasimova et al. (2018). Maximum Likelihood bootstrap values ≥ 70 % and posterior probabilities ≥ 95 % are shown above internal branches. Branches with bootstrap values ≥ 90 % are shown as thick lines. New sequences produced in this study are presented in bold. All species names are followed by the GenBank accession numbers.

Figure 4. Four new records of B. ekmaniana (KBA-L- 0000412 for A-C), B. friesiana (KBA-L- 0001914 for D-F), B. heterochroa (KBA-L- 0000386 for G-I) and B. suffusa (KBA-L- 0000359 for J-L) in morphology A habitus and apothecia. Granular thallus with green-grey pigment and straw-coloured apothecia B-C apothecial section with colourless epihymenium, red-brown hypothecium, and pale excipulum D habitus and apothecia. Thallus pale grey with slightly brownish pigment and pale pink apothecia E, F apothecial section with greenish epihymenium G habitus and apothecia. Thallus pale yellowish-grey and black apothecia with red pigment H, I apothecial section and proper exciple with dark margin J habitus and apothecia. Thallus whitish pale grey and pruinose apothecia K, L apothecial section with radiating clusters of crystals, which produce pruina on surface. Scale bars: 500 μm (A, D, G, J); 100 μm (B, E, H, K); 50 μm (C, I, L); 20 μm (F).