Preliminary version 1 January 2015

Caloplaca soralifera Vondrák & Hrouzek

Graphis Scripta 18: 8 (2006).

Synonym: Index Fungorum

Protolog: "Czech Republic, Central Bohemia, Rakovník Distr., Kr mit Häckchen ivoklát, Kalubice, by the small pond in the village, alt. 348 m, 50°02'56.3"N, 13°49'30.4"E, on horizontal side of concrete wall, 28 December 2004, J. Vondrák 3332 (PRM holotype; isotypes will be distributed in the first fascicle of Selected exsiccates of Caloplaca, no 22)".
Type locality: Czech Republic, Central Bohemia, Rakovník Distr., Kr mit Häkchen ivoklát, Kalubice, by the small pond in the village, on horizontal side of concrete wall, 348 m, 28 December 2004, J. Vondrák 3332 (PRM - holotype; Selected exsiccates of Caloplaca: 22 - isotypes).
Barcode: Data lacking.
Coordinates: 50°02'56.3"N, 13°49'30.4"E.

 

Thallus: crustose, areolate to subsquamulose, 50-80-104.5-120-140 µm thick (n=15), dark to pale grey, but often whitish pruinose; areoles flat to convex, 0.2-0.3-0.45-0.6-0.8 mm in diameter (n=30). Dark grey to violet-grey soralia are produced on the margins of the areoles and squamules. Occasionally, the soralia expand to cover the whole thallus surface. Soredia 22-26-34-42-50 µm in diameter (n=40). Cortex greyish to violet-grey in section, 5-9-18-27-35 µm thick (n=15), consisting of a loose or tight paraplectenchymatous tissue of cells 3.5-4.0-5.0-6.0-7.0 µm in diameter (n=15) and covered by a thin epinecral layer, 2.0-5.0-8.0-12.0 µm thick (n=15). Algal layer consisting of a mixture of algal cells 4.0-6.0-10.0-14.0-20.0 µm in diameter (n=40) and + isodiametric fungal cells

Thallus: white (White), to 275 µm thick, areolate; areoles flat to somewhat convex (to 1.0 mm), smooth to uneven, cortex 35-49 µm, amorphous, with granules insoluble in K, margins with dark blue-black soredia (35-50 µm). Apothecia often rare but in North Dakota and northern South Dakota frequently fertile, in centers of areoles, to 0.5 mm, flat; disks dull orange (Mars Orange), margin lighter orange than disks, slightly raised, with slight white pruinose margin on lower parts; exciple at margin with elongated cells, lower part with algae, no round cells under hymenium; epihymenium golden; hymenium 65-85 µm, tips of paraphyses with 1-3 swollen cells, without branches; asci 8-spored; Ascospores 12.5-16.5 x 5.5-8.5 µm, isthmus 4.0-5.5 µm. Pycnidia immersed, ostiole black; conidia ellipsoidal 3.0 x 1.2-1.8 µm (Wetmore 2009: 384).

Photobiont: Data lacking.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, I-, C- (macro); cortex and soredia weakly K+ violet (Thalloidima Green); epihymenium K+ red (micro). (Wetmore 2009: 384).

Ecology: On old concrete, occasionally on calcareous rocks.

Molecular data: Genbank

Distribution: Database.

Note: "Caloplaca albolutescens, C. atroflava, C. demissa, C. erythrocarpa, C. soralifera, C. teicholyta, C. xerica are clearly related to the genus Pyrenodesmia, but more sequence data are needed to resolve the relationship of this genus to the C. xerica group and C. demissa" (Arup et al. 2013: 74).