Preliminary version 1 June 2012

Ramalina webbii Mont.

Synonym: Index Fungorum

Type: Canary Islands, M. Webb, 5 bis, in herb. Montagne (PC - lecotype designated in Krog & Osthagen 1980: 293) [TLC: protocetraric acid]

 

Thallus: fruticose, rigid, ascending or subpendulous, 5 - 9 - 15 cm long, with several sparingly to moderately, mainly dichotomously branched laciniae from a broad holdfast. Laciniae stramineous, matt to subshiny, linear, flat or weakly channeled, o.5 - 2 - 5 mm broad, smooth and even or with transeverse cracks and ridges along their length or in basal parts, more or less eroded near the base, apices rounded or truncate. Linear, marginal pseudocyphellae common. Soralia absent. Cortex 50 - 60 - 75 µm thick, chondroid cylinder absent, medulla dense, with several well developed chondroid strands imbedded in it. Pycnidia marginal and laminal, with light brown or blackened ostioles. Apothecia sparse, lateral, marginal, thalline exciple smooth, thalline margin crenate, disc up to 5 mm in diameter, concave, spores 10 - 13 - 15 / 3 - 4 µm (Krog & Østhagen 1980: 293).

Chemistry: Cortex with usnic acid. Medulla protocetraric acid, more or less salazinic acid (Krog & Østhagen 1980: 293).

Ecology: Saxicolous.

Molecular data: Genbank

Distribution: Database

Note: "All our specimens of Ramalina webbii, as here delimited, came from a single locality in Fuerteventura, where they grew on a vertical rock face below 500 m altitude, together with Ramalina decipiens. On the basis of this rather limited material, in cannot be entirely ruled out that tha species merges with Ramalina crispatula and should be regarded as conspecific with it, but until more material of Ramalina webbii becomes available, we choose to treat them as separate species (Krog & Østhagen 1980: 293).
Locality: Jandia, the northern part of Cuchillo del Cervo, 400 - 460 m, Krog & Osthagen 1299, 1301.