Caloplaca yuchiorum Lendemer & C. A. Morse

Preliminary version 1 April 2016

Caloplaca yuchiorum Lendemer & C. A. Morse

J. Torrey Botanical Soc. 137, 4: 328 (2010)

Protolog: Similis ad Caloplacae diplacioidi sed apotheciis minoribus, epihymenio granulis aurantiacis K+ magenteo, soraliis ab marginibus rimarum exorientibus, et isthmis sporae (1.9)-2.6-3.3-4.0-(4.9) µm differt.
Type: U.S.A. South Carolina. Aiken Co.: Savannah River Bluffs Heritage Preserve, SW of Old Plantation Road, ca. 1 mi SW of I-20 and GA 230 intersection, ca. 80 m elev., mesic mixed hardwood bluff forest with felsic/mafic outcrops, on rock, 13.iii.2010, J.C. Lendemer 22026 = Lichens of East. N. Amer. Exs. IX: 401 (NY, holotype; B, BG, CANB, FH, GZU, H, KANU, LD, M, NDA, S, TU, isotypes).
Type locality: USA, South Carolina, Aiken County, Savannah River Bluffs Heritage Preserve, SW of Old Plantation Road, ca. 1 mi SW of I-20 and GA 230 intersection, mesic mixed hardwood bluff forest with felsic/mafic outcrops, on rock, ca. 80 m, 13.3.2010, J.C. Lendemer 22026, Lichens of East. N. Amer. Exs. IX: 401 (NY - holotype; B, BG, CANB, FH, GZU, H, KANU, LD, M, NDA, S, TU - isotypes).
Barcode: Data lacking.
Coordinates: Data lacking.

Thallus: pale to dark gray, occasionally with a greenish or brownish tinge, continuous, cracked areolate, with a pale gray to white prothallus, thin (up to 150 µm thick); cortex 35-50 µm thick, prosoplectenchymatous, inspersed with granules (K+ yellow and dissolving), and with the uppermost layers of cells weakly brown pigmented (K-); algal layer 30-50 µm thick; sorely arising from cracks in the thallus, plane to weakly convex, not strongly excavate and without a distinct raised margin, variable in size, 0.2-0.4 mm in diameter; soredia variable, small and fine to coarse and granular, distinctly lighter in color than the thallus, unpigmented, 20-45 µm in diameter. Apothecia immersed to sessile, round to irregular, (0.1-)-0.17-0.26-0.35(-0.4) mm in diameter [n=41]; disc reddish-brown to dark brown or nearly black, or occasionally pale orange, flat to slightly convex; thalline margin poorly developed and soon excluded, essentially absent; proper margin thick, blue-black and usually darker than the disc, prosoplectenchymatous, inspersed with granules (K+ yellow and dissolving)L, blue-green pigmented with the pigment increasing in concentration towards the outer portions; epihymenium golden yellowish-orange, K+ magenta, with granules; hymenium hyaline, not inspersed, 65-80 µm tall; hypothecium hyaline, weakly to strongly inspersed, 50-85 µm tall; paraphyses apically expanded (3-6 µm wide); asci Teloschistaceae-type, 8-spored, 35-50 x 12-16 µm. Ascospores hyaline, polarilocular, (7.4-)8.9-10.2-11.5(-13.2) x (3.9-)4.7-5.4-6.2(-7.6) µm, 1/b ratio (1.4-)1.7-1-9-2.1(-2.7); isthmus (1.9-)2.6-3.3-4.0(-4.9) µm [n=91]. Pycnidia unknown (Lendemer & Morse 2010: 328).

Photobiont: green, coccoid; cells globose, 8-12 µm in diameter (Lendemer & Morse 2010: 328). Trebouxioid green alga.

Chemistry: Atranorin (thallus), anthraquinone pigment (epihymenium). Spot tests: thallus, K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P-, UV-; epihymenium K+ magenta, C-, KC-, P-, cN-, UV-; proper margin K-, C-, KC-, P-, cN+ red-brown or violet, UV-. (Lendemer & Morse 2010: 328). Chemical data are wrong.

Ecology: On rock.

Molecular data: Genbank

Distribution: Database

Mycobank: #518412.

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