Candelariella antennaria Raesaenen . Anales Soc. Ci. Argent. 128: 137. 1939.

Westberg, Martin & Clerc, Philippe, 2012, Five species of Candelaria and Candelariella (Ascomycota, Candelariales) new to Switzerland, MycoKeys 3, pp. 1-12 : 3-4

Candelariella antennaria Raesaenen. Anales Soc. Ci. Argent. 128: 137. 1939.

Holotype.

ARGENTINA, Mendozae: Depto. Las Heras, pr. Quebrada de la Meina la Atala, 2 July 1937, A. Ruiz Leal (H!).

New to Switzerland and Austria. Candelariella antennaria is a corticolous or lignicolous species characterized by a grey thallus and 8-spored asci. The Swiss specimens were earlier identified as Candelariella viae-lacteae . This species also has a grey thallus but it is uniformly composed of sphaerical granules, whereas the thallus in Candelariella antennaria is contiguous or with scattered, convex areoles or indistinct but never distinctly granular (Fig. 2). Candelariella antennaria was first reported from Europe from Crete by Vondrák et al. (2008). There are several specimens from Switzerland, all from the continental valleys in Valais and Graubünden. In addition we have seen one specimen from Tirol in Austria. Candelariella antennaria probably has a circumpolar distribution in continental, dry regions but the name possibly represents a complex of species.

Specimens examined.

Austria. Tirol: Wipptal bei Steinach am Brenner, alt. 1100 m. 10 Sept. 1973, Wunder (M 0140870); Switzerland. Graubünden: Brusio, Casat, am Poschiavino, alt. 661 m, 30 Aug 1995, Groner (G 00298383); Sent, alt. 1490 m, 20 June 1995, Frei (G 00298382); Valais: Eggerberg, alt. 900 m, 30 Sept 1997, Frei (G 00298386); Naters, alt. 675 m, 22 July 1997, Frei (G 00298385); Ried-Brig, alt. 890 m, 22 July 1997, Frei (G 00298387); Sion, Préjeux, alt. 490 m, 23 Aug 1995, Keller (G 00298384); Viège, alt. 650 m, 22 Sept 1997, Frei (G 00298364); Pfynwald, Preissen, alt. 600 m, 19 Nov 2010, Westberg 10-199 (S F178476).