Acanthothecis asprocarpa (A. W. Archer) A. W. Archer

Syst. Biodiv. 5, 1: 11 (2007).

Basionym: Graphina asprocarpa A. W. Archer, Mycotaxon 88: 144 (2003).

 

Type locality: Solomon Islands.

Thallus: crustose, continuous, up to 7 cm diam.; surface smooth to uneven, ecorticate but appearing compact, slightly nitidous, light greenish to yellowish-grey; thallus in section 200-300 µm thick, largely composed of large clusters of calcium oxalate crystals and irregular, disrupted photobiont layer. Ascomata rounded to irregular or elongate in outline, immersed-erumpent, 1-2(-3) mm long, 0.8-1.5 mm wide; disc exposed, grey-brown but thickly and coarsely white-pruinose; proper margin thin, white, often disrupted and with a split towards the thalline margin; lateral thalline margin fissured to lobulate, recurved, white-pruinose on the inner side. Excipulum uncarbonized, 20-30 µm broad, sordid yellowish to greyish brown, difficult to discern. Periphysoids present, distinct, 20-30 µm long, unbranched, hyaline, spinulose, finely inspersed and appearing sordid yellowish to greyish brown. Hymenium 100-120 µm high, apically finely inspersed and appearing sordid yellowish to greyish brown, otherwise hyaline; epihymenium granular, 10-15 µm high. Paraphyses apically spinulose. Hypothecium 10-20 µm, hyaline. Asci clavate, 100-110 x 18-25 µm. Ascospores 8 per ascus, ellipsoid, muriform, 35-50 x 12-15 µm, I-, with thin walls and septa, but with rather thick halo, 2-3 µm thick (Diederich et al. 2017: 187).

Photobiont: Trentepohlia; cells rounded to irregular in outline, in irregular groups or lines, 8-12 x 5-10 µm, green (Diederich et al. 2017: 187).

Chemistry: No lichen substances.

Ecology: Corticolous, epiperidermal.

Distribution type: Solomon Islands and Seychelles.