The Bacidia coprodes group (Ramalinaceae, Lecanoromycetes, Ascomycota), with special reference to the species in Europe and North America

Abstract

This paper aims to clarify taxonomy and nomenclature of the lichen Bacidia coprodes and its closest relatives in Europe and North America. Bacidia coprodes as treated in recent works was found to consist of three distinct species in Europe and North America, the correct names of which are B. coprodes (s. str.), B. notarisiana, and B. granosa. In addition, a fourth species, B. inornata (Nyl.) Blomb. & Forssell, was found to be closely related to this group of lichens and is also treated here. The four species can be separated by apothecial and pycnidial pigmentation as well as conidium shape and size. They are closely related to species currently treated in Bacidia, Toninia, or Arthrosporum. Six basionyms, viz. Bilimbia coprodes, Patellaria salevensis, Bilimbia subtrachona, Lecidea chytrina, L. chytrina var. hormospora, and L. inornata, are lectotypified. Detailed descriptions and a determination key are provided.

Fellhaneropsis almquistiorum sp. nov. from Europe (Pilocarpaceae, lichenized Ascomycota)

“…Fellhaneropsis almquistiorum can, however, be confused with members of the Bacidia coprodes group, Micarea marginata Coppins & Muhr, and possibly members of the Fellhanera silicis group. The B. coprodes group (Ekman ) belongs in the Ramalinaceae and its members possess an ascus with a conical axial body surrounded by a diffuse, somewhat darker amyloid zone. Green pigment is usually abundant in the apothecia (except in B. inornata ), and this pigment corresponds to Bagliettoana‐green (purplish reaction with HCl).…”

“…During the process of revising Swedish specimens of the Bacidia coprodes group in the lichen family Ramalinaceae (Ekman ), I became aware of a species not belonging to this group that could not be readily identified. Apparently, it had been misidentified as Bacidia coprodes (Körb.)…”

Bilimbia fuscoviridis (≡ Bacidia fuscoviridis), another overlooked sorediate crustose lichen widely distributed in temperate eastern North America

“…Zahlbr. is very common in eastern North America and often occurs with Bilimbia fuscoviridis on calcareous rock outcrops, but it has dark, almost black biatorine apothecia with a dark pigmented hypothecium and exciple, and more consistently four-celled ascospores (Harris and Ladd 2005; note that Ekman 2014 illustrated and described Bacidia granosa as having a weakly pigmented hypothecium). Lecania cuprea (A.…”

Taxonomic novelties and new records of Fennoscandian crustose lichens

“…The Norwegian specimens of Toninia subnitida had been misidentified as Bacidia coprodes (Körb.) Lettau and were discovered while revising material filed under that species (Ekman 2014). Kilias (1981) reported T. subnitida (as Catillaria tristis) also from Sweden, Finland, Russia, Germany, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy.…”