Cladonia grayi G. Merr. ex Sandst. (1929: 1847)

Yánez-Ayabaca, A., Ahti, T. & Bungartz, F., 2013, The Family Cladoniaceae (Lecanorales) in the Galapagos Islands, Phytotaxa 129 (1), pp. 1-33 : 19

Cladonia grayi G. Merr. ex Sandst. (1929: 1847)

( Fig. 4f )

Primary thallus subpersistent, of crenulate squamules, esorediate, epruinose; podetia common, greenish gray but with some brown parts, not melanotic; 0.6–1.5 cm tall, unbranched; always scyphose; scyphi moderately widened, sometimes branching and proliferating from the margin; surface along the stalk initially corticate, but towards the rim soon becoming verruculose–granular, often intermingled with scarce microsquamules; both granules and ecorticate soredia develop inside the cup; pycnidia hyaline; apothecia not seen.

Spot tests and chemistry: P+ orange red, K−, C−, KC−, UV+ whitish blue; fumarprotocetraric and grayanic acid.

Distribution and ecology: New to Galapagos; known from Isabela and Santa Cruz Island; moderately common and restricted to the humid zone, typically on soil or over rocks with thin soil layer, often among plant debris or bryophytes.

Notes: Easily recognized by its UV+ whitish blue reaction caused by grayanic acid. Superficially similar to C. subsquamosa , but that species differs in its secondary chemistry (fumarprotocetraric acid instead of grayanic acid) and its podetial surface is always more densely covered with propagules (microsquamules, granules and soredia).

Selected specimens examined: ECUADOR. GALAPAGOS: Isabela Island, Volcán Sierra Negra, South side of Sierra Negra crater, trail to Alemania , 0°50’57.5”S, 91°7’41.3”W, 1020 m, humid zone, on soil, 16 Aug 2008, Herrera - Campos, M.A. 10700 ( CDS 40438) . Santa Cruz Island, near Puntudo , 0°38’41”S, 90°20’13”W, 750 m, humid zone, on soil, 27 May 2005, Aptroot, A. 63195 ( CDS 29926) .

Figures

FIGURE 4. a–b Cladonia corymbosula. a basal squamules (Bungartz 4129, scale 5 mm); b podetia with turban-like apothecia (Aptroot 65255, scale 3 mm); c–d Cladonia dactylota; c atypical, because unusually well-developed podetia (Aptroot 64643, scale 5 mm); d close–up of characteristic squamules (Aptroot 64667, scale 5 mm). e predominantly microsquamulose podetia of Cladonia didyma (Bungartz 4109, scale 5 mm); f tiered podetia of Cladonia grayi (Bungartz 8344, scale 5 mm).