Taxonomic Account - lib.unipune.ac.in:8080

Taxonomic Account

Key to the genera

la. Thallus fructicose 2

lb. Thallus foliose, sqiiamulose-foliose 3

2a. Thallus with central chondroid axis within medulla Usnea

2b. Thallus lacking central chondroid axis within medulla;

Fronds usually flattened, strap shaped; the two surfaces of the thallus morphologically different, rarely rounded Ramalina

3a. Thallus usually monophyllous Dermatocarpon

3b. Thallus lacking miibjlicus, lobes variously divided and with rhizines on lower surface; rhizines rarely absent 4

4a. Thallus homoiomerous, gelatinous when wet, slate gray, brown, brown-black, or green-black; photobiont as Nostoc 5

4b.Thallus heteromerous, various colour, not gelatinous when wet; photobiont a cyanobacterium or a green alga 6

5a. Thallus lacking true cortex on both surfaces; apothecia biatorine Collema

5b. Thallus corticated on both surfaces or only on upper surface, upper cortex made up of single layer of cells; apothecia lecanorine Leptogium

6a. Thallus squamulose to foliose. with or without marginal hypothallus 7

6b. Thallus distinctly foliose, lacking hypothallus 12

7a. Ascocarps perithecia 8

7b. Ascocarps apothecia 9

8a.Hymenium containing photobiont; ascospores brown, submuriform to muriform Endocarport

8b. Hymenium not containing photobiont; ascospores hyaline, simple, oblong-ellipsoid Catapyrenium

9a. Photobiont green .^<., JQ

9b. Photobiont blue green algTT? U

10a. Thallus bright yellow or citrine; lobes narrow, strap shaped; apothecia mostly absent, lacinulate. K- Candelaria

I Ob. Thallus green to greenish brown; lobes digitate or globose to complanate; apothecia biatorine; ascospores having pseudosepta appearing as dots or bars, prothallus present Phyllopsora

\\a.?\\Ci\.oh\ox\iScytonema\ thallus blue-gray to black; lobes with concentric rings; apothecia biatorine; ascospores simple, hyaline. falsely septate

Coccocarpia

1 lb. Photobiont Nostoc; thallus with prothallus felted, prominent; apothecia with thalline exciple; ascospores, simple, hyaline Parmeliella

i2a. Thallus white, gray, or brownish gray; lobes upto 5 mm broad, usually matt, often pruinose; apothecia with matt black or pruinose disc; ascospores brown, 2- celled (Physciaceae) 13

12b. Thallus yellow, gray or brown; lobes from 1 mm to several cm broad, usually shiny in younger parts, rarely pruinose; apothecia with brown, often shiny disc; ascospores hyaline, simple (Parmeliaceae) 19

13a. Upper and lower cortex both paraplectenchymatous 14

i 3b. Upper and lower cortex composed of longitudinally disposed hyphae or only ^_^ lower cortex 15 \

14a. Lower surface black; rhizines projecting beyond lobes, white tipped .. .Phaeophyscia

14b. Lower surface pale to white; K + yellow; atranorin present; ascospores Physcial Pachysporaria type Physcia

15a. Upper and lower cortex prosoplectenchymatous; atranorin and zeorin always present Heterodermia

15b. Upper cortex paraplectenchymatous; atranorin present or absent 16

16a. Hypothecium hyaline or yellowish; atranorin absent 17

16b. Hypothecium brown to dark brown; atranorin present 18

17a. Ascospores Physconia type; lower cortex present Physconia

17b. Ascospores Physcia or Pachysporaria type; lower cortex absent Hyperphyscia

18a. Epithecium K+purple ...Pyxine

18b.EpitheciumK- Dirinaria

19a. Cilia present 20

19b. Without cilia 24

20a. Lobes with bulbate cilia along margin Bulhothrix

20b. Lobes without bulbate cilia 21

21a. Rhizines sparse, usually restricted in central part of lower surface Parmotrema

21b. Rhizines throughout lower surface, simple/squarrose rhizinal papillae 22

22a. Medulla yellow Myelochroa

22b, MedijJJa white 23

23a. Lobes with effigurate/ reticulate maculae Rimelia

23b. Lobes lacking maculae, cilia in axils of lobes Parmelinella

24a. Rhizines simple Canoparmelia

24b. Rhizines dichotomously branched Hypotrachyna

Genus: Bulhothrix Hale (Parmeliaceae)

Phytologia,l%: A19 {\91A).

Thallus foliose, small, adnate to closely adnate, grayish brown to yellowish brown,

heteromerous. Photobiont a green alga, Tr-ehouxia. Lobes linear to sublinear, with

development of marginal bulbate cilia, corticate on both surfaces. Upper cortex palisade

plectenchymatous. Lower cortex dark to pale brown, paraplectenchymatous. Lower

surface, dark or pale brown, generally rhizinate, rhizines simple to furcate. Apothecia

laminal, sessile or adnate, lecanorine, simple to coronate. Ascospores 8/ascus, hyaline,

simple, ellipsoid.

In the world monograph o^ Bulhothrix Hale (Hale, 1976) reported 29 species

distributed in North and South America, Africa, Asia showing highest development in

semi-arid woodlands and secondary forests but rare in rainforests of southeast Asia.

About 45 species are known from the world (Kirk et al., 2001).

Seven species of Bulbothrix have been reported from the subtropical to

subtemperate regions of the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 1988, 2000) and two species

were recorded from Maharashtra (Prabhu et al., 1983). In the present work an additional

species B. meizospora (Nyi.) Hale is recorded from this region.

Key to species

la. Thallus lacking isidia or soredia; atranorin and salazinic acid present B. meizospora

1 b. Thallus isidiate 2

!a. Lower surface black; lobes 2-4 mm broad, faintly maculate, bulbate cilia, sparsely isidiate; isidia simple to cylindrical; atranorin and salazinic acid present

B. tabacina

!b. Lower surface pale brown to brown, lobes 2-6 mm broad, non-maculate, densely isidiate, isidia black tipped, eventually coralloid; atranorin and salazinic acid present B. isidiza

bulbothrix isidiza (Nyl.) Hale [Fig.: 84]

P/jj^to/ogza, 28:480(1974).

= Parmelia isidiza Nyl. in Henriques,

Bull.Soc.Bot.,2,: 130(1884).

Thallus corticolous, loosely to closely adnate to the substratum, yellowish

;laucous to olivaceous buff, 5-10 cm in diam., 125-150 \im thick; lobes, irregularly

linuate, sublinear, rounded or truncate at the apices, 2-6 mm broad; margins with sparse

)r dense inflated, bulbate cilia 0.5-1.0 mm long; upper surface plane, dull, smooth,

MTiaculate, densely isidiate; isidia cylindrical, simple or branched, coralloid, black tipped;

jpper cortex 7-12.5 |im thick; algal layer 25-30 nm thick; medulla hyaline 75-100 ^m

hick; lower surface pale brown or darker; lower cortex light brown, 10-13 \im thick;

•hizines simple, uniformly spread. Apothecia common, adnate, 2-6 mm in diam., margin

entire; disc dark brown, concave; thalline exciple smooth, ecoronate, imperforate;

jpithecium brown, 6-8 |am; hymenium hyaline, 80-90 im; subhymenium hyaline, 9-15

xm. Ascospores simple, hyaline, 9-15 x 5-8 lum in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow; medulla K+ yellow turning red, C-, KC-, P+ orange-red;

UV-; atranorin and salazinic acid present.

Habitat: Species has been collected growing on trees in semi-evergreen as well as in

moist deciduous forests at higher elevations.

Distribution: A pantropical species, widely distributed in India (Maharashtra,

Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal), Asia, Mexico,

Nepal, South Africa, South America, Tanzania, Uganda, United States, and West Indies.

Remarks: This isidiate species is one of the most common species of this genus in India.

The species is closely related to Bulbothrix tabacina (Mont, et v.d. Bosch) Hale which,

however, has a black lower surface and thin fragile thallus.

Speciemens examined: Kolhapur District, Katyayani, 8 kms from Kolhapur,

15.10.1974, A.V. Prabhu & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1244; Panhala at alt. 953.10 m,

13.10.1974, P.G. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 74.978, 74.982, 74.988, 74.994, 74.1002,

74.1003, 74.1005, 74.1020, 74.1041, 74.1042, 74.1043, 74.1047, 74.1052; 9.9.1988, P.G.

Patwardhan & M.B. Nagarkar, 88.95; 4.9.1990, P.G. Patwardhan & B.A. Adawadkar,

90.1, 90.2, 90.3, 90.4, 90.5, 90.10, 90.13, 90.15; 13.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & K.R.

Randive, 00.413. Nasik District, Trimbakeshwar to Bramhagiri, elevation 1294m,

5.8.1974, A.V. Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar, 74.305. Pune District, Khandala, elevation 625

m, 29.8.2000, B.C. Behera & K.R. Randive, 00.102; Lonawala, elevation 596 m,

29.8.2000, B.A. Adawadkar & K.R. Randive, 00.100; Purandar, 12.3.1971, P.G.

Patwardhan, 71.9, 8.8.1971, 71.31, 71.32, 72.151, 21.7.1973; P.G. Patwardhan & A.V.

Prabhu, 73.3135, 18.6.77, M.B. Nagarkar 77.606; 13.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & B.C.

Behera, 02.41; Sinhagad Fort, on the way, elev. 900 m, 19.7.70, P.D Badhe, 70.21;

16.8.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.C. Behera, 00.1, 00.2, 00.3, 00.17, 00.18, 00.28, 00.29;

4.7.2003, U.V. Makhija & A.V. Dube, 03.35, 03.45, 03.73. Raigad District, Karnala,

16.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar, 02.96. Satara District, Mahabaleshwar,

elev. 1372 m, on the way to Lingmala, on host Memeceylon umbellatum, 29.9.2003, U.V.

Makhija & A.V. Dube, 03.397; Panchgani, approx. altitude 900 m, 4.8.1981, M.B.

Nagarkar, 81.274, P.G. Patwardhan, 81.276, 81.277, 81.297; Tata Holiday Home,

29.9.2003, A.V. Dube & N. Verma, 03.403, 03.486, 03.489, 03.491, 03.494, 03.495,

03.496, 03.498. Sindhudurg District, On the way to Ajra from Amboli, 2 km from

Amboli, 10.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri, 00.160, 00.161.

Bulbotltrix meizospora (Nyl.) Hale [Fig.: 85]

Phytologia,l^-Am {\91A).

=Parmelia tiliacea var. meizospora Nyl.

Syn. L/c/?., 1(2): 383 (1860).

Thallus corticolous, closely adnate to the substratum, pale greenish glaucous to

olivaceous gray, 5-10 cm in diam., 150-160 ^m thick; lobes sublinear to irregular. 2-4

mm broad, non-isidiate, non-sorediate; margins crenate with short bulbate cilia, 0.5-0.7

mm long; upper surface plane and smooth, more or less shiny, upper cortex thin, 5-7 ^m

thick; algal layer continous, 30-37.5 jim thick; medulla hyaline, 100-120 \ym thick; lower

surface black with brown papillate marginal zone; lower cortex blackish brown, 25-30

|am thick; rhizines simple, brown black. Apothecia many, adnate, 2-4 mm in diam., disc

dark brown, concave; thalline exciple smooth, ecoronate, imperforate; epithecium hyaline

to brown, 4-6 |im; hymenium hyaline, 70-90 (xm; subhymenium hyaline, 9-15 |im.

Ascospores hyaline, simple, 16-21 x 6-11 |.UTI in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow; medulla K+ yellow turning red, C-, KC-, P+ orange-red;

UV-; atranorin and salazinic acid present.

Habitat: In Maharashtra it has been collected on a tree in moist deciduous forest at

higher elevation.

Distribution: India (Assam, Sikkim, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh), Africa,

Nepal, and Pakistan.

Remarks: This Asian species, is reported for the first time from Maharashtra and it

appears to be a rare species in this region and known only by a single collection.

Bitlholhrix meizospora differs in lobe width, spore size and in lacking isidia from the

other two species Bulhothrix isidiza and Bulbothrix tabacina.

Specimen examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala Fort at alt. 950 m, 13.10.1974, P.G.

Patwardhan &. A.V. Prabhu, 74.1007.

Bulbothrix tabacina (Mont. & Bosch) Hale [Fig.: 86]

Phytologia, 28: 4S\ (1974).

= Parmelia tabacina Mont. & Bosch

in Miquel, PI. Jungh. 4: 443 (1855).

Thallus corticolous, pale olivaceous buff, loosely adnate, 4-7 cm in diam., 120-

135 nm thick; lobes sublinear or irregular, 2-4 mm wide, with conspicuous, 0.5-0.6 mm

long, marginal bulbate cilia; upper surface plane, faintly maculate, isidiate; isidia laminal,

simple, cylindrical to sometimes branched, upper cortex 4-7 ^m thick; algal layer

continous, 15-18 im thick; medulla hyaline, 85-100 [tim thick; lower surface black at the

centre, lower cortex blackisk brown, 12-20 \xm thick; rhizines simple. Apothecia absent

in our specimens.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow; medulla K+ yellow turning red, C-, KC-, P+ orange;

atranorin and salazinic acid present.

Habitat: Collected on bark of trees in moist deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra, Nagaland and Uttar Pradesh). Widely distributed in

pantropical countries, Angola, Autralia, Brazil, Cuba, Guinea, Jamaica, Java, Malaya,

Mexico, Nepal, Philippines, Sumatra, Tanzania, Union of South Africa and Venezuela.

Remarks: Bulbothrix tabacina is characterised by isidiate, maculate thallus and black

lower surface is in contrast to Bulbothrix isidiza which has pale brown to darker lower

surface. This species was earlier recorded from Maharashtra by Hale (1976).

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District: Panhala, at an altitude of 953.10 m,

13.10.1974, P.O. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 74.977; 15.1.1975, P.G. Patwardhan &

M.B. Nagarkar, 75.557. Satara District, Panchgani, Tata Holiday Home, at alt. 1000m,

29.9.2003, U.V. Makhija & N. Verma, 03.407, 03.408, 03.414, 03.415, 03.488, 03.498.

Genus: Candelaria Massal., (Candelariaceae)

f /om, 35: 567 (1852).

Thallus small-foliose, squamulose or lobate, bright yellow to citrine, closely attached,

sometimes appearing crustose. Photobiont green, unicellular, Protococcus. Lobes narrow,

strap shaped to somewhat rounded or linear, continuous to crowded, margins entire to

dissected, plane or sorediate. Soredia often covering large areas with lobes visible only at

margins. Upper surface yellow, not turning purple on addition of KOH. medulla white.

Apothecia small to 1.5 mm in diam.. sessile, concave. Disc yellow green. Ascospores

many (16-32) per ascus, colourless, simple or I-septate.

Ten species of Candelaria are known world wide (Poelt, 1974; Kirk et al, 2001).

The occurrence of two species are known from the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 1988,

2000), none of the species was reported from Maharashtra. In the present study one

species has been reported from Maharashtra which is described below.

Candelaria concolor (Dicks.) Stein, in Cohn (Fig.: 87]

Krypt.- Flora. Schksien 35 (Halfte): 84, 567 (1879).

= Lichen concolor Dicks.,

Fasc. Plant. Crypt. Br., 3: 18 (1793).

Thallus saxicolous, bright yellow to lemon yellow or citrine, dispersed as an

indeterminate, scurfy, closely attached, often forming extensive colonies 1-2 cm in diam.,

60-135 |um thick; lobes very minute, often only visible at margins of thallus, margins

partly to completely covered by soredia; soredia granular to sometimes minutely granular

jsMjalg^^^concolorous; upper surface yellow, upper cortex thin, paraplectenchymatous, 9-

12 |im thick; alga green, unicellular about 6-9 \\.m in diam., algal layer 30-60 i m thick;

medulla very thin, white, 9-30 |im thick; lower surface whitish, lower cortex

paraplectenchymatous, 15-27 \im thick; rhizines simple, sparse. Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; pulvinic dilactone acid is present.

Habitat: Very small thalli (about 1-2 cm across) of this species were observed growing

on a moist basaltic rock just below the Ajinkyatara fort, Satara. It falls under the rain

shadow regions of Maharashtra.

Distribution: India (Kashmir, Kerala, Tamil Nadu). Widely distributed in tropic and

subtropical regions of the world.

Remai'ks: Candelaria concolor is reported for the first time from Maharashtra and can

easily be distinguished from other lichens in Maharashtra by its bright yellow coloured

thallus. Interestingly, very few, small thalli not exceeding 2 cm in diameter are visible for

last couple of years on a basaltic rock at the base of Ajinkyatara fort exposed to sunlight.

Specimens examined: Satara District, Ajinkyatara, on the way at higher elevation of

3307 m, 5.10.2001, B.A. Adawadkar & B.C. Behera. 01.94; 2.8.2004, G.S. Chitale,

04.95.

Genus: Canoparmelia Elix & Hale in Elix et al. (Parmeliaceae)

Mycotaxon, 11: 111 (1986).

Thallus foliose, corticolous, gray to gray green, heteromerous, corticate on both sides.

Photobiont a green alga. Trehouxia. Lobes narrow, linear, apices subrotund, margin

lacking cilia, maculae present or absent, pseudocyphellae absent. Upper cortex palisade

plectenchymatous with lower cortex.paraplectenchymatous. Lower surface black having

simple to squarrose rhizines. Erhizinate zone at the margins. Apothecia laminal,

eperforate. Ascospores hyaline, simple, ellipsoid. Atranorin is present but rareK usnic

acid.

Of the foi/rty species oi Canoparmelia known worldwide (Kirk et al, 2001), six

species have so far been recorded from the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 1988, 2000).

Only a single species of this genus Canoparmelia texana (Tuck.) Elix & Hale, a very

common species world wide, was earlier reported from Maharashtra as Parmelia texana

Tuck. (Prabhu et al, 1983) and is also recorded in the present studies.

Canoparmelia texana (Tuck.) Elix & Hale [Fig.: 88]

Mj/co/oxow, 27:279(1986).

= Parmelia texana Tuck.

Amer. J. Arts & Sci. ser. 2, 25: 424 (1858).

Thallus corticolous, gray, closely adnate, 150-195 im thick; lobes sublinear or

subirregular. apically somewhat rotund, 3-5 mm broad, distinctly cracked, more or less

reticulateiy maculate, pruinose towards periphery with crenate margins; soralia

punctiform or capitate; upper surface pale gray, plane to rugose; upper cortex 6-15 \im

thick; algal layer continuous, 30-36 |im thick; medulla white, 95-11! im thick; lower

surface black; lower cortex dark brown, 12-40 [im thick; sparsely rhizinate, erhizinate at

the margins. Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Thalius K+ yellow, medulla K-. C-, KC+ rose red, P-; UV-; atranorin and

divaricatic acid present.

Habitat: Corticolous growing in tropical moist decidous forest.

Distribution: India (Himalayas, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra,

Manipur, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu), Africa, Canada, Hawaii, Florida, Nepal, and United

States of America and widely distributed throughout subtropical to subtemperate regions

of the subcontinent.

Remarks: Canoparmelia texana is easily distinguished by its reticulately cracked

surface, lobes 3-5 mm broad, soralia initially pustulate, later capitate, medulla KC+ rose

red, and by the presence of atranorin and divaricatic acid.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Katyayani, 8 kms from Kolhapur, 15.10.1974,

A.V. Prabhu & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1237, 74.1238, 74.1240, 74.1242, 74.1243.

Genus: Catapyrenium Plot. (Verrucariaceae)

So/. Z/g. 8:361 (1850).

Thalius squamulose, appressed to substrate, light brown to dark brown. Photobiont a

green alga, Pleuwcoccus. Squamules irregularly orbicular to linear, adjacent or imbricate. 7

Upper surface and lower surfaced corticated, with rhizines on lower side. Perithecia

immersed in thalius. Ascospores 8/ ascus, ellipsoid, hyaline, simple. No lichen substances

is present.

The genus Catapyrenium Plot, is known by 6 species widely spread in the

temperate regions of the world (Kirk et aU 2001). Three species of this genus have so far

been reported from India (Awasthi; 1991, 2000). One species namely Catapyrenium

cinereum (Pers.) Korber was reported from Maharashtra under the name Dermatocarpon

hepaticum (Ach.) Th. Fr.(Patwardhan et ai, 1977; Awasthi & Upreti, 1985).

Catapyrenium cinereum (Pers.) Korber (Figs.: 10, 11 «& 89]

Syst. Lick Germ.: 325 (1855).

= Endocarpon cinereum Pers.

in Neue Annal. det. Botan.. 1 Stuck, 28 (1794).

Thailus terricolous. squamulose, closely adnate, more than 200-300 ^m thick;

rarely covered by white pruina in few specimens; distinctly corticated on both sides.

upper surface dark or reddish brown; upper cortex with vertical cell rows, 45-120 ^m

thick; medulla cellular, hyaline, 60-90 i m; algae mostly in upper cortical layers, 60-75

|Lim thick; lower surface pale, with a few haptera like rhizoidal hyphae; lower cortex

composed of vertical row of cells, thinner than upper cortex, 30-90 ^m thick. Perithecia

immersed, 300-400 |um in diam., perithecial wall thick, mostly colourless about 8-12

layered but dark brown near the ostiole; hymenium 1-; asci cylindrical, unitunicate,

shortly pedicellate. Ascospores one celled, hyaline, ellipsoidal to subglobose, with oil

globules, 6-12.5 x 3-6 |xm in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-. KC-, P-; UV-; no lichen substance present.

Habitat: The specimens were collected on soil along the road side below the trees of

Dalbergia melanoxylon. But now the habitat has been destroyed due to the construction

of building and the tar road. Hence this species has not been recollected from this place.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra), Europe, Ireland, North America and Norwegian.

Remarks: Catapyrenium cinereum is distinguished by terricolous, squamulose rhizinate

thallus with our specimen are mostly epruinose. However, some specimens are densely

pruinose (74.760, 74.619 AMH).

Specimens examined: Pune District, Pune University Campus, 15.8.1974, P.O.

Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 74.313, 74.314, 74.315, 74.316, 74.317, 74.318, 74.319,

74.320, 74.321, 74.322, 74.323, 74.324, 74.325, 74.326, 74.327, 74.328, ; 22.9.1974,

A.V. Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar, 74.760; 30.9.1974, A.V. Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar,

74.619; 23.6.1977, M.B. Nagarkar, 77.618.

Genus: Coccocarpia Pers. (Coccocarpiaceae)

(^ In Gaud Voj . 'Uranie. Bot., 206 (1826). /f

Thallus foliose, rarely^ dwarf foliose, small to medium sized, lead gray to black.

Photobiont a blue green alga, Scytomma. Lobes flattened, usually broadly flabellate to

cuneate with round apices and deflexed margins, with sometimes narrow radiating lobes

and concentric rings on them, dorsiventral, lobate. Thallus heteromerous, hyphae of the

upper cortex, medulla, and lower cortex periclinal, arranged in the length direction of the

lobes, concentric rings reflect the periclinal arrangement of hyphae in the upper cortex,

rhizines on lower surface. Apothecia laminal, biatorine, with no visible proper margin.

adnate to sessile, often ± irregular in outline. Ascospores 8/ascus, hyaline, simple or

falsely septate.

The lichen genus Coccocarpia Pers., comprising 23 species at world level

(Arvidsson, 1982; Marcano et al., 1995), is mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical

regions. The genus is known by 9 species from the Indian subcontinent (Makhija et al,

1999). Two species were earlier reported from Maharashtra (Arvidsson. 1982) and are

now recollected and described in the present study. However, Coccocarpia is not

common in this region.

Key to the species

la. Thallus isidiate Lobes cuneate-flabellate. 1-7 mm broad, plane to convex, isidia terete, simple to coro 1 loid C. palmicola

lb. Thallus without isidia Lobes narrowly cuneate to almost round, 1-3 mm broad C. erythroxyli

Coccocarpia erythroxyli (Spreng.) Swinscow & Krog [Figs.: 1- 4 «& 90]

Norw.J.Bot.,li:25A{\916).

= Lecidea erythroxyli Spreng.

Kungl. Vetemk.-Acad. NyaHandl., 1: 47 (1820)

Thallus orbicular, leaden gray, sometimes irregular, loosely attached to closely

adnate to the substratum, 4-5 cm diam.. 39-50 ^m thick; lobes usually flabellate to

cuneate, 1-3 mm broad, imbricate or adjacent, rarely discrete, vary from narrowly cuneate

to almost round, weakly branched; upper surface epruinose, usually glossy, smooth, with

or without concentric ridges, upper cortex paraplectenchymatous. 9 \im thick; blue-green

alga form either irregular clusters of cells or unbranched filament, 15-18 |Lim thick;

medulla hyaline, 12-15 |im thick; isidia absent; lower surface brown to almost black,

lower cortex paraplectenchymatous, 3-9 \im thick; rhizines black, sometimes projecting

beyond margins, septate, cells elongate and rectangular. Apothecia black to brownish in

colour, scattered to crowded, sometimes fusing to form aggregates, adnate. mostly

laminal. 0.5-1 mm in diam.; disc plane to convex; proper exciple tapering at margins;

epithecium bluish black, 9-12 |im thick; hymenium hyaline. 30 |im high. 1 + blue; asci

clavate, I+, amylloid plug present, 30-36 x 12 ^m in size; paraphyses thick, septate,

rectangular, tips bluish black. Ascospores 8/ascus, fusiform, hyaline, distinctly one

septate to sometimes two septate, 6-12 X 3 ^m in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; no lichen substance present.

Habitat: In Maharashtra ths species has been collected on bark of the trees in semi-

evergreen forest.

Distribution: India (Andaman, Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur,

Nicobar Island, Nagaland. Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh), Australia,

Europe, New Zealand, North America and tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

Remarks: Coccocarpia erythroxyli is one of the most variable and widely distributed

species in India. It is highly variable in colour of lobes, size of apothecia, black to orange

(Makhija el al.. 1999). This species is very rare in Maharashtra and known by only two

scanty collections.

Specimens examined: Sindhudurg District, Amboli, 18.10.1974, C.R. Kulkarni & A.V.

Prabhu, 74.1554; On the way to Amboli, at about 900m alt., 12.10.2000, B.A. Adawadkar

& K.R. Randive, 00.375.

Coccocarpiapalmicola (Spreng.) Arv. &D. J. Gal\. [Fig.: 91]

Bol. Notiser, 132: 242 (1979).

= Lecidea palmicola Spreng.

Kungl. Vetemk.- Acad. Nya Handl. 1:46(1820).

Thallus foliose, orbicular, leaden gray may vary from whitish gray to blackish

sometimes, irregular, loosely attached or closely adnate, 5-7 cm diam., lobate, 40-55 |im

thick: lobes usually 1-7 mm broad, imbricate or adjacent, rarely somewhat discrete,

usuall) broadly flabellate or cuneate. but may vary from narrow!}' cuneate to almost

round, incised lobulate, weakly branched; isidia terete, simple to coralloid. mostly

laminal. concolorous with the thallus or darker, sometimes crowded at the center; upper

surface epruinose, usually glossy, sometimes matt, smooth, with concentric ridges, upper

cortex paraplectenchymatous, 15-20 im thick; blue-green alga forming either irregular

clusters of cells or unbranched fdaments, 10 urn thick; medulla hyaline, 10-15 |.im thick;

lower surface pale creamish to almost black, lower cortex paraplectenchymatous, 3-8 fim

thick; rhizines black, sometimes forming dense hypothalius, with white tips projecting

beyond lobe margins. Pycnidia seen. Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Thallus K-. C-, KC-, P-; UV-; no lichen substance present.

Habitat: Collected at higher elevation in moist deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (An^daman, Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur,

Nagaland, Nicobar Island, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh) tropical and subtropical

regions of the world, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, North America.

Remarks: Coccocarpia palmicola is characterized by an orbicular thallus and terete,

simple to coralloid isidia. It resembles C. pellita (Ach.) Miill. Arg. in external

morphology, but the latter species has microphylline to squamuliform isidia.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala at an altitude of 950 m, 13.10.1974,

P.O. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 74.1161; 13.10.2000, collected on Mangifera indica,

U.V. Makhija & K.R. Randive, 00.431, 00.432, 00.433, 00.434.

Genus: Collema F. H. Wigg. (Coilemataceae)

Prim. Fl- Holsat, p. 89 (1780).

Thallus subfoliose to foliose, gelatinous, bluish gray to lead gray, olive brown to black

when wet, homoiomerous, ecorticate or rarely with pseudocortex. Photobiont a blue-

green alga- Nostoc. Lobes distinctly lobate, uniformly thickened throughout or swollen at

margins only, smooth to ridged and pustulate, ridges longitudinal (mgrevcem-type) or

irregular. Apothecia laminal. sessile, rarely short stipitate; disc smooth, epruinose. red

brown in colour. Ascospores 8/ascus, hyaline, fusiform or ellipsoid, transversely septate

or muriform.

In the monograph of the genus Collema, Degelius (1954. 1974) recorded 77

species all over the world. 32 species were reported from the Indian subcontinent (Akhtar

& Awasthi. 1980; Awasthi 1988. 2000). and 6 species were earlier reported from

Maharashtra (Awasthi, 1963; Degelius, 1974; Akhtar & Awasthi, 1980; Awasthi. 1988).

Awasthi 1965 reported a species from Pratapgad in Maharashtra, as Collema polyearpon

Hoffm. now known as Collema texanum Tuck (Akhtar & Awasthi. 1980). In the present

study C. polycarpon var. polycarpon Hoffm. is recorded for the first time from

Maharashtra in addition to the earlier known species.

Key to the species

la. Thalliis isidiate 2

1 b. Thallus lacking isidia 5

2a. Isidia squamuliform C furfureolum

2b. Isidia not squamuliform, granular, globular, teretiform 3

3a. Thallus saxicoious Thallus foliose, flat, deeply lobed, upto 17 mm broad; apothecia upto 2 mm diam., proper excipie euthyplectenchymatous; ascospores 2-celled, 8-16 x 5-7 |am

C. texanum var. texanum

3b. Thallus corticolous 4

4a. Thallus subfoliose, fenestrate, lobes 1-2 mm broad; apothecia 1.5 mm in diameter; ascospores bacillar, 4-8-celled, (22) 28-40 x 2-4.5 |im

C. leptaleum var. biliosum

4b. Thallus foliose, apices swollen and plicate, 2.5 mm broad; ascospores 4-celled to submuriform , (15) 17-26 (30) x 6.5 - 8.5 |im C. tenax var. tenax

5a. Ascospores muriform/ submuriform Thallus not fenestrate, dark olive green, pustulate; apothecia crenulate, 0.5-1.5 mm diam; ascospores 4-8 celled, ornamented on the surface, 2 2 - 5 7 x 5 - 7 i m

C. pulcellum var. subnigrescens

5b. Ascospores transversely septate 6

6a.Thallus corticolous; apothecia 2.5 mm diam, proper excipie euthyplectenchymatous; ascospores (8.5) 10.5-19 (21) x (3) 4-6.5 \xm C. conglomeratum var. crassiusculum

6b. Thallus saxicoious; apothecia 0.3-1.5 mm in diameter, thaliine excipie slightly crenulate, proper excipie subparapiectenchymatous; ascospores, 16-29x4-5 jam

C polycarpon var. polycarpon

CoUema conglomeratum Hoffm. var. crassiusculum (Malme) Degel.

Symb. Bot. Upsal., 13(2): 215 (1954).

= Collemapycnocarpiim var. crassiusculum Malme

Ark. fio/., 19(8): 7 (1924).

Thallus usually 4-5 cm in diam.; lobes rather well developed and more foliose,

may be rounded or extended, lobules sparse or rather numerous and dense, often

ascending or erect. 0.3-1.5 mm broad; upper surface smooth or densely knotty, often

sparsely plicate (rugose). Apothecia numerous and dense or more sparse and scattered,

0.5-1.5 rarely (2.5) mm diam.. proper exciple euthyplectenchymatous. Ascospores short-

oblong, straight, with rounded, obtuse or acute ends, 2-4 cells, (8.5) 10.5-19 (21) .\ (3) 4-

6.5 |,im. (from Degelius, 1974, p.43).

Habitat: Growing on bare or mossy bark of broad leaved trees.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra, Nagaiand and Tamil Nadu). This is known from

different parts of temperate and tropical America as well as from tropical Asia.

Remarks: Collema conglomeratum var. crasshisciilum (Malme) Degel. was reported by

Degelius (1974) from Maharashtra [Satara District, near Panchagani, moist steep rock

(trap) by the road, c. 1200 m. 1964 Degelius As-30 (Degel.)] but we have not come

across any specimen confirming to its description. The taxon is distinguished by its

normally developed and more extended lobes, more foliose, ascospores are ovoid or

ellipsoid, straight with rounded or obtuse or acute ends.

Collema furfurealum Miill. Arg.

Flora, 72: 142(1889).

Thallus upto a few cm in diam.. foliose. pale or darker olive green, 65-130 (200)

\im thick, adnate but often with ascending margin; lobes rounded or somewhat extended,

imbricate, flat to concave and undulate, up to 5 mm broad, often narrower, lobulate,

margin entire or incised, isidiate; isidia numerous to sparse, superficial, also marginal,

concolorous with the thallus or darker, squamiliform, globular or teretiform when young,

forming small accessory lobules. Sometimes a well developed typical pseudocortex

occurs on both sides of thallus. Apothecia superficial, sessile, + constricted at the base,

flattened, small, upto 1 mm diam.; disc plane or somewhat convex, paler or darker red,

matt, epruinose; thalline margin thin to moderately thick, entire, isidiate, often

disappearing, without pseudocortex; proper exciple up to 85 um thick, pale yellow to

yellowish brown; hymenium 105-110 |am high; paraphyses simple or branched; asci

clavate 65-80 x 17-24 |.un. Ascospores 6-8/ascus, broadly oblong or ellipsoid, with

obtuse or rounded ends, submuriform, 4-celled, sometimes constricted at septa, 15-20 x

7-8.5 ^m (from Degelius 1974. p.81).

Habitat: This species has been reported to be distributed from lowland to up into the

mountains. The species usually occurs on bare calcareous rock, shady or exposed,

sometimes periodically wet in tropical moist deciduous forest. Often it is sparse in

localities.

Distribution: In India it is known from Maharashtra. Collema furfureolum is restricted to

the tropical and temperate parts of southern and eastern parts of Asia (from China, Japan,

and Vietnam).

Remarks: This species has not been collected in many, recent explorations in

Panchagani. According to Degelius (1974) the taxon is distinguished by its saxicolous,

foliose thallus, globular to squamuliform isidia and muriform ascospores. Degelius (1974)

recorded Collema furfureolum based on the specimen collected from Satara District, near

Panchagani, moist steep rock (trap) by the road, c. 1200 m. 1964 Degelius As-15

(Degel). In India this species seems to be localized to Maharashtra.

Collema leptaleum Tuck. var. hiliosum (Mont.) Degel.

Symh. Bot. UpsaL, 20(2): 105 (1974).

= Collema nigrescens var. hiliosum Mont.

Anr}. Sci. Nat. Bot, ser2. 18: 20 (1842).

Thallus crustose to subfoliose, olive green to pale brown, upto 5 cm diam.;

surface smooth or little uneven with radiating wrinkles or ridges and pustules; lobes and

lobulate few rounded to extended, imbricate; isidia usually numerous and dense, globular.

Apothecia numerous, scattered, 0.8-1.5 mm diam., exciple margin fmely rugose or

verrucose or isidiate. Ascospores 4-8 ceiled, (22) 28-40 x 2-4.5 )im in size, (from

Degelius, 1974 p. 105).

Habitat: Grows on trunks and branches of various trees and shrubs in moist or rather dry

forests and groves, further on solitary and roadside trees, etc. (Degelius, 1974).

39

Distribution: India (Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh). The taxon occurs in

tropical subtropical parts of Africa, Asia, Indonesia and Japan.

Remarks: Collema leptaleum var hiliosum was recorded by Degeiius (1974) from

Maharashtra, [Satara District, Panchgani, Ficm infectoria at road, sparse, c. 1200 m. 1964

Degeiius As-26 (Degel.)] and has not been recollected by us.

Collemapolycarpon var. pofycarpon Hoffm. [Figs.: 5, 6, 8 «& 92]

Deutschl. Flora,:\02 (\796). -r"l i ^ i ^

Thallus saxicolous, foliose, dark green to brownish gray to blackish olive green,

large, upto 2-5 cm diam., parts adnate, deeply lobate, epruinose, 120-340 |xm thick, non

isidiate; lobes numerous, radiating, elongate; lobules narrow to broad, more or less

flattened, usually raised on edges towards the incised ends, distinctly swollen, and

somewhat plicate, but in margin with dense erect and more or less flattened, usually

branched and possessing one or more apothecia at the tips; lower surface of the thallus

with confluent hapters of crowded rhizines, 17.5-140 |am long and 3.5-6 |im broad,

septate, one cell 17.5-35 |im long and 3.5-6 |im broad. Apothecia numerous, crowded

except outermost parts of lobes, sessile with constricted base near margin of lobes, on tips

of short branches, often stipitate, circular, flattened, 0.3-1.5 mm in diam.; disc plane to

convex, reddish brown to blackish brown; thalline exciple smooth, thin to moderately

thick, entire to slightly crenulate; proper exciple subparaplectenchymatous; epithecium

brownish-yellow, 14-17.5 urn thick; hymenium hyaline, 80-115 |im in height;

hypothecium, pale yellow or hyaline, 40-60 |im thick; asci 8-spored, cylindrical to

subcylindrical, 60-84 x 11-17 ^m in size. Ascospores hyaline, fusiform to ellipsoid, 4-

celled, straight 16-29 x 4-5 )im in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; no lichen substance is present.

Habitat: This species has been collected from the moist area on rocks in shaded places.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra, North West Himalayas). The taxon is distributed in

China Japan, USA, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican rep. Lesser Antilles & Paraguay.

Remarks: Collema polycarpon var. pofycarpon is reported from Maharashtra for the first

time. The present species is easily distinguished by its saxicolous, distinctly radiating.

extended and contiguous lobes, with the lobules usually in part raised on edge are very

characteristic, with numerous apothecia usually situated at the ends of short, erect

branches, and by its 4-celled ascospores.

This species closely resembles C. texamim Tuck in external morphology but the

ascospores in C. polycarpon is 4-celled and 2-celled in C, texamim.

Specimens examined: Pune District, Purandar, 38 km from Pune, 1973, P.G.

Patwardhan, 73.149, 73.151; Boma Hills, Khandala, 18.9.1974, M. B. Nagarkar, & C.R.

Kulkarni, 74.719; Malavali, near Bhaja Caves, 26.7.1874, C. R. Kulkarni, 74.117, 74.118,

74.159. Satara District, on the way from Mahabaleshwar to Panchgani, collected on

Ficus trees on road side, 11 km from Mahabaleshwar, 11.6.1980, U.V. Makhija & D.W.

Rane, 80. 315.

Collema pulcellum Ach. var. suhnigrescens (Miill. Arg.) Degel. [Figs.: 7, 9 & 931

Symh. Bot. Upsal, 20(2): 173 (1974).

= Synechoblastusflaccidus var. siibfiirviis Miill. Arg.

Proc. R. Soc, Edinb., 11: 456 (1882).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, blackish olive green, broadly lobate, 6 cm diam., 66-

150 |im thick; lobes with vesiculate swellings and radial ridges, 0.3-1.5 cm broad, non-

isidiate; lower surface with corresponding depressions, deeply or broadly lobate, lower

surface often paler to grayish. Apothecia numerous, scattered singly and in clumps,

mainly on the ridges, with thalline margin becoming obscure in mature apothecia, 0.5-1.5

mm in diam.; thalline exciple smooth; proper exciple euparaplectenchymatous, 4-6 cell

layered, 36-78 |im thick at the base, narrower at margins; disc reddish-brown, epruinose;

epithecium brown, 17.5-24.5 [xm thick; hymenium hyaline, 88-95 |jm high, hypothecium

pale yellow, 17.5-24.5 |a.m thick; asci cylindrical, 60-80 x 8-14 |im in size. Ascospores

fusiform to broadly acicular, with acute to obtuse ends, 4-9 celled, distinctly ornamented

surface, 22-57 x 5-7 ^m in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-. KC-, P-; UV-: no lichen substance is present.

Habitat: Corticolous, growing in shady moist deciduous or semi evergreen forest.

Distribution: India (Himachal Pradesh. Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Manipur,

Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal). The taxon is widely distributed in tropical

subtropical parts of Africa, and America.

41

Remarks: Collema pulcellum var subnigrescens is distinguished by its ascospores,

fusiform to broadly acicular, witii acute to obtuse ends and distinctly ornamented surface.

It is widely distributed in India from sea level to temperate region in the mountains.

Specimens examined: Pune District, Sinhagad, at 1290 m altitude, August, 2002, G. S.

Chitale, 02.269. Satara District, Panchagani, 4.8.1981, on Ficus bengaliensis, U. V.

Makhija, 81.284.

Collema tenax var. tenax (Sw.) Ach.

Lichenogr. Univ., (1810).

= Collemapulposum var. tenax (Sw.) Nyl.

Synops. Lick, 1: 110(1858).

Thallus thin, foliose, light to dark green, usually adnate, upto 1 mm in diam.;

lobes insignificant to rather distinct but irregular; upper surface often somewhat knotty,

rugose; isidia absent. Apothecia rare, sometimes numerous and dense, upto 3 mm (6 mm)

in diam., corona present; disc convex or irregular. Ascospores 4-celled to submuriform,

(15) 17- 26 (30) X 6.5-8.5 im. (from Akhtar & Awasthi 1980)

Habitat: In Maharashtra this species was collected on a rock in moist deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh). The taxon is distributed in China

Japan, USA, Canada, South Africa, North America.

Remarks: Collema tenax var. tenax has not been collected by us. This species is

distinguished by swollen and plicate lobed thallus, euthyplectenchymatous to

subparaplectenchymatous proper exciple and muriform ascospores (Akhtar & Awasthi

1980). This specimen was collected by Degelius from Maharashtra, [Satara District, near

Panchgani, moist steep rock (trap) by road, c. 1200 m, 1964 Degelius As-30 (Degel.)]

Collema texanum var. texanum Tuck. [Fig- 94]

Amer. Journ. Sc. Arts, Ser. 2, 28: 200 (1859).

Thallus saxicolous, foliose, dark green to brownish gray, to blackish olive green,

large, up to 4-7 cm diam., 80-280 ^m thick; lobes 1-3 mm long, and 0.5-1.5 mm wide.

42

deeply incised, usually expanded, and fan shaped at tips, with cushion like structure,

repeatedly and regularly to irregularly furcate, with more or less short internodia; lobules

usually numerous discrete, or imbricate, sometimes densely packed together, linear or

often broader towards apices, with upper surface flat or convex and lower surface usually

concave, canaliculate; margin entire, revolute and sometimes lobulate; 0.4-0.6 mm long

and 3-4.5 mm broad; isidia rare, sparse, globular when young later turning squamiform.

Apothecia sparse, 0.3-1.2 mm in diam.; thalline exciple smooth, thin to moderately thick,

entire to slightly crenulate; proper exciple euthyplectenchymatous; epithecium brownish-

yellow, 14-17.5 [im thick; hymenium hyaline, 48-105 ^m high; hypothecium pale yellow

or hyaline, 17.5-84 ^m thick; asci 8-spored, more or less clavate to subcylindrical, 70-94

x 10.5-17 |im in size. Ascospores hyaline, oval to ellipsoid, 2-celled, 8-16 x 5-7 |im in

size.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; no lichen substance is present.

Habitat: In Maharashtra this species has been collected on the walls of forts at higher

elevations in Western Maharashtra, where they are exposed to heavy rains during

monsoon.

Distribution: India (Gujarat and Maharashtra). The taxon is distributed in China Japan,

USA, Mexico, Cuba, Dominican rep. Lesser Antilles & Paraguay.

Remarks: Collema texamim resembles C. tenax and C. polycarpon var. polycarpon

though they are distinguished by their ascospores. The ascospores in C. texanum are 2-

celled, while in C polycarpon var. polycarpon they are 4-celled and they are muriform in

C. tenax, but it is difficult to distinguish them in sterile condition.

Specimens examined: Pune District, Purandar, 38 km from Pune, on the walls of the

fort, 11.11.1976, P. G. Patwardhan & U. V. Makhija, 76.1269; 13.9.2002, B.A.

Adawadkar & A.V. Bhosale, 02.252, 02.254. Kolhapur District, near Panhala Guest

House, 13.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri, 00.460, 00.494. Nasik District,

Saptashringigad, on rock, 24.9.2002, B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 02.263.

4.1

Genus: Dermatocarpon Eschw. (Verrucariaceae)

Syst. L/c/?.,21(1824).

Thalkis foliose or squamulose. gray to gray brown, generally monophyllous, attached to

substratum by rhizoids or an umbilicus, coriaceous, heteromerous, corticated only on

upper side or both sides. Photobiont a green alga. Plewocociis. Lower surface smooth

lacking rhizines or with rhizinomorphic brown black out growth. Perithecia immersed in

thallus, globular or oval, ostioles terminal, punctiform, bright blackish. Paraphyses

gelatinized. Asci 8-spored, sometimes 16-spored. Ascospores single celled, hyaline,

oblong-ellipsoid.

The genus Dermatocarpon is known by 12 species at world level (Kirk et al..

2001). Four species have so far been recorded from the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi,

2000). Two species of this genus namely Dermatocarpon vellereum Zschacke (as

Dermatocarpon moulinsii (Mont.) Zahlbr.) and D. hepaticum (Ach.) Th. Fr. (syn of

Catapyrenium cinereiim (Pers.) Korb.) were earlier recorded from Maharashtra.

(Patwardhan et al., 1977; Patwardhan & Badhe, 1978; Awasthi & Upreti 1985). I have

recorded single species of this genus in the present work.

Dermatocarpon vellereum Zschacke [F'g- 95]

Rahenh. Krypto Flora, 9(1): 638 (1934).

Thallus foliose, monophyllous. saxicolous, faint cream white to smoke gray. 2-10

cm in diam., margin entire to sinuose, attached to the substratum by an umbilicus, 240-

455 \im in thickness at periphery and at the center 500 |im and more; upper surface

rough, cartilaginous when fresh, cracks are seen when deposited for long period; pycnidia

seen as numerous black dots on the thallus. corticated on both sides; upper cortex thin

paraplectenchymatous, 21-36 |im thick; medulla hyaline. 150-155 |im thick; algae green

unicellular, 45-60 \xm thick, mostly in upper cortical layers; lower surface dark black,

lower cortex thick, paraplectenchymatous, 60-96 [im thick; densely rhizinate, nearly upto

margin, rhizines thick, stumpy, irregularly branched, corolloid, 195-299 |im in length,

with 65-156 |am thick at base. Perithecia solitary, immersed, interspersed with pycnidia,

externally visible only with a punctate, faint ostiole, internally round bottom tlask like,

gradually narrowing towards the ostiole, 174-300 [.un high, 135-300 \im in diameter,

perithecial wall composed of longitudinally compressed hyphae, brown in colour; ostioles

dark brown, straight, excipuloid layer 4-5, 30 \im thick; hymenium hyaline, 1+ faint blue;

44

paraphyses simple, short, seen in young perithecia, disintegrate in mature perithecia: asci

cylindrico clavate, unitunicate, shortly pedicellate, octospores, 36-45 x 9-12 [im in size. -^> _

Ascospores simple, ova|, one celled, hyaline, ellipsoidal, 9-12 x(1.5/6 \im in size. Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-. KC-, P-; UV-; no lichen substance present.

Habitat: It grows widely on exposed as well as sheltered areas of the rocks and boulders

and was collected from the walls efforts and on the way at higher elevation.

Distribution: India (Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and

Uttar Pradesh). The taxon is distributed in Asia minor, in Maharashtra this species is seen

growing on the walls of forts like Saptashringi, Sinhagad, Purandar, etc.

Remarks: Dermatocarpon vellereum is disintinguished by the presence of thick, stumpy,

irregularly branched coralloid rhizinaSTTt closely resembles D. moulinsii (Mont.) Zahlbr.,

which, however, has simple, short rhizinatei This soecies aooears to be common in

Maharashtra.

Specimens examined: Nasik District, Saptashringigad. 3.8.1974, M.B. Nagarkar & A.V.

Prabhu, 74.229. Pune District, Purandar Fort, 38 km from Pune, in moist shady places,

on the walls, 31.1.1971, P.G. Patwardhan & P.D. Badhe, 71.6. 71.11, 71.33, 71.39;

21.7.1973. P.G. Patwardhan, 73.3138. 73.3139: 8.8.1973. P.G. Patwardhan & A.V.

Prabhu, 73.156. 73.168; 11.11.1976, P.G. Patwardhan & U.V. Makhija, 76.1272;

18.6.1977, M.B. Nagarkar & JMT, 77.607; 13.9.2002, B.A. Adawadkar & G.S. Chitale,

02.82. 02.83, 02.83, 02.84, 02.85, 02.86, 02.87, 02.88; Sinhagad, 19.5.1974. C.R.

Kulkarni, 74.102, 14.5.1989. M.B. Nagarkar, 89.1. 16.8.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.A.

Adawadkar, 00.6. Satara District, Ajiyankya tara fort, elev. 3307 ft, 5.10.2001. U.V.

Makhija&G.S. Chitale, 01.89.

Genus: Dirinaria (Tuck.) Clem. (Physciaceae)

Gen. Fungi, U{\9Q9).

Thallus foliose, suborbicular, whitish gray to gray, appressed to the substratum.

Photobiont a green alga. Lobes narrow, radiating, confluent in the central part,

heteromerous, corticated on both surfaces. Upper cortex paraplectenchymatous and lower

cortex thin, prosoplectenchymatous. Lower surface without rhizines. Apothecia laminal.

45

lecanorine, black. Epihymenium K-. Hypothecium brown to dark brown. Asci 8-spored.

Ascospores brown to dark brown, 2-celled. Atranorin always present.

The genus Dirinaria (Tuck.) Clem, is known by 26 species worldwide (Kirk et al,

2001). and represented by six species from the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 1988. 2000).

The genus was known by 2 species Dirinaria applanata (Fee) D. D. Awasthi and

Dirinaria confliiens (Fr.) D. D. Awasthi from Maharashtra (Awasthi, 1975). In the

present study Dirinaria aegialita (Afz.) Moore is reported as a new record to

Maharashtra.

Key to the species

la. Soralia or isidia present 2

lb. Soralia and isidia absent

Thailus glaucous white to gray, longitudinally plicate-rugose; ascospores 10.5-23 x 3-9 (xm; atranorin, divaricatic and zeorin present D. confluens

2a. So@I?crateriform, at the apex of isidioid dactyls, central cavity forms a deep pore D. aegialita

2b. Sc redigf directly on lamina capitate to farinose spreading all over the surface D. applanata

Dirinaria aegialita (Afzel. in Ach.) B. J. Moore [Figs.: 28 & 96]

Bryologist, 71:248(1968).

= Parmelia aegialata Afzel. in Ach.

Meth.Lich., 191 (1803).

Thailus corticolous, foliose, grayish white to pale olivaceous green, surface

rough, plicate, 3-4 cm in diam.. closely adpressed to the substratum, slightly pruinose;

lobes radiating, subdichotomous. 2-3 mm broad, margins irregular, distinct only at the

periphery, confluent, warty, sinuate in central part of the thailus, apices rounded

flabellate; isidia absent; soredia crateriform, concolorous, mostly laminal, at the apex o1

isidioid clavate outgrowths (dactyls), central cavity forming deep pore; upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous, 21-42 |am thick; algal layer uniform, 21-42 ^m thick; medulk

white. 79.8-126 \\m thick, pigment present in the lower part of medulla; lower corte>

prosoplectenchymatous. 3-6 |.im thick; lower surface black; rhizines absent. Apothecif

not seen.

46

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow. K+ purple in lower part of medulla, C-, KC-, P-; UV-;

atranorin, divaricatic acid and triterpenoids present.

Habitat: Collected on road side trees in open places in dry deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Andaman Islands, Maharashtra, and Paini hills in Tamil Nadu),

world wide in Tropics.

Remarks: This species can easily be distinguished by thick thallus and crateriform

soralia at the apex of isidioid dactyls which serve as a propagative function. This species

is being reported for the first time from Maharashtra and very rare species.

Specimens examined: Chandrapur District. Tadoba National Park, Phandharpawani,

dry deciduous forest, 28.8.2000, K.R. Randive & V.A. Mantri, 00.61. Pune District,

Pune University Campus, 3.6.1970, P.D. Badhe, 70.2.

Dirinaria applanata (Fee) D. D. Awasthi [Figs.: 48 & 97]

J. Indian Bot. Soc, 49: 135 (1970).

= Parmelia applanata Fee

Essai Crypt. Ecorc. Exot. Officin, 126 (1824).

Thallus corticolous, pale white to gray, closely adnate to the substratum, slightly

wavy, undulating, 6-7 cm in diam.; lobes oblong, flabellate, confluent, plicate-rugose,

irregularly divided, spathulate to notched at centre of lobe at apices, 1-1.5 mm broad,

margin smooth, sometimes pruina on the periphery of lobes; isidia absent; soralia mostly

laminal, capitate to farinose, spread all over the surface of the thallus; upper surface pale,

upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, 24.5-31.5 nm thick; algal layer uniform, 52.5-73.5

\\.m thick; medulla white, 140-151 jam thick; lower cortex prosoplectenchymatous, 3-6

|im thick; lower surface black; rhizines absent; pycnidia absent. Apothecia laminal,

substipitate to adnate, 0.2-2 mm in diam.; disc black, plane to slightly convex, thalline

exciple entire, sometimes pruinose; epihymenium blackish brown, 10.5-14 |im thick, K-;

hymenium brownish to yellowish. 52.5-73.5 ^m high; hypothecium blackish-brown, 105-

122.5 \im high in centre, lentiform. Ascospores 8 per ascus, brown, 2-celled, oblong,

10.5-21 x5-7nm.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, medulla K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; atranorin and divaricatic

acid present.

47

Habitat: Collected on tree in open on Vetal hill and is known by a single specimen only in Maharashtra.

Distribution: India (Andaman Islands, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and

West Bengal). Widely distributed in tropical and subtropical parts of the world.

Remarks: Dirinaha applanata is distinguished by flabellate and spathulate lacinae.

Although this species is common and widely distributed in world, it appears to be rare in

Maharashtra. It has not been found in recent visits to this place.

Specimen examined: Pune District, Vetal hill, 2.10.1974, Pusalkar, 74.622.

Dirinaria confluens (Fr.) D. D. Awastiii [Figs.: 42, 49 & 98]

Bibliotk Lichenol.,2:2S\ (1975).

= Parmelia confluens Fr.

Syst. Orb. Vegel., 1: 284 (1825).

Thallus corticolous, whitish gray to glaucous gray, thin, smooth to cracked,

highly warty at the centre, longitudinally plicate rugose at periphery, closely adnate to the

substratum, loose at periphery, 7-14 cm in diam.; lobes flabellate, radiating, narrow,

confluent, 1-3 mm broad, margins slightly crenate, orbicular, sometimes pruina on the

lobes at periphery; pycnidia present; isidia and soredia absent; upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous, 12-15 fxm thick; medulla white, 108.5-192.5 |am thick; algal layer,

15-18 |im thick; lower cortex prosoplectenchymatous, 12-21 |am thick; lower surface

black; rhizines absent. Apothecia numerous, crowded, aggregated at the centre of

thallus, constricted at the base, 0.2-2 mm in diam.; disc black, plane to slightly convex,

thalline exciple entire to crenulate; epihymenium brown, 10.5-17.5 im thick, K-;

hymenium hyaline, 52.5-84 |im high; hypothecium blackish red to blackish brown, 122.5-

157.5 urn high in centre, lentiform. Ascospore 8 per ascus, brown, 2-celled, oblong, 10.5-

23 X 5.3-9 nm.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, medulla K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; atranorin and divaricatic

acid present.

Habitat: Collected on road side trees in open places in semi evergreen forest.

48

V

Distribution: India (Andaman Islands, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Orissa, and Tamil Nadu).

Subtropical parts of world and reaching upto temperate regions.

Remarks: Dirinaria confliiens is distinguished by the tlabellate, longitudinally plicate

rugose lobe apices, absence of soredia, blackish red to blackish brown, lentiform

hypothecium and presence of divaricatic acid in medulla.

Specimens examined: Ratnagiri District, Dabhole ghat, Ratnagiri - Kolhapur road,

5.12.1974, A. V. Prabhu& M.B. Nagarkar, 74.2071, 74.2100,74.2113. 74.2114; 4.8.1981,

M.B. Nagarkar, 81.304a.

Genus: Endocarpon Hedw. (Verrucariaceae)

Descr. micr.- anal, niii.sc. frond.. 2: 56 (1789).

Thallus minutely foliose, squamulose or occasionally almost crustose, corticated on both

sides or only on upper side. Upper cortex paraplectenchymatous. Algal layer consisting of

compactly arrangedjnycobiont as well as photobiont (green alga) components. Medulla

"consisting of la.x hyphae. Perithecia generally immersed, ostioles indistinct to prominent,

like protuberance, excipuloid tissue paraplectenchymatous, blackish, perithecial cavity

with hymenial photobiont, in its upper part and at ostiole lined with dense, simple

periphyses. Paraphyses gelatinized. Asci 1-6 spored mostly 2-spored. Ascospores brown,

multi-celled muriform.

The genus Endocarpon Hedw. is known by 35 species at world level (Kirk el al,

2001). Six species have been reported from the Indian subcontinent (Singh & Upreti

1984; Awasthi, 2000), and only one species Endocarpon pusillum was recorded from

Maharashtra (Patwardhan et al.. 1977) and same is described in the present study.

Endocarpon pusillum Hedw. [Figs.: 12, 13 & 99]

Descr. micr.- anal. muse, frond.. 2: 56 (1789).

Thallus terricolous to saxicolous, squamulose to crustose, irregular in out line,

closely adpressed, brownish and pale green when fresh, 2.5-5 cm across, 105-141 \im

thick; squamules scattered or sometimes crowded and forming crust, round to irregular in

outline, plain to slightly concave, upto 1 mm across, corticated on both side; upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous. 6-7 cells thick, 12-36 ^m thick; algal layer is 30-45 urn thick;

49

medulla 30-57 urn thick; lower cortex 2-3 cells thick, 12-30 |am thick, blackish brown in

lower part. Perithecia 1-6,per squamule, globose, immersed, 0.1-0.2 mm in diam., a

small black area around ostiole emerging like a prominent protuberance, ostioles as pale

dot like or indistinct; excipuloid tissue 3-6 celled, 15-45 \im thick; perithecial cavity 150-

210 |im high, 170-195 jim broad; hymenium hyaline, I-, hymenial alga spherical 6 ^m in

diam.; asci cylindrical to clavate, unitunicate, bispored, 54-63 x 15-21 |xm in size.

Ascospores brown, oblong to ellipsoid, muriform, cells arranged in 9-10 transverse septa,

with 2-4 cells in each, 24-36 x 9-15 \im in size.

Chemistry: K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; no lichen substance is present.

Habitat: This lichen is generally found on soil on shaded rocks. It was collected on the

cement wall.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh), Europe, North America,

and Pakistan.

Remarks: Endocarpon pusillum Hedw., is a common species throughout India and is

distinguished by the presence of scattered to crowded, closely adnate, 1-2 carpous

squamules. This species is very rare in Maharashtra. It has not been found even in the

campus of our institute.

Specimens examined: Pune District, Agharkar Research Institute Campus, on the

cement wall, 23.6.1977, M.B. Nagarkar, 77.613; Purandar fort, on the sheltered rock on

the way, 18.6.1977, M.B. Nagarkar, 77.601, 77.602, 77.802, 77.813.

Genus: Heterodermia Trevis. em. Poelt (Physciaceae)

AttiSoc. Ital. Sci. Nat. (Modena), 11 : 613 (1868).

Thallus foliose, appressed, marginally ascendent, rosettiform or irregularly spreading,

linear, elongate ribbon-like and pendulous, heteromerous, corticated on both surfaces or

only on upper surface. Photobiont a green alga. Upper cortex prosoplectenchymatous

composed of longitudinally disposed compact hyphae. Lower surface often ecorticate,

when corticated composed of periclinai hyphae, with rhizinae or only along margin (when

not corticated). Apothecia lecanorine^ hypothecium lecanorine. Hypothecium hyaline to

pale. Asci 8-spored. Ascospores brown, 2-ceiled, Physcia ox Pachysporaria type, with or

without sporoblastidia. Atranorin and zeorin always present.

50

Heterodermia Trevis. is known by a total of 80 species at world level (Kirk et ai,

2001). This genus is represented by 36 species in the Indian subcontinent (Patwardhan &

Rairkar, 1979; Awasthi 1988, 2000). Only six species of Heterodermia were previously

recorded from Maharashtra (Patwardhan & Rairkar, 1979).

As a result of present studies jointly with my colleague we have recorded 14

species of this genus from this region (Makhija et.al, 2004). The occurrence of H.

albicans (Pers.) Swinscow & Krog, H hypoleuca (Ach.) Trevis. and H. cf. japonica (K.

Sato) Swinscow & Krog are recorded for the first time from India

Key to the species

1 a. Underside corticated 2

1 b. Underside non-corticate 8

2a. Soralia, isidia and squamules absent 3

2b. Soralia, isidia and squamules present 4

3a.Medulla K-, P-; apothecia laminal, thalline exciple crenulate to squamulose, ascospores 21-36 x 12-17 im, atranorin and zeorin present H. diademata

3b. Medulla K+ yellow to red, P+ yellow; ascospores 28-32 x 11-14 |im in size; atranorin, norstictic, salazinic acid and zeorin present H. angustiloba

4a. Soralia present, isidia and squamules absent 5

4b. Soralia absent, isidia or squamules present 7

5a. Soralia ± linear and continuous along margins of lobes, not apical; salazinic acid present H. albicans

5b. Soralia capitate, on main lobes and on short lateral lobes, in delimited areas, may be labriform; salazinic and norstictic acids may or may not be present 6

6a. Soredia farinose; atranorin and zeorin present, norstictic acid and salazinic acid absent H. speciosa

6b. Soredia subgranular to granular; atranorin, zeorin, norstictic and salazinic acid present H. pseudospeciosa

7a. Thallus isidiate, upper cortex even, medulla lacking saiazinic acid H. isidiophora

7b.Thallus isidiate, upper cortex uneven, medulla containing saiazinic acid H. antillarum

8a. Thallus linear, ribbon-like, dichotomously branched, with two equal lobes, lacunae circinately revolute at apices; ascospores 34-46 x 16-22 im, sporoblastidia present; saiazinic acid absent JJ. boryi

8b. Branching sympodial, with short lateral lobes, not circinately revolute, on radially extending main lobes 9

9a. Lobes with yellow ochraceous pigment, sometimes patchy on underside 10

9b. Lobes lacking yellow ochraceous pigment 11

10a. Soralia present H. obscurata

10b. Soralia absent H.flabellata

11a. Thallus not compact, lobes softer; main lobes with short lateral branches; upper cortex forming no or very thin border to under side, norstictic and saiazinic acids absent, only atranorin and zeorin present 12

1 lb. Thallus compact, margin of apothecia crenate to lobulate, saiazinic and norstictic acids may be present or absent 13

12a. Soralia absent, upper cortex uneven H. hypoleuca

12b. Soralia present, upper cortex even H. ctjaponica

13a. Thallus flabellate; apothecia pedicellate with crenulate to lobulate margin, fibrils not seen at apothecial margin; norstictic and saiazinic acid present H. podocarpa

13b. Thallus flabellate; apothecia becoming tubular, margin of apothecia lobulate, fibrillate; norstictic and saiazinic acids absent H. incana

Heterodermia albicans (Pers.) Swinscow & Krog [Fig.: 100]

Lichem)logisuS{2): 133(1976).

= Parmelia albicans Pers.

Annln Wetter. Ges., 2:17(1811).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, of radiating, linear-cuneate lobes, yellowish gray,

sub-orbicular, loosely adnate to the substratum, 3.5-5 cm across; 210-270 ^m thick; lobes

slightly disjunct or adjacent, more or less plane, subdichotomously branched, not

52

ascending, with short lateral lobes, often giving a crenate margin to main lobes, 1-4 mm

broad, narrow; upper cortex of somewhat uneven thickness, prosoplectenchymatous, 15-

30(-35) |am; algal layer 30-51 ^m thick medulla white 120-150 |xm thick; lower surface

whitish, lower cortex present, prosoplectenchymatous, 9-35 |im thick; soralia extended

along margins and round apices of lateral lobes, but generally absent from apices of main

lobes, producing finely granular soredia. Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow; C-, KC-, P+ yellow, medulla K+ yellow, KC-, C-, P+

yellow; atranorin, zeorin, salazinic and substance PQ-4 acids present.

Habitat: Corticolous, associated with moss on branches of small trees in moist deciduous

forest at higher elevation.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra). Canada, Florida, South Africa, tropical and warm

temperate America.

Remarks: Heterodermia albicans, hitherto not reported from India, is closely related to

H. pseudospeciosa (Kurok.) W. Cuib. but differs in having continuous soralia along the

margins rather than localized labriform soralia, and in chemical content. Norstictic acid

is present in H. pseudospeciosa.

Specimens examined: Pune District, Bhimashankar, 128 kms from Rune, in semiever

green forest, 17.9.1997, B.A. Adawadkar, 97.26; Purandar, 38 kms from Pune, 9.7.1973,

M. B. Nagarkar, 73.107; 18.6.1977, M.B. Nagarkar, 77.609. Satara District,

Mahabaleshswar, elev. 1200 m, semi evergreen forest, on the twigs of small shrubs,

24.9.1997, U.V. Makhija, 97.55. 97.60.

Heterodermia angustiloba (Mull. Arg.) D. D. Awasthi [Figs.: 50,101]

Geophytology, 3: 113(1973).

= Physcia speciosa var. angustiloba Miill. Arg.

Flora, Regensburg 66: 78 (1883).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, dark gray, orbicular, closely adnate to the

substratum, 2-3.5 cm in diam. 135-231 im thick: lobes disjunct or adjacent, plane,

distinctly furcate to subdichotomously branched, 0.4-1 mm broad, narrow, incised;

soredia and isidia absent; upper cortex prosoplectenchymatous, uneven, 35-53 ^m thick;

algal cells in groups, 21-25 ^m thick; medulla white, 48-64 im thick; lower surface

whitish; lower cortex prosopiectenchymatous, 28-35 |im thick; rhizines blacic. Apothecia

laminal, sessile to substipitate, rounded, 0.8-1.8 mm in diam; disc plane to concave,

brown to black, epruinose; thalline margin entire, crenuiate; epithecium brown. 12-16 ^m

tall; hymenium hyaline, 73.5-91 ^m high; hypothecium hyaline, 17.5-28 |am high;

paraphyses simple, septate; asci cylindrical or subclavate, unitunicte, 60-100 x 12-16 ^m

in size, 1+ blue. Ascospores 8/ascus, brown, 1-septate, ovate, 28-31.5 x 11-14 ^m in size,

with sporoblastidia.

Chemistry: Cortex K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ deep yellow, medulla K+ yellow; atranorin,

zeorin, norstictic and salazinic acids present.

Habitat: On the tree trunks in open and moist places at higher elevation.

Distribution: India (Himalayas and Maharashtra), Australia and Nepal.

Remarks: Hetewdermia angustiloba is most closely related to the species H. diademata

(Taylor) Awasthi. However, H. diademata differs especially in lacking norstictic and

salazinic acids in its thallus.

The species was previously reported from Himalaya and is now reported from

Maharashtra.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala, at an altitude of 950 m, on

Mangifera indica, 13.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri, 00.397, on the way to

Amboli from Ajra, 4 kms from Ajra, 10.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.C. Behera, 00.191.

Pune District, Durgwadi, elev. 1200 m, 2.9.2003, collected on the twigs of small shrubs,

U.V. Makhija & B.C. Behera, 03.287, 03.290; Sinhagad. elev. 800 m, 4.7.2003, U.V.

Makhija & G.S. Chitaie, 03.22, 03.48. Satara District, Panchgani, semi evergreen forest,

Tata Holiday Home, 29.9.2003, G.S. Chitaie & A.V. Dube, 03.364, 03.412.

Heterodermia antillarum (Vain.) Swinscow & Krog [Figs.: 41 & 102]

Lichemlohgist. 8: 114 (1976).

= Anaptychia granulifera var. antillarum Vain.

Ann. Acad. Sci. Fenn.. series A, 6: 63 (1914).

Thallus corticolous. foliose, greenish-gray, 3-5 cm in diam., 119-228.5 jam thick;

lobes slightly disjunct or adjacent, plane closely adpressed to the substratum, discrete

54

only at periphery, irregularly branched, with short lateral lobes, 0.5-0.8 mm broad, with

numerous laminal and marginal isidia; isidia concolorous, cylindrical to flattened, simple

or branched, lobes converted into isidia; upper cortex prosoplectenchymatous, uneven,

21-52 [im thick; algal layer 24-50 |im thick; medulla hyaline, 56-91 [im thick; lower

surface whitish-green, with a prosoplectenchymatous cortex of 18-35 |im thickness;

sparsely rhizinate, white when young, turning black. Apothecia absent.

Chemistry: Cortex and medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ yellow; atranorin, salazinic,

zeorin and an unknown substance (indicated by a pink spot just above the salazinic acid

on the TLC plate) is present.

Habitat: Collected on trees in open places along the road side.

Distribution: India (Karnataka and Maharashtra), E. Southern Africa, Australia, Mexico

and West Indies.

Remarks: The present species is being reported for the first time from Maharashtra and is

closely related to Heterodermia diademata (Taylor) Awasthi in morphology of the thallus

but differs significantly in having isidia. H. antillarum differs from another isidiate

species Heterodermia isidiophora (Vain.) D.D. Awasthi in having more flattened isidia.

The specimens at hand have distinct pruina on some lobes.


P.G. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 74.1025, 74.1138. Sindhudurg District, semi

evergreen forest, on the way to Amboli from Ajra, 4 km from Ajra, 10.10.2000, U.V.

Makhija& B.A. Adawadkar, 00.157, 00.203.

Heterodermia boryi (Fee) Kr. P. Singh & S. Singh [Figs.: 51 & 103]

Geophytology, 6(1): 33 (1976).

= Borrera boryi Fee

Essai Crypt. Ecorc. Officin. : 96 (1824).

Thallus grayish white, to brownish-gray, 5 to 12 cm in diam., 125-213 \im thick;

lobes long, narrow, 1.0-1.2 mm broad, ascending, dichotomously branched, becoming

narrower towards apices, circinately revolute; upper surface smooth, irregularly corticate,

25-40 nm thick; algal layer, 40-60 nm thick, medulla white, 41-70 nm thick; lower

surface white, pulverulent, sometimes sorediate, ecorticate; rhizines marginal, simple.

3.-)

rarely branched, black, 2-4 mm long. Apothecia lamina! to apical, subterminal, sessile to

substipitate, 1-3 mm in diam., with entire to crenulate margin often with black cilia;

epithecium brown, 18-25 im thick; hymenium hyaline, 135-150 [im high; hypothecium

35-45 |im high; asci cylindrical to clavate, unitunicate, shortly stalked, 1+ blue, 115-130 x

20-27 |im in size. Ascospores brown, ellipsoidal, 1-septate, constricted at the septum,

with many sporoblastidia, 33-46 x 16-22 |j.m in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow; medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P-; atranorin and zeorin

present.

Habitat: Commonly found growing over mosses, on shrubs, dwarf shrubs, and basal

portion of trees in moist places, often associated with Phaeophyscia hispidula and

Parmelinella simplicior.

Distribution: India (Himalayas, Kerala, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tamil Nadu),

America, Australia, Canada. Widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions of the

world.

Remarks: This species differs from Heterodermia leucomelos (L.) Poelt ssp. leucomelos

(Fee) Swinscow & Krog in having narrower lobes and lacking salazinic acid. In

Maharashtra the species is rather uncommon.

Specimens examined: Pune District, Bhimashankar, 128 km from Pune, semi evergreen

forest, 13.11.1971. P. G. Patwardhan 71.72, 71.73. Satara District, Mahabaleshwar,

Dhobi waterfall, M.B. Nagarkar, 74.82, 74. 83; Kas Lake, 22 kms from Satara, near Kas

Dam, 11.4.1979, V.D. Vartak, 79.215; near Kas Dam, on the base of small shrubs,

5.10.2001, B.C. Behera& U.V. Makhija, 01.71, 01.72, 01.74.

Heterodermia diademata (Taylor) D. D. Awasthi [Figs.: 52 & 104]

Geophytology,2>: 113(1973).

= Parmelia diademata Taylor

J.Bot.Lond, 6: 165(1847).

Thallus foliose, grayish white to yellowish gray, loosely adnate to the substratum,

2-12 cm in diam., 232-323 ^m thick; lobes disjunct or adjacent, plane, distinctly furcate

to subdichotomously branched, with short lateral lobes, 0.5-1.5 mm broad, without isidia

56

and soredia; upper cortex, prosoplectenchymatous, evenly thickened, 42-50 \im; algal

layer 26-29 |im thick; medulla white, 134-197 |im thick; lower surface silver white; lower

cortex prosoplectenchymatous, 21-29.4 ^m thick; rhizines sparse, laminal or marginal,

white to dark brown, dichotomously or irregularly branched. Apothecia laminal, sessile

to subsessile, rounded, 0.6-6 mm in diam.; disc concave, dark brown to black; thalline

margin entire, crenulate or lobulate, thick; epithecium brown, 16.8-21 |im thick;

hymenium hyaline, 67-101 |im high; hypothecium hyaline, 25-38 \im high; paraphyses

simple, septate; asci cylindrical or subclavate, unitunicte, 1+ blue, 72-105 x 12-16.8 ^m in

size. Ascospores brown, 1-septate, ovate, 21-33 x 12-17 ju.m in size, without

sporoblastidia.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ deep yellow; atranorin,

chloroatranorin and zeorin present.

Habitat: Commonly found in Maharashtra on the trunks and the branches of the trees.

Also found on sheltered rocks, at altitudes 500-1200 m, often associated with other

members of Physciaceae.

Distribution: India (Himalaya, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya,

Nagaland, Sikkim, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal), America, Australia,

Canada. Widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions of the world.

Remarks: Heterodermia diademata is one of the most common species of this genus

found in Maharashtra and in general in India. The specimens collected at Panhala,

showed presence of chloratranorine, atranorin and zeorin. This species is closely related

to H. angustiloba as it lacks both soredia and isidia, however, they differ in chemistry. H.

angustiloba has norstictic and salazinic in addition to atranorin and zeorin.

Specimens examined: Ahmednagar District, Bhandardara, on the way near Wilson

dam, deciduous forest, 25.9.2002, A.V. Bhosale & G.S. Chitale, 02.142. Kolhapur

District, Panhala at an altitude of 950 m, 13.10.1974, P.G. Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni,

74.1156, 74.1159, 74.1160, 74.1199, 74.1204, 74.1214; 13.10.2000, on unidentified small

trees, U.V. Makhija, 00.400b, 00.410a, 00.465. Pune District, Bhimashankar, 6.9.1970,

P.G. Patwardhan & P.D. Badhe, 70.37; Dongarwadi, 19.9.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.C.

Behera, 00.122; Khandala. elev. 625 m, 14.7.1970, P.G. Patwardhan & P.D. Badhe,

70.18; 19.11.1972, P.D. Badhe, 72.45, 72.191; Lonawala, elev. 596 m, semi evergreen

57

forest, on shrub. 29.8.2000, B.A. Adawadkar & V.A. Mantri 00.98, Walwan dam,

16.9.2002, B.A. Adawadkar & A.V. Bhosale, 02.109; Malshej ghat, Neemgiri, 9.9.2002,

U.V. Makhija & G. S. Chitale, 02.1, 02.3, 02.10; Karnala, 16.9.2002, U.V. Makhija &

B.C. Behera, 02.100; Purandar, 38 km from Pune, 12.3.1971, P.O. Patwardhan & P.D.

Badhe, 71.12; 13.9.2002, B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 02.69, 02.71. 02.72, 02.76, P.O.

Patwardhan, 71.34, 71.36; P.O. Patwardhan, 1972, 72.131, 72.134, 72.137; 9.7.1973,

M.B. Nagarkar, 73.109, 73.110, 73.212. 74.312; 11.11.1976. P.O. Patwardhan & U.V.

Makhija, 76.1271, Sinhagad, elev. 1290 m, 19.7.1970, P.D. Badhe, 70.22; 19.5.1974,

C.R. Kulkarni, 74.101, No.51. 00.34; 00.37. 00.45, 00.46. Nasik District, Anjaneri, dry

decidous forest, 26.9.2002, B.C. Behera & B.A. Adawadkar, 02.223, Saptashringi,

3.8.1974, M.B. Nagarkar & A.V. Prabhu, 74.215; 24.9.2002, B.C. Behera & A.V.

Bhosale, 02.174, 02.177, 02.195. Satara District, Kas dam, 11.4.1979, V.D. Vartak,

79.220; Mahabaleshwar, Lodwick point, 4 km from Mahabaleshwar, 7.6.1970, P.D.

Badhe, 70.11, 70.18A; Arthur seat, 27.11.1974, M.B. Nagarkar «& A.V. Prabhu, 74. 1755;

Panchgani, elev. 1000 m, 4.8.1981, P.O. Patwardhan, 81.303; 25.9.2001, G.S. Chitale,

01.62. Sindhudurg District, Amboli, 18.10.1974, C.R. Kulkarni & A.V. Prabhu,

74.1557; Ajra to Amboli Road, 4 km from Ajra, 7.12.1974, C.R. Kulkarni & A.V.

Prabhu, 74.2240, 74. 2242, 74.2244; 8.12.1974, P.G. Patwardhan & M.B. Nagarkar,

74.2270; Amboli to Ajra Road, 4 km from Amboli, 00.159.

Heterodermiaflabellata (Fee) D. D. Awasthi [Figs.: 29, 43, 53 & 105]

Geophytology, 2: 113(1973).

= Parmelia flabellata Fee

Suppl. Essai. Crypt. Ecorc. Exot. Officin., 122 (1837).

Thallus greenish, gray white or yellowish white, 8-12 cm in diam., 147-273 \im

thick; lobes disjunct or adjacent, more or less plane, minutely notched, with short lateral

lobes, without isidia or soredia, 0.5-1.2 mm broad; upper surface plane; upper cortex

prosoplectenchymatous, 63-105 |im thick; algal layer 42-100 |im thick; medulla hyaline,

84.5-106 thick; lower surface ecorticate, with yellowish orange pigment, K+ purple-red;

rhizines, mostly marginal, or a few laminal, short, simple or squarrose, black. Apothecia

laminal, adnate to stipitate, 2-7 mm in diameter; disc blackish brown, flat, slightly

pruinose, concave; margin crenulate to distinctly lobulate; epithecium brown, 8-17 ^m

thick; hymenium hyaline, 84-100 |im high; hypothecium hyaline to pale, 63-84 nm high;

58

paraphyses branched, brown and thick at apices; asci cylidrico-clavate, 52.5-91 x 7-14

|am in size. Ascospores 1-septate, with 2-3 sporoblastidia at each end, 29-33 x 16-21 |.im

in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ light yellow; pigment

on lower surface K+ purple red, cortex of receptacle I-; atranorin, zeorin and a yellow

pigment present.

Habitat: Occurs on trees and the twigs of shrubs.

Distribution: India (Karnataka, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu and Uttar

Pradesh). Tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Central America, South

America and West Indies.

Remarks: Heterodermia flabellata (Fee) Awasthi closely resembles H. ohscurata (Nyl.)

Trevis. externally and also in producing same unknown yellow pigment, but differs from

the latter species in not having soredia. It is a very common species in western ghats.


P.O. Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1194; Vishalgarh, 6.12.1974, M.B. Nagarkar,

74.2177. Pune District. Malavali-Bhaja road, 26.7.1974, M.B. Nagarkar & A.V. Prabhu,

74.119. 74.120, 74.121; Khandala, Boma hills, elev. 625 m, 19.9.1974, M.B. Nagarkar &

A.V. Prabhu, 74.682, 74.684, 74.685. Ratnagiri District, Dabhole ghat, 5.12.1974, A.V.

Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar,74.210, 74.216, 74.2106, 74.2107; Hathkhamba, on Chiplun to

Ratnagiri road, 5.12.1974. M.B. Nagarkar & P.O. Patwardhan, 74.1984, 74.1985,

74.2029, 74. 2030. Sindhudurg District, on the way to Ajra from Amboli, near Ajra,on

Anacardium occidental^ 10.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & K.R. Randive, 00.159, 00.164; on

the way to Vaibhavwadi, on tree trunk, 12.10.2000, B.A. Adawadkar & K.R. Randive,

00.363, 00.364.

Heterodermia hypoleuca (Ach.) Trevis. [F'g-: 106]

AttiSoc. Ital. Sci. nat.. 11: 615 (1868).

= Parmelia speciosa b. hypoleuca Ach.

Syn. Lich.,:2\\ (1814).

Thallus grayish white to yellowish. 8-12 cm in diam., 117-252 (xm thick; lobes

disjunct or adjacent, more or less plane, not ascending, with short lateral lobes, without

59

isidia or soredia, 0.5-1.5 mm broad; upper surface plane, white; upper cortex uneven

prosoplectenchymatous, 27-75 |im thick; algal layer, 30-66 ^m thick; medulla hyaline,

60-111 |im thick; lower surface ecorticate, white to yellowish white, K+ red but in

patches; rhizines, few marginal, and laminal, short, simple at margin, and laminal are

branched, black. Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ yellow, medulla K-, C-, KC-, P-; atranorin,

zeorin and 3 terpenes.

Habitat: Collected on tree on road side in the Amboli region receiving heavy rainfall

during monsoon known by single specimen.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra), America, Asia, Australia, Canada, Wide spread in

East Africa.

Remarks: Heterodermia hypoleuca is reported for the first time from India. This species

is not a common species and known by only a single specimen.

Specimens examined: Sindhudurg District, Amboli, 22.9.1980, P.G. Patwardhan,

80.480.

Heterodermia incana (Stirt.) D. D. Awasthi [Figs.: 54 & 107]

Geophytology, 3: 114 (1973).

= Physcia incana Stirt.

Proc. Phil. Soc. Glasgow, 11: 322 (1879).

Thallus glaucous white to brownish-white, attached to the substrate only in the

central part, 150-210 ^m thick; lobes l-3.5-(5) mm broad, initially narrow and then

broader and convex, expanded, loosely adpressed and ascending; soredia and isidia

absent; upper surface unevenly corticated; cortex 65-85 ^m thick, often projecting

downward to the medulla white, 65-85 ^m thick, 1+ violet; lower surface white farinose,

ecorticate; rhizines simple, marginal, basally concolorous with the thallus, turning dark

brown to black. Apothecia stipitate, arising subapically and becoming tubular, 1.5-6(-9)

mm in diam.; disc dark brown, white pruinose; margin crenate to lobulate, sometimes

fibrillate; epithecium brown, 10-15 jam thick; hymenium hyaline, 100-150 irn high;

hypothecium 35-50 \im high; asci unitunicate, subclavate, 1+ blue, 125-150 x 20-30 ^m in

60

size. Ascospores 1-septate, oval, ellipsoidal, with 2-3 sporoblastidia at each end, 27-45 x

12-20 fxm in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ deep yellow; atranorin

and zeorin present.

Habitat: The present species is found associated with Usnea ghattensis on the twigs of

shrubs in semi evergreen forest at higher elevation.

Distribution: India (Kerala, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, and West

Bengal), Java, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Remarks: Heterodermia incana, closely resembles H. awasthii (Kurok.) Awasthi and

can be distinguished from the latter by the absence of norstictic and salazinic acids in that

species. It also closely resembles H. podocarpa in having similar morphology but has

margin of apothecia fibril late.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, on the way to Phonda from Radhanagari,

12.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri, 00.320. Pune District, Amby Valley near

Lonawala, elev. 596 m, 5.8.2003, B.A. Adawadkar & N. Verma, 03.245; Bhimashankar,

30.9.1974, A.V. Prabhu, 74.795, 74.866. Satara District, Mahabaleshwar, on the way to

Lingmala, Vi km from Lingmala water fall, 15.7.2003, B.C. Behera & N. Verma, 03.146,

03.150, 03.155; 29.9.2003, G.S. Chitale & A.V. Dube, 03.348, 03.349, 03.350; Wilson

Point, 23.11.1985, P.O. Patwardhan, 85.2939; Panchgani, Tata Holiday Home, 29.9.2003,

A.V. Dube & N. Verma, 03.484.

Heterodermia isidiophora (Vain.) D. D. Awasthi [Figs.: 40, 55 & 108]

Geophytology,y. 114(1973).

= Anaptychia isidiophora Vain.

Cat. Afr. PI. Coll. Welwitsch, 2: 409 (1901).

Thallus yellowish white to grayish white, 5-10 cm in diam., 200-300 im thick;

lobes loosely adpressed to the substratum, contiguous in central part, discrete only at

periphery, dichotomously or irregularly branched, with short lateral lobes, 0.5-1.5 mm

broad, with numerous laminal and marginal isidia; isidia cylndrical and coralloid; upper

surface plane, with a cortex of even thickness, 42-75 |xm thick; medulla white, 60-110 ^m

61

thick; lower surface corticate, brown, sparsely rhizinate, 20-25 jam thick. Apothecia rare,

laminal, sessile to substipitate, with isidiate margin; disc black, 1.0-2.8 mm in diam.; asci

unitunicate, cylindrical. Ascospores 1-septate, without sporoblastidia, 26-37 x 12-16 )j.m.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ yellow; atranorin and

zeorin present.

Habitat: Collected on a tree in open place along the road side in semi evergreen forest.

Distribution: India (Kerala, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal).

Central and South America, Africa, Asia, Australia, Great Britain, New Zealand, world

wide in tropical and temperate regions of the world.

Remarks: Heterodermia isidiophora is closely related to H. diademata (Taylor) D. D.

Awasthi in morphology of thallus and size of ascospores, but differs significantly in

having isidia. It also resembles H. antillarum (Vain.) Swinscow & Krog, however, it can

be separated from the latter species especially in its chemistry. H. antillarum produces

norstictic and salazinic acid and has only marginal isidia.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, on the way to Kasal from Sawantwadi, in

semi evergreen forest, elev. I l l m, 11.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar,

00.250.

Heterodermia cf. japonica (M. Sato) Swinscow & Krog [Figs.: 30 «& 109]

Lichenologist, 8: 122(1976).

= Anaptychia dentritica (Pers.) Vain. var. japonica M. Sato,

J.Jap. Bot, 12:427(1936).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, pale white, 2.5-4 cm in diam.; lobes closely

adpressed, disjunct to adjacent, irregularly branched, with short lateral lobes, plane,

imbricate, profusely branched, narrow, 0.5-1.5(-2) mm broad, 178-240 |xm thick, with

numerous marginal soredia; upper cortex prosoplectenchymatous, unevenly thickened 26-

85 |im thick; medulla 126-162 |im thick; lower surface, pale-white, ecorticate, rhizinate,

K; rhizines profusely branched. Apothecia absent.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow to red and P+ yellow; medulla K-, C-, KC-, P-; atranorin

and zeorin is present.

62

Habitat: Collected on trees in open places along the road side at higher elevation.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra).

Remarks: The present species seems to be a new species, and appears to be most closely

related to Heterodermia japonica on account of the morphology of the thallus, but differs

in having unevenly thickened upper cortex, and by its lower surface pale white K-. H.

japonica, has a thallus with white to blackish-violet under surface. Since the apothecia

have not been observed in the specimens at hand, for the time being it has been kept as a

closely related form of H. japonica

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala at an altitude of 950 m, 90.33. Satara

District, Mahabaleshwar, 25.9.2001, A.V. Bhosale, 01.22; Panchgani, elev., 1000m,

4.8.1981, P.G. Patwardhan, 81.278.

Heterodermia obscurata (Nyl.) Trevis. [Figs.: 39, 110]

Nuovo Giorn. Bat. Ital, 1:114 (1869).

= Physcia obscurata Nyl.

Annls Sci. Nat., Bot., ser4, 19: 310 (1863).

Ttiallus grayish white to brownish gray, 5 to 10 cm in diam., 210-252 |am thick;

lobes dichotomously to irregularly branched, not ascending, with short lateral lobes, 0.5-1

mm broad; upper surface plane to convex, smooth, epruinose, sorediate; soralia labriform

on recurved apices of lobes; upper cortex irregular, prosoplectenchymatous 63-84 \im

thick; algal layer discontinous, 21-42 \i.m thick; with ochraceous orange hyphae overlying

medulla, K+ purple towards periphery, 105-121.8 |im; lower surface white, ecorticate.

Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ yellow; atranorin and

zeorin present.

Habitat: It grows on shehered mossy trees and rocks, usually in partial shade.

Distribution: India (Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh),

Africa, Asia, North and South America, Australia, Britain, Canada, Europe, Ireland, New

Zealand, West Scotland. Widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions of the

world.

63

Remarks: Heterodermia obscurata can be distinguished by its labriform soredia on

recurved lobe apices and ecorticate, ochraceous K+ purple lower surface. In external

morphology it resembles H. hypocaesia (Yesuda) Awasthi which has salazinic acid. It is

also similar to H. flahellata (Fee) D. D. Awasthi as regard to the ochraceous pigment

overlying medulla but, it can be separated by the presence of capitate soralia in the

present species.

This species has been reported for the first time from Maharashtra.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Amba, 17.10.1974, A.V. Prabhu & C.R.

Kulkarni. 74.1383; Panhala at an altitude of 950 m, 4.9.1990, U.V. Makhija & B.A.

Adawadkar, 90.16b, 90.34.

Heterodermiapodocarpa (Bel.) D. D. Awasthi (Figs.: 56 «& 111]

Geophytology,2: 114(1973).

= Parmeliapodocarpa Bel.

Voy. Ind. Orient. Bot., 2. Crypt.: 122. (1846).

Thallus foliose, losely adnate to the substratum, 3-5 cm in diam., repeatedly

dichotomously branched; lobes disjunct to imbricate, convex, ascending, with short or

lateral lobes, non-isidiate, non-sorediate, 2-5 mm broad, 213-365 im thick; upper surface

of the thallus green, unevenly corticate; lower surface silvery-white, non corticate,

rhizines absent, but fibrils present, upto 4 mm long, dichotomously or irregularly

branched gray or pale yellow. Apothecia apical or subapical, pedicellate, rounded, 1.3 to

c. 5 mm in diam.; disc dark brown to black, pruinose, concave; margin thick, crenate to

lobulate; asci simple, unitunicate, octosporous, 96-160 x 24-56 |im in size. Ascospores

brown, two celled, ellipsoid, mostly biseriate, with 2-3 sporoblastidia at each end, 27-42 x

12-21 [im in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, medulla K+ yellow. C-, KC-, P+ yellow; atranorin,

norstictic, salazinic and zeorin present.

Habitat: Grows on bark, mainly on twigs and has been collected in the surroundings of a

waterfall. The species has been found associated with Usma ghattensis and anew species

Graphis polystriata (in press).

64

Distribution: India (Eastern and North Western Himalayas, Maharashtra, and South

India), Australia, New Zealand. World wide in tropics.

Remarks: Heterodermia podocarpa is uncommon in Maharashtra. In field it can be

easily distinguished by its suberect thallus with flabellate lobes, and stipitate apothecia

with crenate-lacinulate margin.

Specimens examined: Pane District, Bhimashankar, moist deciduous forest, 13.9.1974,'

M.B. Nagarkar & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.867, 74.881, 74.882; 17.9.1997, B.A. Adawadkar,

97.9; Durgwadi, moist deciduous forest, 2.9.2003, U.V. Makhija & A.V. Dube, 03.292.

Khandala, Boma hills, elev. 625 m, 18.9.1974, C.R. Kulkarni & M.B. Nagarkar, 74.714,

Satara District, Mahabaleshwar, elev. 1372 m, 7.6.1970, P. D. Badhe, 70.9, Herbarium

No. 16; 8.6.1971, P.G. Patwardhan & P.D. Badhe, 71.21; Wilson Pt., 1.11.1973, P.G.

Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni, 73.2933; Gureghar, 7 kms from Mahabaleshwar, 8.8.1991,

P.G. Patwardhan & U.V. Makhija, 91.5, 21.1.2004, B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 04.58;

Lingmala, 15.12.1973, V.D. Vartak, 73.3134; 14.12.1973, 73.1752; Lodwick Point, 4 km

from Mahabaleshwar, 28.11.1974, M.B. Nagarkar & A.V. Prabhu, 74.1845, 21.1.2004.

B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 04.59; Kas Lake, 22 kms from Satara, 11.4.1979, V.D.

Vartak, 79.218; 5.10.2001, B.A. Adawadkar & G.S. Chitale, 01.73, 01.77; Panchgani,

U.V. Makhija & D.W. Rane, 80.316.

Heterodermia pseudospeciosa (Kurok.) W. L. Culb. [Figs.: 57 & 112]

Sryo/ogw/, 69:484(1967).

= Anaptychiapseudospeciosa Kurok.,

Beih. Nova Hedwigia. 6: 25 (1962).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, yellowish-gray to gray, rough with small granules,

loosely adnate to the substratum, 3-8 cm in diam., 63-84 jam thick, repeatedly

dichotomously branched; lobes disjunct to imbricate, convex, ascending, flexuous, with

short lateral lobes, 1.5-2 mm broad, repeatedly dichotomously branched, flexuous; soralia

apical on main and lateral lobes; upper cortex with a grayish surface layer,

prosoplectenchymatous, 16.8-25 ^m thick; algal layer discontinued by downward

projecting cortex, 25-38 jam thick; medulla white 147-168 im thick; lower surface

corticate, white or brownish, lower cortex 16.8-29 nm thick: sparsely rhizinate, rhizines

irregularly branched, black, light at the base. Apothecia rare, superficial, subsessile, 1-4

mm in diam., margin entire to crenate becoming sorediate; disc brown, epruinose, plane;

65

epithecium brown, 21-29 im thick; hymenium hyaline, 1+ blue, 97-110 ^m high;

hypothecium pale yellow, 21-25 ^m high; followed by a discontinuous layer of spherical

algae 42-63 |im thick; asci subclavate, 1+ blue at tip, unitunicate, shortly pedicellate, 88-

118 X 25-34 \xm in size. Ascospores slightly constricted in the middle, with two

subglobose locules, without sporoblastidia; 22-29 x 11-13 urn in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ yellow; medulla K+, C-, KC-, P+ yellow;

atranorin, norstictic, salazinic acids and zeorin present.

Habitat: Abundant on the twigs and bark of trees in open places along the road sides.

This species has been often found associated with Usnea ghattensis, and Heterodermia

podocarpa.

Distribution: India (Himalaya, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, and

West Bengal), East Africa, Japan, North and South America, Australia, Canada, Taiwan.

World wide in tropics.

Remarks: Heterodermia pseudospeciosa is being reported for the first time from

Maharashtra. It is characterised by the presence of capitate soredia, and the presence of

norstictic and salazinic acids, otherwise it is very much similar to H. diademata (Taylor)

D.D. Awasthi.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, 13.10.2000, Panhala at an altitude about 950

m. U.V. Makhija & K.R. Randive, 00.399, 00.404; Near Guest house; U.V. Makhija &

V.A. Mantri Panhala, 00.468; On the way to Amboli from Ajra, 4 km from Ajra,

10.10.2000, 00.204. Pune District Durgwadi, elev. 1200 m, 2.9.2003, U.V. Makhija &

B.C. Behera, 03.281, 03.282, 03.294, 03.303, 03.318, 03.330; Amby Valley ahead of

Lonwala, 5.8.2003, B.C. Behera & B.A. Adawadkar, 03.262, 03.265; Purandar, 73.113;

Sinhagad, 4.7.2003, U.V. Makhija & N. Verma, 03.19, 03.20. Satara District,

Mahabaleshwar, on the way to Arthur Seat 74.1741, 70.I8B; Lingmala, on small the

twigs of trees, and shrubs, 15.7.2003, B.C. Behera & A.V. Dube. 03.136, 03.138, 03.139,

03.140, 03.141, 03.144, 03.147, 03.148, 03.151, 03.153, 03.154, 03.158, 29.9.2003, G.S.

Chitale & A.V. Dube, 03.347, 03.351, 03.352, 03.353, 21.1.2004, B.C. Behera & G.S.

Chitale, 04.60, 04.61, 04.63, 04.64, 04.65, 04.67, 04.68; Panchgani to Mahabaleshwar, 11

km from Panchgani, associated with Pheophyscia hispidula, 25.9.2001, U.V. Makhija,

66

01.37, 01.40, 01.47, 01.49, 29.9.2003, Tata Holiday Home, on Hibiscus, 03.365, 03.410,

03.481,03.482.

Heterodermia speciosa (Wulfen) Trevis. [Fig- 113]

Atti. Soc. Ital. Sci. A a/., 11: 614, (1868).

= Lichen speciosus Wulfen

Jacq., Coll.Bot.,2: 119(1789).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, yellowish-gray to gray, loosely adnate to the

substratum, 3-7 cm in diam., 201.6-336 |im thick, repeatedly dichotomously branched;

lobes slightly disjunct or adjacent, more or less plane, not ascending, with short lateral

lobes, 1-1.5 mm broad; soralia apical on main and lateral lobes, producing farinose

soredia; upper cortex prosoplectenchymatous, 54.6-75.6 |im thick; algal layer continuous,

25.2-42 (xm thick; medulla white, 76-176 fim thick; lower surface corticate, white or

brownish, lower cortex prosoplectenchymatous, 21-46 jam thick: sparsely rhizinate,

rhizines irregular branched, black. Apothecia laminal, sessile to substipitate, 0.5-5 mm in

diam., margin of thalline exciple sorediate; disc brownish black, epruinose; epithecium

brown, 15-24 [im thick; hymenium hyaline, KI+ blue, 75-90 \im high; hypothecium pale

yellowish 12-17 ^m tall; asci simple, cylindrical, long, K1+ blue. Ascospores brown

ellipsoidal, pachysporaria type, (21-) 25-35 (-38) x (9-) 12-18 jam.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ yellow; medulla K+, C-, KC-, P-; atranorin

and zeorin present.

Habitat: Growing on trees in open places along the road sides at higher elevations.

Distribution: India (Himalaya, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Uttar Pradesh, and

West Bengal), Australia, Canada, Florida, New Zealand, North America. Worldwide in

tropics, cosmopolitan.

Remarks: Heterodermia speciosa is being reported for the first time from Maharashtra

and is distinguished from H. pseudospeciosa (Kurok.) W. Culb. by the presence of

farinose soredia and absence of norstictic and salazinic acids in its thallus.

Specimens examined: Pane District, Durgwadi, elev. 1200 m, 2.9.2003, U.V. Makhija

& G.S. Chitale, 03.328, 03.248, 03.300, 03.304, 03.306, 03.309; Tahmini Ghat,

67

7.10.2003, B.C. Behera & A. Sonone, 03.468; Sinhagad, on the way 700 m, 4.7.2003,

A.V. Dube & G.S. Chitale, 03.9, 03.11, 03.12, 03.21, 03.60, 03.62. Satara District,

Lingmala, collected on small bushes, 15.7.2003, B.C. Behera &. N. Verma, 03.143;

Gureghar, 7 kms from Mahabaleshwar, 15.7.2003, A.V. Dube & G.S. Chitale. 03.157,

03.180; Panchgani, Tata Holiday Home, 29.9.2003, G.S. Chitale & A.V Dube, 03.358,

03.409; Lingmala, 21.1.2004, B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 04.66, 04.69.

Genus: Hyperphyscia Mull. Arg. (Physciaceae)

Bull. Herb. Boissier2,App., 1: 10,41 (1894).

Thallus foliose, suborbicular, gray brown to dark brown, closely adnate to substrate,

rather thin, heteromerous. Photobiont a green alga. Underside black in central part, paler

towards the margins, rhizinae sparse or absent. Upper cortex paraplectenchymatous and

lower cortex poorly developed or absent. Apothecia laminal lecanorine. Hypothecium

colourless. Ascospores 2-celled, brown, Pachysporaria or Physcia type sporcv i

Pycnoconidia more than 10 |im long. Lichen substances absent.

The genus Hyperphyscia Miill. Arg. is known by 7 species at world level (Moberg

1987; Kirk et al. 2001). The genus is represented by four species in the Indian

subcontinent (Awasthi 1988, 2000). This genus is being recorded for the first time from

Maharashtra with only one species Hyperphyscia syncolla (Tuck, ex Nyl.) Kalb

Hyperphyscia syncolla (Nyl.) Kalb [F'g-' 114]

Lich. Neotropic, Fascicle 6 (201-250), (Neiimarkt): 230 (1983).

= Physcia syncolla Nyl.

Acta. Soc. Sci. Fenn., 7: 441 (1863).

Thallus foliose, corticolous, tightly attached to the substratum, light gray to dark

gray, 1-2 cm in diam., smooth, often verrucose in the central part, 112-126 |im thick;

lobes narrow 0.5-1 mm broad, dichotomously branched, adjacent, sometimes with lateral

lobes; upper surface, smooth, shiny, non sorediate, non isidiate; upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous, 10.5 jam thick; medulla yellow, 63-70 ^m thick, algal layer, even,

24.5-35 \\.m thick; lower surface light brown at periphery and dark brown to black in

centre, ecorticate; rhizines sparse. Apothecia not seen.

68

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; medulla K+ pinkish purple, C-, KC-, P-; UV-;

skyrin present.

Habitat: The specimen was collected on the road side tree at higher elevation in dry

deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra), Nepal. Widely distributed in East Africa

Remarks: Four species of Hyperphyscia have been reported from India (Awasthi, 2000)

and Hyperphyscia syncolla is the only species of this genus being reported from

Maharashtra. It has been collected in dry deciduous forest.

Specimen examined: Pune District, Sinhagad, on the way at elev. 800 m, 16.8.2000,

U.V. Makhija & B.C. Behera, 00.24.

Genus: Hypotrachyna (Vain.) Hale (Parmeliaceae)

Phytologia, 28: 34\ (1974).

Thallus parmelioid, foliose, gray or yellow green. Lobes narrow, sublinear, with truncate

apices, lacking marginal cilia. Photobiont a green alga, Trebouxia Upper surface

maculate or not maculate. Pseudocyphellae absent. Lower surface black, rhizines richly

dichotomously branched. Upper cortex palisade plectencymatous and lower cortex

paraplectenchymatous, dark to light brown. Apothecia laminal, imperforate. Ascospores

8/ascus, hyaline, simple, oval-ellipsoid. Conidia colourless, bifusiform.

The genus comprises ca. 140 species worldwide (Kirk et ai, 2001), 36 species

were enumerated from the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi, 1988, 2000) but in the recent

study of the genus Hypotrachyna (Divakar & Upreti, 2003) the occurrence of 37 species

have been recorded from India. Only three species were recorded from Maharashtra (Hale

& Patwardhan 1974; Patwardhan & Prabhu, 1977a & b; Prabhu et al, 1983; .

Key to the species

la. Thallus isidiate H. awasthii

lb. Thallus lacking isidia H. mason-halei

69

Hypotrachyna awasthii Hale & Patw. [Fig.: 115]

Bryologist, 77(4): 637 (1974).

Type: Maharashtra, Mahabaleshwar, Wilson point, elevation 1580 m. 14th Oct. 1959.

Awasthi 4041 (Holotype - AW; Isotype in US).

Thallus corticolous, mineral gray to gray, loosely adnate to substratum, 120-190

Hm thick; lobes sub-irregular, apically round to subrotund, sinuate, 8-10 mm broad, with

short minute cilia at the axils or notches, isidiate; isidia sparse to dense, cylindrical,

simple or branched, darker than the thallus; upper cortex 5-14 jim thick; algal layer

continuous, 18-40 |nm thick; medulla white, 90-100 ^m; lower surface black, lower

cortex dark brown, thick about 12-30 nm thick; densely rhizinate, rhizines simple to

distintively dichotomously branched. Apothecia rare, adnate, 1.0-2.5 mm in diam.;

epithecium brown, 3-6 ^m thick; hymenium hyaline, 89-100 [xm high; hypothecium

hyaline, 9-12 \im thick; asci 8 sporate, simple cylindrical. Ascospores 6-8 x 8-12 |am in

size.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow; medulla K+ yellow turning red, C-, KC-, P+ orange;

UV-; atranorin, norstictic and salazinic acids present.

Habitat: This species grows on trunks of small trees, both planted and naturally growing,

in open areas on the Mahabaleshwar plateau.

Distribution: India (Kerala, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tamil Nadu), Argentina and

Chile.

Remarks: Hypotrachyna awasthii closely resembles Parmelinella wallichiana (Taylor)

Elix &. Hale which, however, differs in having simple to squarrosely branched rhizines

and contains only atranorin and salazinic acids in its thallus.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala at an altitude of 950 m, on Mangifera

indica, 13.10.1974, P.G. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 74.1031. Pune District,

Bhimashankar, 128 km from Pune, in semievergreen forest, 10.10.1970, P.G. Patwardhan

& P.D. Badhe, 70.60; 30.9.1974, C.R. Kulkarni & A.V. Prabhu, 74.880, 17.9.1997; B.A.

Adawadkar, 94.7, 97.8, 97.37. Satara District, Guregarh, 7 km from Mahabaleshwar, at

llOOm alt., 8.8.1991, P.G. Patwardhan & U.V. Makhija, 91.2, 91.4; Kas Dam 79.217;

Mahabaleshwar, elev. 1372 m, 7.6.1970, P.D. Badhe, 70.8; 8.6.1971, P.D. Badhe, 71.16,

71.17, 71.18a, 71.18b, 28.2.1972, P.D. Badhe, 72.20, 72.38, 27.11.1974, M.B. Nagarkar

& A.V. Prabhu. 74.1703, 74.1714, 74.1740, 74.1767, 74.1790, 74.1833; 23.11.85. P.G.

Patwardhan & M.B. Nagarkar, 85.2936, 24.9.1997, on silver oak, U.V. Makhija, 97.56,

70

97.64, 25.9.2001; B.C. Behera & B.A. Adawadkar, 01.18, 01.23; Panchgani, 1000 m,

8.8.1991, U.V. Makhija& B.A. Adawadkar. 91.11,91.12, 25.9.2001, B.C. Behera, 01.32,

01.33,01.64; Matheran, 13.10.1970, P.G. Patwardhan, 70.43.

Hypotrachyna crenata (Kurok.) Hale

Phytologia, 28(4): 341 (1974).

= Parmelia crenata Kurok.

Contr. U.S. Nat. Herb., 36: 168 (1964).

Remarks: The occurrence of Hypotrachyna crenata was earlier recorded by (Prabhu et

al.. 1983) from Maharashtra [Kolhapur District, Panhala, 1974, P.G. Patwardhan & A.V.

Prabhu 74,1031 (AMH)]. However, the critical examination of the specimen revealed the

presence of salazinic acid in its thalkis this specimen has now been placed in

Hypotrachyna awasthii.

Hypotrachyna mason-halei Patw. & A.V. Prabhu [Fig.: 116]

5ryo/og/.s7, 80:348(1977).

Type: India, Devimane ghat: Sirsi-Kumtha Road, North Canara, Karnataka. 74.2709.

A.V. Prabhu and C.R. Kulkarni (AMH)!

Thallus corticolous. whitish gray, closely adnate to the substratum, 7-9 cm in

diam., 125-150 |im thick; lobes sublinear to linear, 1-2.5 mm broad, flat with apices

subrotund to irregular, lacking cilia; lacking soredia, isidia and pustules; pycnidia many,

scattered all over the lobes; upper surface light grayish; upper cortex 9-12 |im thick; algal

layer continuous, 12-20 ^m thick; medulla white, 90-100 jim thick; lower cortex blakish

brown, 9-20 |am thick; lower surface dark brown up to the margin, with sparse

dichotomously branched rhizines. Apothecia laminal, adnate, 1-4 mm in diam.. thalline

exciple smooth; disc blackish brown, epruinose. Ascospores absent.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ red. medulla K+ red, KC-, C-, P+ orange; UV-; atranorin,

salazinic and norstictic acids are present.

Habitat: The species is rather rare and known by a single collection on the tree in a semi-

evergreen forest on the road side.

Distribution: India (Karnataka and Maharashtra).

71

Remarks: The only other species of Hypotrachyna having similar chemistry is H.

suhlaevigata (Nyl.) Hale which has densely branched rhizines and broader, round and

pruinose lobes. The holotype of this species does not have apothecia. The specimen from

Maharashtra has apothecia but has no ascospores.

Specimen examined: Ratnagiri district. Dabhole ghat (Hathkhamba to Sakharpa road).

5.12.1974, C.R. Kulkarni. 74.2069.

Genus: Leptogium (Ach.) Gray (Collemataceae)

Nat. Arr. Brit. Pl.l-Am {\n\).

Thallus foliose. bluish gray, lead gray, brown to black, somewhat gelatinous. Photobiont

a blue green alga. Nostoc. Lobes mostly orbicular to elongate with entire margin, rarely

irregularly dissected. Upper surface with or without wrinkles. Lower surface with or

without hyphal tomentum. homoiomerous. corticated on both or only on the upper

surface. Apothecia iecanorine, laminal to submarginal. Disc concave to plane rarely

convex, smooth, orange to red brown; thalline exciple smooth or periclinally to

longitudinally wrinkled or even minutely lobulate. Ascospores hyaline, acicular to

ellipsoid, transversely septate or muriform.

The lichen genus Leptogium (Ach.) Gray is known by 160 species at world level

(Kirk et al., 2001), and by 24 species from the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 1988, 2000).

5 species have so far been recorded from Maharashtra (Jorgenson 1973; Awasthi &

Akhtar 1977; Awasthi 1979. 1988; Nayaka & Upreti, 2004).

The occurrence of 12 species have been recorded from Maharashtra which

includes seven species new to Maharashtra, one species new to India and 3 species new

to science.

Key to the species

la. Thallus with dense tomentum on lower surface (Section Mallotium) Lobe margin entire to dentate isidiate, ascending and revolute, 10-15 mm broad; isidia simple to coralloid; tomentum white, 0.2-1 mm long L. burnetiae var hirsutum

Ib.Thallus lacking tomentum on lower surface {SQCtion Euleptogitim ) 2

2a.Thallus isidiate 3

2b. Thallus lacking isidia 6

72

3a. Isidia cylindrical or squamiiliform 4

3b. Isidia granular to cylindrical 5

4a. isidia always squamuliform, 2 mm long; lobes 2-10 mm broad, margins denticulate, isidiate lobulate; ascospores 15-28 x6-12 )im L. denticulatum

4b. Isidia cylindrical to squamuliform; lobes 5-13 mm broad, lobules upto 1 mm long; thalline exciple isidiate; ascospores 9-20 x 5-9 |im L. cyanescens

5a. Lobes gray, smooth to rough, 4-9 mm broad, margins wavy; proper exciple euparaplectenchymatous; ascospores 20-40 x 11-13 |im L. patwardhanii

5b.Lobes slate blue, wrinkled, 2-7 mm broad, margins shallowly dissect L. austroamericanum

6a. Proper exciple prosoplectenchymatous/euparaplectenchymatous 7

6b. Proper exciple euparaplectenchymatous only at the margins 8

7a.Thallus lobes deeply dissected, 4-7 mm broad; proper exciple prosoplectenchymatous; ascospores 20-40 x 10-16 i m L. cf leptophyllinum

7b. Thallus lobes anastomosing, 3-6 mm wide; proper exciple euparaplectenchymatous; ascospores 19-31 x 10-13 \im with acute ends L. chloromelum

8a. Thallus with numerous pycnidia Lobes shallowly dissected, 4-7 mm broad, upcurled, folded, dentate, warty due to numerous pycnidia, wrinkled on both surfaces; ascospores 15-32 x 6-12 i m

L. verrucosum

8b. Thallus lacking pycnidia 9

9a. Apothecia stipitate on tubular short stalk 10

9b. Apothecia sessile/ basally constricted 11

lOa.Apothecia 0.5-2.5 mm diam.; thalline exciple periclinaily to sometimes longitudinally wrinkled; ascospores 19-27x6-13 urn L. indicum

10b. Apothecia 1-1.5 mm diam.; thalline exciple prominently vertically wrinkled, with small lobules; ascospores 16-38x9-13 ^m L.javanicum

11a. Lobes 3-10 mm broad; apothecia 0.5-2.8 mm diam.; ascospores 15-28 x 8-16 ^m L. azureum

l ib . Lobes 4 - 8 mm broad; apothecia 0.5-2 mm diam.; ascospores 21-44 x 8-14 i ,.,-, L. suhazureum

73

Leptogium austroamericanum (Ma\me) Dodge [Fig.: 117]

Am. Mo. Bot. GarcL. 20: 419 (1933).

= Leptogium cyanescen.s van austroamericamim Malme

Ark.Bot.A%%Y 11 (1924).

Thallus corticoloLis, foliose, dark greenish gray to slate-blue, 1.5-3 cm in diam.,

160-180 |jm thick, loosely or closely attached to the substratum, not much swollen when

wet with few wrinkles not acutely raised; lobes 2-7 mm wide, spreading, flattened, or

slightly ascending, shallowly dissected, margin plane to wavy; upper surface covered

with granular to cylindrical, simple to branched, concolorous isidia. Apothecia absent in

the present specimens.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-. P-; UV-; no lichen substance present.

Habitat: Occurs in moist shady places, collected at higher elevation in semi evergreen

forest.

Distribution: India (Kerala, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Uttar Pradesh), Florida. United

States, and Central and South America, East Africa and Hawaii.

Remarks: Leptogium austroamericanum differs from the closely related Leptogium

cyanescen.s (Ach.) Korb. which, however, differs from it in having thin papery thallus,

lobes faintly striate and cylindrical to sqamuliform isidia.

Specimens examined: Sindhudurg District, Amboli, sunset point, elev. 690 m,

8.12.1974, P.O. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 74.2346; Amboli, opposite Guest House,

28.9.76, P. G. Patwardhan & U. V. Makhija, 76.1242, 76.1252, 76.1253, 76.1255.

Leptogium azureum (Sw.) Mont. [Figs.: 14, 17, 18 «& 118]

in Webb & Berth. Hi.st. Nat. Canar.. 3: 129 (1840).

= Lichen azureu.s Sw.

in Ach. Lich. Suec. Prodr., 137 (1798).

Thallus corticolous or saxicolous, lead gray when dry, dark olive green when wet,

foliose, loosely to firmly attached to the substratum, 3-5 cm in diam., translucent,

generally non-glossy and slightly swollen when wet, deeply to shallowly, lobate, 50-110

74

\im thick; lobes regular to irregular, orbicular to elongate, 0.5-1 cm wide, margin entire,

plane to wavy, flat to ascending; thallus. composed of both vertically and periclinally

disposed hyphae; upper surface smooth to slightly rough; isidia absent; lower surface

paler than the upper surface. Apothecia laminal to submarginal sessile to substipitate and

constricted at the base, 0.5-2.8 mm in diam.; disc smooth, concave to plane, rarely

convex, orange-red; thalline exciple entire, cream coloured to concolourous with the

thallus; proper exciple euparaplectenchymatous at the margin, indistinct poorly developed

at the centre. Ascospores 8/ ascus, ellipsoid, with beak like only at one end, muriform. 3-

5 transverse septa, I(-2) vertical septa, 15-28 x 8-16 |im in size.

Chemistry: Thallus K-. C-, KC-, P-; UV-; no lichen substance present.

Habitat: Common on trees and mossy rocks along the road sides in open moist places.

Distribution: India (Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West

Bengal), Africa. Australia, Europe, Florida. Hawaii. Widely distributed throughout the

tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

Remarks: Leptogium azureum is distinguished by the absence of isidia. apothecia

substipitate or constricted at the base. 0.5-2.8 mm in diam., disc smooth, concave to

plane, rarely convex, orange-red, proper exciple euparaplectenchymatous at the margin,

indistinct at the centre.

Leptogium azureum, recorded first time from Maharashtra is most likely to be

mistaken forZ. cyanescens (Ach.) Korb. from which it is readily distinguished by lack of

isidia.

Specimens examined: Pune District, Bhimashankar, 128 km from Pune. in semi

evergreen forest. 30.9.1974. M.B. Nagarkar 74.861, 74.894; Sinhagad, elev. approx 800

m. 973. in dry deciduous forest. M. B. Nagarkar 73.199. Satara District, on the way

from Panchgani to Mahabaleshwar. on the tree trunk of Ficus, 11.6.1980. U.V. Makhija

6 D.W. Rane 80.310, 80.311, 80.312, 80.313, 80.314; Moleshwar, near Mahabaleshwar,

13. 12. 1973, V.D. Vartak, 73.3125; Mahabaleshwar, 21.11.1972, P.D. Badhe 72.46;

Lingmala Water Falls, 4 km from Mahabaleashwar, P.D. Badhe, 72.13.

75

Leptogium burnetiae var. hirsutum (Sierk) P.M. Jerg. |Figs.: 15, 19 & 119]

Herzogia.l:A51{\913).

= Leptogium hirsutum Sierk

firyo/og/.v/, 67:267(1964).

Thallus corticoloLis or muscicolous on bark or saxicolous, bluish to grayish-blue

when dry, dark olive green, translucent, generally non-glossy and slightly swollen when

wet, deeply to shallowly, lobate. foliose, loosely to firmly attached to the substratum, 2-4

cm in diam.. 64-190 |im thick; lobes orbicular to sub-linear, 10-15 mm wide at the

periphery, usually separate, sometimes more or less confluent in the central part; margin

entire to dentate isidiate, flat to ascending and revolute, thinner than the central part;

upper surface dull, smooth to slightly rough, densely isidiate; isidia solid, simple, globular

or cylindrical when young, later coralloid branched, 0.1-0.7 mm long, concolorous with

the thallus or darker; lower surface paler than the upper surface; densely tomentose,

tomentum usually white, rarely pale brown, 0.2-1 mm long; hyphae of tomentum free to

anastomosing, composed of 5-16 \\.m long and 3.5-6 ^m thick cells. Apothecia rare,

sesile, at the most 0.9 mm in diam.; disc concave, dark brown to reddish brown, plane to

convex, surrounded by thalline margin; thalline margin concolorous with the thallus,

white tomentose hairs are seen in tufts on the margin; proper exciple

paraplectenchymatous, thick at the centre, narrowing towards the margin. Ascospores

8/ascus, hyaline, muriform, 3-4 -transverse septate, vertically 1-septate, 20-28 x 10-12

\\.m in size.


Habitat: Common on trees and mossy rocks along the road sides in semi evergreen to

moist deciduous forest at higher elevations.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Uttar

Pradesh and West Bengal). The taxon is widely distributed throughout the world, reported

from eastern Asia, Africa, Europe, Pakistan and the new world.

Remarks: Leptogium burnetiae is one of the most abundant species of this genus in

Maharashtra and can easily be distinguished by the presence of white tomentum at the

lower surface, upper surface densely isidiate, isidia are globular or cylindrical when

76

young, later becoming coralloid to branched and the proper exciple

paraplectenchymatous.


P.G. Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1178, 74.1979, 74.1180, 74.1207, 74.1208;

Panhala, 4.9.90, P.G. Patwardhan & B.A. Adawadkar 90.22, 90.23; 13.10.2000, U.V.

Makhija, 00.458. Satara District, Guregarh, 7 kms from Mahabaleshwar, 8.8.1991, P.G.

Patwardhan & U.V. Makhija, 91.8, 91.9, 91.10; Mahabaleshwar, elev. 1372 m, 11.9.1972,

P.D. Badhe, 72.35; 25.9.2001. B.A. Adawadkar, 01.29; Moleshwar, near Mahabaleshwar,

13.12.1973, V.D. Vartak. 73.3124; Panchgani, 4.8.1981, U.V. Makhija, 81.283, 81.286,

81.287, 81.299; 25.9.2001, B.A. Adawadkar, 01.7. Sindhudurg District, Amboli, elev.

690 m, 22.9.1980, P.G. Patwardhan, 80.481, 80.482. Thane District, Malshej Ghat,

Neemgiri, 9.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & G.S. Chitale, 02.239.

Leptogium chloromelum (Sw.) Nyl.

Mem. Soc. Imp. Sci. Nat. Cherbourg 5: 333 (1857)

= Lichen chloromelus Sw.

Fl. Ind. Occid, 3: 1892 (1806).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, 1.5-3 cm in size, loosely adnate, gray to blackish

gray, 200-350 |im thick; lobes anastomosing, 3-6 mm wide; upper surface rough to

distinctly wrinkled; isidia lacking; lower surface more strongly wrinkled than upper

surface. Apothecia common, submarginal to laminal, sessile, 0.5-1.5 mm in diam.; disc

orange red, concave to plane, epruinose, periclinally wrinkled, with a single cell layered

cortex at the base and margin of apothecium; proper exciple distinctly

euparaplectenchymatous throughout, 80-124 |im thick at the centre, 25-35 \im at margins.

Ascospores muriform transversely 5-6 septate, longitudinally 1- septate, ellipsoid, 19-31

X 10-13 nm with acute ends, (description taken from Awasthi & Akhtar, 1979 p. 194).

Habitat: Semi evergreen forest, Ugavai sacred groove, alt. 700 m.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh), Florida, New York,

United States.

77

Remarks: The occurrence of this species has been recorded from the Ugavai sacred

groove, alt. 700 m in Maharashtra by Nayaica and Upreti (2004) without description.

Since 1 have not come across this species the description has been tai<en from Awasthi &

Akhtar, 1979.

Leptogium cyanescens (Ach.) Korb. [Figs.: 20 & 120]

Syst. Lick, 420 {] 855).

= Collema tremelloides var. cyanescens Ach.

Syn. Meth. Lich.,^26{\%\A).

Thallus corticolous or muscicolous, foliose, blactcish gray or bluish to grayish

blue when dry, dark olive greenish gray, translucent, generally glossy and swollen when

wet, loosely or closely attached to the substratum, papery, thin, 1-6 cm in diam.; lobes

orbicular, 5-13 mm wide at the periphery, usually separate, sometimes more or less

confluent in the central part; margins entire to isidiate, sometimes lobulate; thallus rarely

fertile; upper surface dull, smooth, densely isidiate; isidia solid, terete, cylindrical to

squamiform, upto 1 mm long, concolorous with the thallus or darker; lower surface paler

than the upper surface. Apothecia uncommon, laminal, sessile, upto 1.5 mm in diam.;

disc concave, reddish brown, smooth; thalline exciple entire, isidiate, 6-9 cells layered

cortex at base and 2-3 cell layered at margin; proper exciple euparaplectenchymatous at

the margin, indistinct at the centre. Ascospores 8/ ascus, ellipsoid, muriform, transversely

2-4(-5)-septate, vertically I-septate, 9-20 x 5-9 |im in size.


Habitat: Growing in shady places on road side trees in semi evergreen and dry deciduous

forests.

Distribution: India (Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West

Bengal), Australia, East Africa, Europe, Florida and Hawaii. The taxon is widely

distributed in tropical and temperate regions of the world.

Remarks: Leptogium cyanescens is distinguished by a thin, lead gray thallus with

cylindrical to sometime squamuliform isidia. It differs from the closely related Leptogium

denticulatum which, however, always has squamiform isidia. It is recorded first time from

Maharashtra

78


U.V. Makhija & B. A. Adawadkar, 90.24; 13.10.2000, U.V.Makhija & K.R. Randive,

00.453; Radhanagari, 12.10.2000, U.V. Makhija, 00.322B. Pune District, Bhimashankar,

128 km from Pune, 17.9.1997. B.A. Adawadkar, 97.27; Dongarwadi, 19.9.2000, V.A.

Mantri, 00.123, 00.139. Satara District, Panchagani, elev. 1000 m, 5.9.2001, U.V.

Makhija, 01.68. Sindhudurg District, Amboli to Ajra, on the way 4 km from Amboli,

10.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar, 00.178, 00.192, 00.193; Ajra to Amboli,

10.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & K.R. Randive, 00.215; Amboli, 10.10.2000, U.V. Makhija,

00.492; Gaganbawada to Kumbhi, on the way, 12.10.2000, B.A. Adawadkar & K.R.

Randive, 00.357.

Leptogium denticulatum Nyl. [Figs.: 20 & 1211

Am. Sci. Nat. Bot. 5 ser, 7: 302 (1867).

Thallus corticolous or muscicolous, loosely or closely attached to the substratum,

foliose, lead-gray to dark gray when dry, dark olive green, slightly swollen when wet, 2-

3.5 cm in diam., 30-105 ^m thick, rarely fertile; lobes orbicular, 2-10 mm wide, usually

younger lobes superimposing the older ones, slightly suberect, discrete, margins entire to

denticulate, lobulate or isidiate lobulate; upper surface smooth, isidiate; isidia soon

squamuliform, upto 2 mm wide, concolorous with the thallus or darker; lower surface

paler than the upper surface, smooth. Apothecia rare, laminal, sessile, or shortly stipitate,

I -(u'pt9' 0.5-1 mm in diam.; disc concave, reddish brown, smooth; thalline exciple^

concolourous with the thallus or paler, entire, smooth, cortex of thalline excipl^9^8 cell

layered at the base and 2-3 cell layered at the margin; cortical cells 9-16 ^m in size;

proper exciple euparaplectenchymatous at the margin, indistinct at the centre. Ascospores

8/ascus, ellipsoid, with slightly acute ends, muriform, transversely 3-5-septate, vertically

1-(2)-septate, 15-28 x 6-12 ^m.


Habitat: In Maharashtra it is collected in dry deciduous forest.

Distribution:. India (Kerala, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal).

The taxon is primarily a New World species known from Canada, Hawaii, USA

79

Remarks: Leptogium denticulatum, an extremely rare species known by a single

collection from Maharashtra and is distinguished from the closely related Leptogium

cyanescem (Ach.) Korb. especially by its squamiform isidia. The isidia are mostly

cylindrical in L. cyanescens.

Specimen examined: Pune District, Tahimini ghat, 7.10.2003, N. Verma & A.,

Sonone, 03.432; Satara District, Mahabaleshwar, Lingmala, 4 km from Mahabaleshwar,^

21.1.2004, N. Verma, 04.44; Thane District, Malshej Ghat, 9.9.2002, U.V. Makhija^

02.246.

Leptogium indicum D. D. Awasthi & Akhtar [Figs.: 22,122]

Geophytology, 8(2): 197(1979).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, loosely or closely attached to the substratum, 3-6 cm

in size, light to dark lead-gray when dry, dark olive green, swollen when wet, 70-100

(120) ^m thick; irregularly lobate orbicular, 4-9 mm broad, ascending along the margin;

margin wavy, often with apothecial initials; corticated on both sides, cortex single cell

layered, cells 2-6 ^m thick, isodiametric; upper surface smooth to rough; lower surface

rough, etomentose, irregularly wrinkeld when wet. Apothecia common, dense, lamina! to

submarginal, stipitate, stalk uniformly tubular and almost as wide as the disc, 0.5-1.5 mm

long; disc 0.5-2.5 mm in diam; concave to plane, eventually convex, epruinose, reddish-

brown, smooth; thalline exciple concolourous with the thallus or paler, entire, rough to

faintly periclinally to sometimes longitudinally wrinkled; epithecium pale brown, 9-13

^m thick; hymenium 100-150 fim high, l+blue; hypothecium 40-45 |um thick; cortex of

thalline exciple 1-4 cell layered at the margin and 7-11 cell layered at the base; cortical

cells 9 |im in size; proper exciple distinctly euparaplectenchymatous, 4-5 cell layered, 30

|im thick at the margin, indistinct at the center; asci cylindrico-clavate, 80-130 x 14-19

|im in size. Ascospores 8/ ascus, ellipsoid, fusiform with acute ends, muriform,

transversely 3-5-septate, vertically 1-septate, 19-27 x 6-13 ^m.


Habitat: In Maharashtra it is collected on bark of tree trunks.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra and Rajasthan).

80

Remarks: Leptogium indicum shows affinity to L. azureum (Sw.) Mont, and L.

tremelloides but differs from both these species in having tubular pedicellate apothecia

and colour of the thallus. L. tremelloides Dickson has sessile and somewhat constricted

apothecia and the proper exciple is distinctly cellular throughout. In addition, L indicum

has periclinally wrinkled thalline exciple (Awasthi & Akhtar 1979).

Specimens examined: Satara District, Near Satara, Kas Dam, 1979, exact date not

recorded, V.D. Vartak, 79.219; Guregarh, 7 km from Mahabaleshwar, 8.8.1991, P.G.

Patwardhan & U.V. Makhija, 91.1. Kolhapur District, Rhonda Ghat, 20.9.1980, D.W.

Rane, 80.472.

Leptogium javanicum Mont. [Figs.: 23 & 123]

Syll. Gen. Sp. Crypt., 379 (1856).

Thallus corticolous or saxicolous, foliose, loosely or firmly attached to

substratum, lead gray, dark lead gray to black when dry, dark olive green, translucent,

35-70 ^m thick, non-glossy and slightly swollen when wet; lobes orbicular to elongate, 2-

10 mm wide; margins entire, plane to wavy; upper surface rough to irregularly wrinkled

when wet; lower surface with more prominent wrinkles than the upper surface, tufts of

unicellular hairs at places and attaching the surface to the substratum; isidia absent.

Apothecia common, laminal to submarginal, raised on tubular stalk in young condition,

0.5-2 mm long, distinctly wrinkled, 1-1.5 mm in diam.; disc smooth, plane to concave,

reddish-brown; thalline exciple prominently vertically wrinkled, sometimes with small

lobules in old condition, cortex 6-9 cell layered at the margin; proper exciple

euparaplectenchymatous at the margin, indistinct at the centre. Ascospores 8/ascus,

ellipsoid, muriform, transversely 2-5-septate, vertically f^^eptate, 16-38 x 9-13 |im.


Habitat: Common on trees and mossy rocks along the roadsides.

Distribution: India (Karnataka, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal). And also

from Africa, Australia, Java and tropical and temperate regions of the world.

Remarks: Leptogium javanicum is one of the most abundant and common species in

Maharashtra and is distinguished by the presence of apothecia laminal to submarginal,

raised on tubular stalk in young condition, 0.5-2 mm long, distinctly vertically wrinkled.

1-1.5 mm in diameter, disc reddish-brown with prominent vertical wrinkles on thalline

exciple. Leptogium javanicum has been recorded first time from Maharashtra

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District. Panhala at an altitude of 950 m, 13.10.2000,

U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri, 00.454; on the way to Phonda from Radhanagari,

12.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar, 00.323. Nasik District, Anjaneri, dry

deciduous forest, 26.9.2002, U. V. Makhija & A.V. Bhosale, 02.266; Bhandardara,

25.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & A.V. Bhosale, 02.264; Saptashringi, 3.8.1974, M.B. Nagarkar

74.177, 74.178, 74.179, 74.186, 74.194, 74.196, 74.211, 74.214, 74.216, 74.228 (det. P.

M. Jorgensen, 1996), 74.217, 74.242, 74.243, 74.248, 74.250, 74.251, 74.255; 24.9.2002,

B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 02.257, 02.258, 02.259, 02.260, 02.261. Pune District,

Bhimashankar, 17.9.1997, U.V. Makhija, 97.34, 97.33B; Malvali, below Bhaja caves,

26.7.1974 M.B. Nagarkar «& A.V. Prabhu, 74.124, 74. 125, 74.126, 74,127; Purandar

Fort, 12.3.1971, P.G. Patwardhan & P.D. Badhe 71.14, 71.15, 71.30; July 1973. U.V.

Makhija 73.173. 73.174, 74.175, 74.176; Purandar Fort, 38 km from Pune, 13.9.2002,

B.A. Adawadkar & A.V. Bhosale, 02.248, 02.249, 02.250, 02.251, 02.253; Sinhagad Fort,

elev. 800 m, 16.9.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri, 00.7; 10.8.2002, G.S. Chitale,

02.270. Raigad District, Karnala, elev. 400 m, 16.9.2002. B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale.

02.255. Satara District. Gurehgar. 4 km from Panchgani. 21.6.1973, P.G. Patwardhan &

M.B. Nagarkar, 73.41, 73.43, 73.44; Guregarh, 8.8.1991, P.G. Patwardhan & U.V.

Makhija 91.7; On the way from Mahabaleshwar to Panchgani, 11.6.1980, U.V. Makhija

& D.W. Rane 80.310a, 80.311; Panchgani, Parsi point, 25.9.2001, B.A. Adawadkar, 01.8;

11.9.1972, P.D. Badhe 72.34. Thane District, Malshej Ghat, Neemgiri, U.V. Makhija &

G.S. Chitale, 02.243.

Leptogium cf. leptophyUinum (Meyen & Plot.) Vain. [Figs.: 24 & 124]

Ann. Acad. Sci. Fenn., ser, 15(6): 41 (1921).

= L. Iremelloides var. leptophyUinum Meyen & Plot.

Nova. Acta. Aca. Leop-Carolin. 19: 228 (1843).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, loosely or firmly attached to substratum, slate-blue,

membranaceous and slightly swollen when wet, 50-100(-160) ^m thick; lobes orbicular,

shallowly or deeply dissected, laciniate. 4-7 mm broad; non-isidiate; corticated by a

single layer of isodiametric cells on both the surfaces; upper surface slightly rough: upper

cortex 5-7 ^m thick; lower surface paler: lower cortex of slightly thicker (7-10 ^im).

82

Apothecia common, laminal to submarginal sessile to shortly stipitate. minute, upto 0.5-2

mm in diam; disc smooth, plane, orange-brown to brown; thalline exciple thin, cortex 6-9

cell layered at the margin; proper exciple, indistinct, prosoplectenchymatous. Ascospores

8/ascus, ellipsoid, muriform, transversely 3-4-septate, vertically I-septate, 20-40 x 10-16

\im.


Habitat: Occurs in moist places in semi evergreen to dry deciduous forest.


Remarks: The present species does not clearly resemble any of the earlier known species

of this genus. However, with respect to the characters of the amphithecium (thalline

margin) and the parathecium (proper exciple) it comes close to the species Leptogium

indicum D.D. Awasthi & Akhtar, L. moluccanum (Pers.) Vain., and L. azureum (Sw.)

Mont. But all these species have much smaller ascospores (not exceeding 25 \xm in

length) and also differs in other morphological characters.

Some of our specimens have been determined by P.M. Jorgensen as species

provisionally as L. cf leptophyllimim until the type material of Z. leptophyllinum can be

studied, it is recorded for the first time from India.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Gaganbawada to Kumbhi, on road side Ficus

hengalemis tree, 12.10.2000, B. C. Behera, 00.358; Panhala, elev. 950 m. 13.10.1974,

P.G. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu 74.1209, P.G. Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni 74.1149,

74.1223 (det. Jorgensen); 13.10.2000, on Mangifera indica^U.V. Makhija & K.R.

Randive, 00.455. Nasik District, Anjaneri, dry deciduous forest, 26.9.2002, U.V.

Makhija & A.V. Bhosale, 02.265; Bramahgiri, 26.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & A.V. Bhosale,

02.267; Saptashringi, 24.9.2002, B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitaie; 02.256. Thane District,

Malshej Ghat, Neemgiri, U.V. Makhija & G.S. Chitaie, 02.240, 02.241, 02.245. Satara

District, Panchgani, 25.9.2001, U.V. Makhija, 01.70. Sindhudurg District. Amboli,

22.9.1980, P.G. Patwardhan, 80.483; On the way to Amboli from Ajra, 4 km from Ajra,

10.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri, 00. 216.

83

Leptogiumpatwardhanii Dube sp. nov. IFigs.: 25 & 125|

Type: India, Maharashtra, Sindhudurg District, Amboli, A. V. Prabhu and C. R.

Kuli^arni, 74.1560 (Holotype- AMH).

Thallus corticolous, tbhose, ashy-gray when dry, dark olive green, swollen when

wet. loosely or closely attached to the substratum. 3-15 cm in size, 124-140 ^m thick;

irregularly lobate; lobes orbicular, 4-9 mm broad, margin wavy; upper surface smooth to

rough, covered with granular to cylindrical, rarely clavate, simple to branched,

concolorous isidia; thallus corticated on both sides; single layered cortex 6-8 |im thick;

lower surface rough, etomentose, slightly wrinkeld when wet. Apothecia common,

scattered, laminal to marginal or submarginal. sessile, shortly stipitate or constricted at

the base, 0.5-1 mm in diam; disc plane, eventually convex, epruinose, reddish-brown,

smooth; thalline exciple concolourous with the thallus with multilayered cortex;

hymenium, colourless, 200-228 |im high, 1+bkie; hypothecium, pale yellow to colourless,

60-80 \\.m thick; thalline exciple with many layered cortex; proper exciple distinctly

euparaplectenchymatous throughout; asci cylindrico-clavate, shortly stalked, 100-120 x

12-14 \\m in size. Ascospores 8/ ascus, ellipsoid, fusiform sometimes with one end

acuminate, muriform, transversely 3-5-septate, vertically I-septate, 20-40 x 11-13 ^m.


Habitat: Collected on bark of tree trunks, growing in semi evergreen forest.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra). This species is also recorded from other places in

India.

Remarks: The present new species Leptogium patwardhanii belongs to the section

Eiileptogium and is distinguished by the presence of isidia, multilayered cortex of the

thalline margin and distinctly euparaplectenchymatous proper exciple and is closely

related to other members of section Leptogium austroamericanum (Malme) Dodge and L.

cvanescem (Ach.) Korb in colour, size of lobes and nature of isidia but the latter two

species differ from the new species in having prosoplectenchymatous proper exciple. The

proper exciple is euparaplectenchymatous in the new species.

Leptogium coralloideum (Meyen & Plot.) Vain., an isidiate species, differs from

the new species in having plicate thallus, with minute phyllidia densely crowded on the

84

ridges and margin lobes and apothecia with tiiick thalline exciple, with one cell layered

cortex and paraplectenchymatoiis tissue present at the base above the photobiont layer,

and minutely ornamented ascospores.

Specimens examined: Sindhudurg District, Amboli, in semi evergreen forest.

18.10.1974, A.V. Prabhu & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1559, 74.1560.

Leptogium subazureum Dube sp. nov. [Figs.: 26 & 126|

Type: India, Maharashtra, Kolhapur District. Ajra to Amboli road, 2 km from Ajra, at

900 m ait. G. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu. 74.2246 (Holotype- AMH).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, lead gray when dry to dark olive green, swollen

when wet, loosely or closely attached to the substratum, 3-15 cm in diam., 50-100 |im

thick; irregularly lobate, lobes flattened, orbicular, 4-8 mm broad, margin wavy; non-

isidiate; upper surface smooth to rough, with few wrinkles, corticated on both sides,

cortex single cell layered, 8-10 |im thick, made of isodiametric cells: medulla consists of

thin walled, long, branched, hyphae mostly horizontally running in the central part with

few Nostoc chains: lower surface slightly wrinkled when wet, more or less of the same

colour or slightly paler, etomentose. Apothecia common, scattered, laminal to marginal

or submarginal, sessile, shortly stipitate, constricted at the base, solitary, 0.5-2 mm in

diam; disc plane to convex, rounded, epruinose, orange brown, smooth; thalline exciple

concolorous with the thallus; epithecium brownish colour, 6-9 |jm thick; hymenium

colourless, 110-150 \\.m high. 1+ blue; hypothecium colourless. 20-45 ^m thick: thalline

exciple with many layered cortex; proper exciple distinctly euparaplectenchymatous at

the margins; asci cylindrico-clavate. shortly stalked, 70-120 x 9-14 ^m in size.

Ascospores 8/ ascus, fusiform, thin walled, muriform, 21-44 x 8-14 |im.


Habitat: This species is collected on bark of tree, growing with moss in semi-evergreen

to moist deciduous forest.


Remarks: The present new species Leptogium suhaziireiim is distinguished by having

non-isidiate thallus with proper exciple euparaplectenchymatous at the margins. It is

85

closely related to L. azureum (Sw.) Mont, in external morphology, the colour of thallus,

apothecia and the absence of isidia and tomentum but differs from L. azureum in having

large ascospores of 21-44 x 8-14 |am.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District. Ajra to Amboli road, 4 km from Ajra,

7.12.1974, P.G. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu. 74.2246, 74.2252; Amba, 6.12.1974. A.V.

Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar, 74.2206; Panhala, 13.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri,

00.493; Radhanagari, 12.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.C. Behera, 00.321. 00.322. Pune

district, Bhimashankar, 17.9.1997, U.V. Makhija, 97.33A, Purandar Fort. 38 km from

Pune. 13.9.2002, B.A. Adawadkar, 02.247; Sinhagad Fort, elev. 800 m, 16.8.2000, U.V.

Makhija, 00.8. Nashik district, Saptashringi Gad, 24.9.2002, B.C. Behera & G.S.

Chitaie, 02.262. Satara District, Mahabaleshwar, Arther Seat, 8 km from

Mahabaleshwar 27.11.1974, A.V. Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar. 74.1731, 74.1744;

Mahabaleshwar, 25.9.2001, B.A. Adawadkar, 01.69; Panchagani, alt. 1000 m, 25.9.2001,

B.A. Adawadkar, 01.6. Sindhudurg District. Amboli. 8.12.1974, P. G. Patwardhan &

M.B. Nagarkar, 74.2359; Nanapaii, Amboli to Sawantwadi road, at an altitude of 690 m,

8.12.1974, A.V. Prabhu, 74.2383, Mahadeogad, Amboli, alt. 900 m, 10.10.00. U.V.

Makhija & B.C.Behera, 00.154. U.V. Makhija & K.R. Randive, 00.155. Thane District,

Neemgiri, Malshej Ghat, 9.9.2002. U.V. Makhija & G.S. Chitaie, 02.242, 02.244. 02.245.

Leptogium verrucosum Dube sp. nov. [Figs.: 27 & 111] • , . . - " • ' . • ' ' • • / . , / „

Type: India, Maharashtra, Pune District, Purandar fort, B.A. Adawadkar, 02.247

(Hoiotype- AMH). '

Tliailus both corticolous and saxicolous, foliose, dark gray, swollen when wet,

loosely or closely attached to the substratum, 3-5 cm in diam., 90-105 ^m thick,

irregularly lobate; lobes orbicular, shallowly dissected, elongate, 4-7 mm broad, margin

wavy, upcurled, folded, dentate, numerous wart-like pycnidia present all over the entire

surface but mostly marginal; non isidiate; corticated on both sides, cortex single layered

7-11 nm thick, isodiametric. upper surface smooth to rough, wrinkled; lower surface

rough, etomentose, highly wrinkled when wet. Apothecia adnate to short stalked

sometimes constricted, disc 1-3 mm in diam.. reddish brown, in young condition vertical

wrinkles seen on apothecia; thalline exciple concolorous with thallus; epithecium brown.

9-15 nm thick; hymenium hyaline, 90-105 ^m high; subhymenium hyaline, 27-30 ^m

86

high; thalline exciple with multiiayered cortex; proper exciple distinctly

euparaplectenchymatous at margins and prosoplectenchymatous below; asci cylindrico-

clavate, shortly stalked, 90-96 x 9-21 urn. Ascospores 8/ ascus, muriform 2-3 transverse

septate, 1-2 vertical septate, ends acute, 15-32 x 6-12 ^m in size.


Habitat: It is collected on the bark of a tree trunk as well as on rock.


Remarks: The new species Leptogium verrucosum is distinguished from the other

species of this genus by the presence of numerous pycnidia giving warty appearance to

the thallus, upper and lower surface is highly wrinkled looking uneven in section with

globose pycnidia embedded in thallus, apothecia adnate or short stalked with vertical

wrinkles on thalline exciple in young condition.

It seems to be somewhat similar to L. azureum and L. javanicum in respect of the

colour of the thallus, structure of the proper exciple which is distinctly

euparaplectenchymatous only at the margins and the ascospores. However, it differs from

L. azureum (Sw.) Mont, in having vertically wrinkled thalline exciple and differs from L

javanicum Mont, in having warty thallus due to the presence of numerous pycnidia.

Specimen examined: Nasik District, Bramhagiri, dry deciduous forest, 26.9.2002, U. V.

Makhija & A. V. Bhosale, 02.268. Pune Disrict, Purandar fort, on the walls effort, 38

km from Pune, 13.9.2002, B.A. Adawadkar, 02.247.

Genus: Myelochroa (Asahina) Elix & Hale (Parmeliaceae)

Mycotaxon,29:2A0 {\m).

Thallus parmelioid, foliose, gray. Photobiont green alga, Trebouxia. Lobes narrow,

margin ciliate. Epicortex pored. Upper cortex palisade plectenchymatous. Lower cortex

paraplectenchymatous. Lower surface black. Rhizines simple to squarrosely branched.

Pseucocyphellae absent. Apothecia laminal, eperforate. Ascospores hyaline, simple,

ellipsoid. Conidia cylindrical, bifusiform. Medulla yellow to orange with secalonic

derivatives and triterpens.

87

The genus Myelochroa was established recently (Elix & Hale 1987; Elix 1994a) to

accommodate species which differed from all the other members of ParmeUna sens. Lat.,

in having a yellow-orange medulla due to the presence of ergochromes (secalonic acids

and / or eumitrins) and in containing hopane triterpenes. 24 species have been

enumerated world wide (Divakar et a!., 2001). 8 species are known from Indian

subcontinent. One species Myelochroa aurulenta (Tuck.) Elix & Hale has been recorded

for the first time from Maharashtra, in the present studies.

Myelochroa aurulenta (Tuck.) Elix & Hale [Fig- 128]

Mycotaxon, 29: 240 (1987).

= Parmelia aurulenta Tuck.

Amer. J. Arts. & Sci. ser., 2 (25): 424 (1858).

Thallus corticolous, adnate, yellowish green to brownish green, 4-7 cm in diam.,

60-105 |im thick; lobes narrow, subirregular, sublinear, margin crenate, becoming

imbricate, 1-6 mm broad; cilia small (indistinct); upper surface emaculate; sorediate or

pustulate sorediate marginal as well as laminal; upper cortex 12-21 |im thick; algal layer

12-18 nm thick; medulla pale yellow particularly beneath the soredia, 25-38 \im thick;

lower cortex brown, 13-28 \im thick, lower surface black with slightly light brown at

periphery; moderately rhizinate, rhizines simple to bifurcate. Apothecia absent.

Chemistry: Medulla K+ slight yellow becoming intense, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; atranorin and

leucotylic acid present.

Habitat: The specimen was collected in moist deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and

West Bengal), United States. Widely distributed in the subtropical regions of the world.

Remarks: Myelochroa aurulenta is recorded for the first time from Maharashtra and is

characterised by yellow pigmented medulla and pustulate sorediate thallus. It seems to be

a rather rare species in Maharashtra.

Specimens examined: Satara District, Panchgani, elev. 1000 m, 4.8.1981, P. G.

Patwardhan & M. B. Nagarkar, 81.271, 81.272.

88

Genus: Parmeliella Miill. Arg.(Pannariaceae)

Mem. Soc. Phys. Geneve 16: 376 (1862).

Thallus crustose-squamulose to foliose, orbicular to spreading, adpressed to substratum or

loosely attached, often with a prominent blue black to black (rarely buff or pale) marginal

cottony prothallus of projecting, felted silky rhizohyphae. Photobiont blue green algae,

Nostoc in clusters. Lobes laciniate, to microphylline and ± lobulate to squamulose, flat to

convex, discrete to imbricate. Upper surface smooth or wrinkled-plicate, matt, glossy or

scabrid or pubescent, with or without soredia, isidia or phyllidia, dark grayblue to

fawnish, brown-grey, olicaveous or blackish. Margins entire to phyllidiate or sorediate or

incised-crenulate. Medulla white. Lower surface tomentose or rhizinate usually pale.

Apothecia sessile often frequent, rounded, biatorine. Disc flat to concave, epruinose, red-

brown to brown rarely blackish. Proper exciple distinct, pale. Thalline exciple rarely

present crenulate, obscuring proper exciple. Hymenium hyaline, 1+ persistent blue. Asci

with a distinct apical amylloid plug. Ascospores hyaline, ellipsoidal, smooth, thin walled,

occasionally apiculate at one or both ends. Exosporium thin or absent. Pycnidia present.

The lichen genus Parmeliella Miill. Arg.is known by 40 species mainly in tropical

regions of the world (Kirk et al., 2001). The genus is represented by seven species and

one variety in the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 2000; Makhija & Adawadkar, 1999).

in the present study 1 have recorded the occurrence of this genus for the first time

from Maharashtra, and discovered a new species which is described as Parmeliella

indica.

Parmeliella indica Dube sp. nov. [Figs.: 73 -77 & 129]

Type: India, Maharashtra, Sindhudurg District, Amboli near government holiday camp,

P. G. Patwardhan and A. V. Prabhu, 76.1243 (Holotype- AMH).

Thallus squamulose, suborbicular, brownish, spreading, loosely appressed, 60-75

lam thick, 6-12 cm in diam.; prothallus black, indistinct, seen as slightly projecting

rhizohyphae at the peripheral region after a very careful examination; squamules flat,

adjacent, imbricate, 0.5-1.2 mm wide; margins crenate to incised; isidia concolorous with

the thallus, cylindrical to coralloid, scattered all over the surface; upper surface slightly

scabrid. upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, (i.e type 2 cortex), 12-18 ^m thick, with

89

regularly arranged, more or less rounded cells. 6-12 ^m in diam., thin walled; blue green

algae, forming clusters interwoven by hyphae; medulla hyaline, 42-54 ^m thick; lower

surface pale, brownish in sections, lower cortex is absent but pseudocortex is seen,

rhizohyphae present on lower surface. Apothecia subsessile, laminal; disc flat to convex,

reddish orange, lecanorine. epruinose, 0.2-1.9 mm in diam.; thalline excipie concolorous,

crenulate isidiate at margins, obscuring the proper excipie. thalline excipie

paraplectenchymatous; proper excipie subparaplectenchymatous. fresh green coloured, 9-

30 |im thick; epithecium fluorescent green, 9-15 jam thick; hymenium hyaline. 42-90 |im

high, 1+ blue; hypothecium hyaline, 9-18 urn high; asci unitunicate, cylindrico-clavate. 1+

blue. apical amylloid plug 1+ blue, 45-60 x 9-12 i m in size; paraphyses simple, long,

thick at apices, septate. Ascospores 8/ ascus. oblong, hyaline, with proper endospore and

exospore, with oil droplets, 9-12 x 1.5-6 \im in size. Pycnidia not seen.

Chemistry: Thallus K-. C-, KC-, P-; UV -; no lichen substance is present.

Habifat: This species of Parmeliella was collected in moist semi evergreen forest

growing on moss.


Remarks: The present species is characterized by a squamulose. loosely attached,

isidiate, brownish thallus, with indistinct, black prothallus seen as slightly projecting

rhizohyphae at the peripheral region, apothecia with thalline margin and fresh green

colour of epithecium and proper excipie.

Thalline margin is absent in the apothecia in all species of Parmeliella except the

three species Parmeliella mariana (Fr.) P.M. Jrg. & D.J. Galloway, P. allochroa Makhija

& Adawadkar and P. niacrospora Makhija & Adawadkar which belong to P. mariana

complex. The new species Parmeliella indica is distinctly distinguished from all species

of this group and the other species of this genus especially by its apothecia with distinct,

fresh green epithecium and proper excipie (in section). Moreover in other species of P.

mariana group thallus is rosette form with radiating narrow lobes but the thallus in P.

indica does not form rosette.

This species has been collected in evergreen forest at Amboli. a locality which has

many endemic microlichen species.

90

Specimen examined: Sindhudurg District, Amboli near Govt, holiday camp, moist

semi evergreen forest, 29.9.1976, P.G. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 76.1242, 76.1243,

76.1251.

Genus: Parmelinella Elix & Hale (Parmeliaceae)

Mycotaxon., 29: 241 (1987).

Thallus parmelioid, foliose, gray. Photobiont green alga, Trehouxia. Lobes broad, more or

less subirregular lobation and apically rotund, margin ciliate, cilia usually in axils of

lobes. Epicortex pored. Pseudocypheliae absent. Upper cortex palisade plectenchymatous,

cell wall containing isoiichenan. Lower cortex paraplectenchymatous. Lower surface with

papillate marginaj. Rhizines simple to furcate. Apothecia laminal, eperforate. Ascospores

8/ascus, hyaline, simple, ellipsoid. Conidia cylindrical. Medulla K+ red, salazinic acid

present.

The genus Parmelinella Elix & Hale, known by 4 species (Kirk et al.. 2001)

worldwide is mainly tropical. This is a genus of three species with center of distribution

in Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 1988, 2000; Elix, 1993), of which 2 species were earlier

known from Maharashtra (Prabhu et al., 1983) and are also recorded in the present study.

Key to species

1 a. Thallus isidiate /». wallichiana

lb. Thallus without isidia P. simplicior

Parmelinella simplicior (Hale) Elix & Hale [F'g- 1^0]

A<ycotoo^7, 29:241 (1987).

= Parmelina simplicior Hale

firyo/ogM/, 75:99(1972).

Thallus corticolous. grayish white to greenish gray, adnate, coriaceous, 120-150

Hm thick; lobes elongate, sublinear, convolute, imbricate, 3-5 mm broad; cilia mostly in

the axils of lobes; upper surface emaculate, densely pycnidiate, without soredia, isidia or

pustules; upper cortex 13-15 im thick; algal layer 25-30 im thick; medulla white 85-100

urn thick; lower cortex brown, 9-15 ^m thick; lower surface black, sparsely rhizinate.

Apothecia common, laminal, reddish brown to dark brown, 3-6 mm in diam.; disc broad.

epruinose, margin smooth to rough; epithecium brown. 6-9 |jm; hymenium hyaline, 27-45

urn high; subhymenium hyaline, 15-30 ^m high; paraphyses simple; asci 8-sporate,

cylindrical. Ascospores simple, hyaline, oval to ellipsoid. 6-15 x 6-9 |.im.

Chemistry: Medulla K+ yellow turning red, C-, KC-, P+ orange; UV-; atranorin and

salaCinic, consala^Tinic acid present.

Habitat: Generally grows on roadside trees in moist as well as dry deciduous forest at

higher elevation.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu), Africa, Asia, Australia. Distributed in

subtropical to tropical regions of world.

Remarks: Parmelinella simplicior (Hale) Elix & Hale has rather leathery thallus and

very sparsely developed axillary cilia and is distinguished by its emaculate, densely

pycnidiate thallus without isidia and soredia. It is a very common species.

Specimens examined: Ahmednagar District, Bhandardara, in dry deciduous forest,

25.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & B.C. Behera, 02.153, 02.155; Kalsubai. on the way, at elev.

1200 m, 25.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & B.A.Adawadkar, 02.163, 02.164. Koihapur

District, Katyayani, 8 kms from Koihapur, 74.1232; Panhala at an altitude of 950 m,

13.10.1974, P.G. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 74.971, 74.976, 74.981, 74.983, 74.985,

74.987, 74.989, 74.990, 74.991, 74.992, 74.996, 74.1000, 74.1004, 74.1008, 74.1012,

74.1013, 74.1014, 74.1022, 74.1029, 74.1030, 74.1033, 74.1034, 74.1044, 74.1045,

74.1049, 74.1051a; 9.9.1988, P.G. Patwardhan & M.B. Nagarkar, 88.106, 88.107, 88.108;

4.9.1990, U.V. Makhija & P.G. Patwardhan, 90.9, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar,

90.11, 90.36; 13.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & K.R. Randive, 001408, 00.409, 00.411, 00.412,

00.415; Hirodoshi: Bhor-Mahad road, 4.12.1974, C.R.Kulkarni, 74.1943, 74.1975a.

Nasik Distict, Saptashringigad, in dry deciduous forest, 24.9.2002, B.C. Behera & A.V.

Bhosale, 02.171; Trimbakeswar, 30 km west of Nasik, 3.8.1974, M.B. Nagarkar & A.V.

Prabhu, 74.293; 26.9.2002, G.S. Chitale & A.V. Bhosale, 02.207, 02.216, 20.217, 02.217,

02.218, 02.219. Pane District, Bhaja caves, 26.7.1974, A.V. Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar,

74.153, 74.156, 74.159, 74.163, 74.164, 74.165, 74.166, 74.167; Bhimashankar, on

Euphorbia anticorum, 6.9.1970, P.G. Patwardhan & P.D. Badhe, 70.33; 17.9.1997, B.A.

Adawadkar, 97.10; Dongarwadi, 19.9.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.C. Behera, 00.121; Boma

hill, Khandala, 19.9.1974, C.R. Kulkarni & A.V. Prabhu, 74.675, 74.677, 74.678, 74.679,

92

74.681; Malavali, 26.7.1974, M.B. Nagarkar & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.162. Ratnagiri

District, Nivali village, Chipliin- Hatkhamba Road, 5.12.1974, A.V.Prabhhu, 74.2024a;

Dabhole ghat, 5.12.1974, P.G. Patwardhan, A.V. Prabhhu & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.2064,

74.2069, 74.2070, 74.2074, 74.2115; Hatkhamba, 5.12.1974, P.G. Patwardhan, 74.2054,

74.2055. Satara District, Guregar, 7 kms from Mahabaleshwar, 21.6.1973, P.G.

Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhhu, 73.1, 73.8; Mahabaleshwar, on the tree trunk of

Termenalia, 28.2.1972, P.D. Badhe, 72.20; Panchagani, 4.8.1981, U.V. Makhija, 81.275,

S.R.Joshi, 81.298, P.G. Patwardhan, 81.297, M.B. Nagarkar, 81.302. Sindhudurg

District, Amba, 17.10.1974, A.V. Prabhu & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1384; Sakarpa-Amba

Road, 6.12.1974, A.V. Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar, 74.2217; Amboli, elev. 690 m,

22.9.1980, RG. Patwardhan, 80.484, 80.485, 80.486, 80.487, 80.488, On the way to Ajra

from Amboli, 10.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri, 00.158, 00.2)7, 00.218; on the

way to Vaibhavwadi, 12.10.2000, B.C. Behera & V.A. Mantri, 00.366, 00.368. Thane

District, Malshej ghat, Neemgiri, on small shrubs, 9.9.2002, G.S. Chitale, 02.36.

Parmelinella wallichiana (Tayl.) Elix & Hale FFia • l ^11

Mycotaxon, 29: 24\ (1987).

, = Pseudoparmelia wallichiana Tayl.

^ 'Umdon J. Bot., 6: 176 (1847).

Thallus foliose, buff to glaucous, adpressed to the substratum or loosely adnate,

4-10 cm in diam., 105-165 |am thick; lobes more or less imbricate, rounded, crenate, with

short inconspicuous marginal cilia in the lobe axils, pinnately branched, 6-12 mm broad;

moderately bedecked by isidia in the central part; isidia adnate, globular to cylindrical,

concolorous; corticated on both the sides, upper surface light green when fresh, white

when dry, upper cortex 6-15 ^m thick; algal layer at the upper region, yellow to green,

12-30 |xm; medulla white, composed of compactly arranged hyphae, 75-90 im thick;

lower surface brown, 9-21 \im thick, underside black; rhizine-pale brown to black,

dichotomously or irregularly branched. Apothecia absent.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, medulla K+ yellow to red, C-, KC+ red (orange red), P+

orange; UV-; salazinic'and atranorin present.

Habitat: Collected on the bark of tree in moist deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Assam. Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu,

and Uttar Pradesh). This isidiate species is widely distributed from eastern Africa to

eastern Asia and Australia, and also distributed in subtropical to tropical regions of world.

Remarks: Parmelinella wallichiana is the most wide spread and commonly collected

species in eastern Africa to eastern Asia and Australia, it is easily recognized by the

adnate, moderately bedecked by isidia in the central part of thallus, it grows in a variety

of habitats (Hale 1976). In Maharashtra it is not common.

Specimen examined: Satara District, Mahabaleshwar, Tiger Path, M.B. Nagarkar,

74.48; Panchgani, A.V. Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar, 73.24.

Genus: Parmotrema A. Massal. (Parmeliaceae)

Attilmp. Reg 1st. Venet. ScL, 3(5): 248 (1860).

Thallus parmelioid, foliose, usually large sized, gray to rarely yellow green. Photobiont

green alga, Trebouxia. Lobes broad, subrotund to rotund. Marginal cilia present or absent.

Pseudocyphellae absent. Upper surface rarely maculate, epicortex pored. Upper cortex

and lower cortex paraplectenchymatous. Rhizines mostly simple to dichotomously

branched, restricted in the central part on the lower surface having a broad naked

marginal zone. Apothecia laminal, may be perforate or eperforate. Ascospores 8/ascus,

hyaline, simple, usually large, thick walled. Conidia subageniform to filiform.

Parmotrema A. Massal., a segregate of Parmelia Ach. s. I., erected by

Massalongo (1860), is a large, mainly tropical genus with 225 species at word level (Kirk

et al. 2001). 43 species of this genus are known from Indian subcontinent (Awasthi,

1976, 1988, 2000) and 7 species are known from Maharashtra (Awasthi 1976, 1988;

Patwardhan & Prabhu 1977; Prabhu etal, 1983).

In the present study two more species have been added to the lichen flora of

Maharashtra namely Parmotrema saccatilobum (Taylor) Hale which is a new record to

Maharashtra and another unnamed species which is probably new to science.

Key to the species

la. Thallus isidiate ^ 1 b. Thallus lacking isidia 3

94

2a. Medulla C+ red, P-, lobes 10-20 mm broad, emaculate, isidia black tipped; apothecia rare, thailine exciple isidiate; ascospores 6-10 x 16-18 ^m; atranorin, lecanoric acid present p. Unctorum

2b. Medulla C-, P+ red, lobes 4-10 mm broad, isidia filiform; atranorin and protocetraric acid present p. saccatilobum

3a. Thallus pustulate Thallus submarginally pustulate, producing soredia; lobes ciliate, revolute, divide into lobules; atranorin, alectoronic and a- collatolic acids present P. kamatii

3b. Thallus not pustulate, sorediate 4

4a. Lobes margin ciliate 5

4b. Lobes margin eciliate 7

5a. Lobes below 10 mm broad, medulla K+ yellow Lobes 1.5-8 mm broad, involute, highly folded, margin crenate, wavy, cilia 0.1-0.9 mm long; soredia laminal crowded at centre, farinose; atranorin, alectoronic and a-collatolic acids present Parmotrema. sp

5b. Lobes above 10 mm broad, medulla K- 6

6a. Lobes 8-12 mm broad, cilia simple or forked, soralia linear, marginal area on lower surface light brown to ivory motted, KC+ rose; atranorin and gyrophoric acids present

P. sancti-angelii

6b. Lobes 10-20 mm broad, cilia simple or forked marginal area on lower surface tan and shiny, KC+ rose red; atranorin and alectoronic acid present P. rampoddense

7a. Medulla C+ red, KC + red, lobes 8-15 mm broad, soralia marginal, coalescing; atranorin and lecanoric acid present P. austrosinense

7b. Medulla C-, KC-, lobes 5-9 mm broad, soralia linear, capitate or punctiform, marginal to submarginal; atranorin, caperatic and fatty acids present

P. pniesorediosum

Parmotrema austrosinense (Zahlbr.) Hale IF'g- 1-52|

P/j^to/og/a, 28:335(1974).

= Parmelia austrosinemis Zahlbr.

Symb.Sin.^y. 192(1930).

Thallus corticolous or saxicolous, loosely attached, 4-6 cm in diam., 120-189 \im

thick; lobes 8-15 mm wide, rotund, eciliate, more or less rugose and cracked in centre,

sorediate; soralia marginal coalescing, sinuous, soredia farinose; upper cortex 6-15 fxm

thick; algal layer 18-30 ^m thick; medulla white, 60-135 im thick; lower cortex 15-30

95

|im thick; lower surface black in the centre, sparsely rhizinate, leaving a broad, white

mottled to yellowish brown, naked marginal zone. Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Medulla K-, C+ blood red. KC+ red, P-; UV-; atranorin and lecanoric acid

present.

Habitat: Growing on trees in open sites in dry deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra,

Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh), Africa. Widespread in tropical and temperate

regions.

Remarks: Parmotrema austrosineme is distinguished by the eciliate margins, central

part of thallus is more or less rugose and reticulately cracked having marginal coalescing

soralia. It is closely related to P. sanctae-angelii (Lynge) Hale in external morphology but

differs from it in having lecanoric acid and lacking cilia where as in P. sanctae-angelii,

gyrophoric acid acid is present and has simple to forked cilia.

Specimens examined: Nasik District, Trimbakeshwar, Brahmagiri, 30 km west of

Nasik. 26.9.2002, G.S. Chitale & A.V. Bhosale, 02.220. Pune Disrict, Pune University

Campus, 3.6.1970, P.D. Badhe, 70.3; Sinhagad, 70.2; 16.8.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.C.

Behera, 00.4, 00.5, 00.26, 00.27.

Parmotrema kamatii Patw. & A. V. Prabhu [Fig- 133]

Bryologist, 80(2): 349 (1977).

Type: India, Maharashtra, Kolhapur district, Panhala, elev. approx. 1065 m. leg. P.G.

Patwardhan and A.V. Prabhu, 74.998 (Holotype-AMH)!.

Thallus corticolous, whitish gray to cement gray, 4-10 cm in diam., 100-130 |im;

lobes 7-14 mm broad with rotund apices, margin of the lobes revolute and divided into

small lobules bearing coarse pustules submarginally to marginally, sparsely ciliate, with

simple or forked cilia, faintly maculate; nonisidiate; pustulate-sorediate, soredia are

produced from the pustules submarginally; upper surface cracked with age, otherwise

smooth; upper cortex 9-10 ^m thick; algal layer 12-25 jam thick; medulla looks bright

white under long UV wave length (365 nm), 60-70 ^m thick; lower cortex brown, 15-25

[im thick; lower surface black with brown marginal zone; rhizines sparse, simple to

brandhed. Apothecia not seen.

96

Chemsitry: Medulla K-, C-, KC+ red, P-; UV + bright white; atranorin, alectoronic and

a-coliotolic acid present. Alectoronic and a-collotolic looks bright blue before spraying

H2SO4 and looks peacock blue after spraying and heating under long UV wave length

(365 nm)

Habitat: Common on tree bark, found in open moist places in moist deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra. Orissa. and Tamil Nadu).

Remarks: Parmotrema kamatii is comparable to only two pantropical alectoronic acid

containing species, namely P. rampodden.se (Nyl.) Hale, a sorediate species and P.

mellissi (Dodge) Hale, an isidiate species, from which it differs by its thallus with

submarginal pustules producing soredia, and by the presence of d-collatolic acid.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala, at an altitude of 950 m, 13.10.1974,

P.G. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 74.998. 74.1011, 74.1016, 74.1018, 74.1024, 74.1038,

74.1046, 74.1050, 74.1141; 9.9.1988, P.G. Patwardhan & M.B. Nagarkar, 88.96, 4.9.90,

P.G. Patwardhan, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar, 90.7, 90.12, 90.14; 13.10.2000, U.V.

Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar, 00.470. Nasik District, Saptashringi, 3.8.1974, M.B.

Nagarkar & A.V. Prabhu. 74.168. 74.209. 74.257. 74.258. Pune District, Purandar.

18.6.1977, M.B. Nagarkar, 77.610. Satara District, Gureghar, 7 km from

Mahabaleshwar, 21.6.1973, C.R. Kulkarni & P.G. Patwardhan, 73.23, 73.57, 29.12.1975,

P.G. Patwardhan, 75.1199. 75.1200; Panchgani. Near Sanjeewan Vidyalaya. Sept 1977,

P.G. Patwardhan. 77.2090. 77.2091; 4.8.1981. M.B. Nagarkar & D.W. Rane, 81.273.

81.296; 8.8.1991, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar, 91.13; 25.9.2001, B.C. Behera,

01.34; Mahabaleshswar, 24.9.97, B.A. Adawadkar, 97.47, 97.57; on the way on the Ficus

hengaliemis. 25.9.2001, B.C. Behera & B.A. Adawadkar, 01.19, 01.20. 01.21. 01.24.

01.25. 01.26. 01.27. 01.28; 21.6.1973. P.G. Patwardhan & M.B. Nagarkar, 73.54, 73.55.

73.56.

Parmotrema praesorediosum{^y\.)Via\e [Fig.: 134)

P/7>;/o/og/a,28:338(1974).

= Panneliapraesorediosa Nyl.

Sert. Lich. Trop. Lahuan Singapore, 18 (1891).

Thallus corticolous, glaucous to yellowish brown, adnate. undulating. 4-6 cm in

diam.. 90-120 ^m thick; lobes 3-10 mm broad, margins suberect. sinuous, imbricate.

97

revolute, eciliate; soralia linear, crescent shaped, capitate or punctiform, marginal to

submarginal; upper surface rough, dull, emaculate, slightly rugose; upper cortex 6-12 |xm

thick; algal layer 24-30 |im thick; medulla white, 45-51 jiim thick; lower cortex 15-21 [im

thick; lower surface black; sparsely rhizinate, marginal zone brown to mottled ivory,

naked. Apothecia absent.

Chemistry: Medulla K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; atranorin, caperatic and fatty acids present.

Habitat: Collected in moist places in semi evergreen to dry deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Uttar

Pradesh, and West Bengal), Africa. Widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions

of the world.

Remarks: Parmotrema praesorediosum is characterized by linear, punctiform soralia

marginal to submarginal, upper surface rough, dull, emaculate, slightly rugose and

negative colour reactions in medulla and presence of caperatic acid.

Specimens examined: Chandrapur District, Tadoba On the way to Ambet Hira, in dry

deciduous forest, 24.8.2000, K.R. Randive & V.A. Mantri, 00.69, 00.71. Kolhapur

District, Katyayani, 8 kms from Kolhapur, 15.10.1974, A.V. Prabhu & C.R. Kulkarni.

74.1234, 74.1235; Panhala, 13.10.1974, P.G. Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.972,

13.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri. 00.416. Pune District, Khanapur, 9.12.1974,

A.V. Prabhu, 74.2416; Purandar, 21.7.1973, P.G. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu, 73.3136.

Ratnagiri District, Nivali village: Chiplun-Hatkhamba road, 15.12.1974, A.V. Prabhu &

P.G. Patwardhan, 74.2012; Dabhole Ghat: Kolhapur Road, 5.12.1974. A.V. Prabhu &

M.B. Nagarkar, 74.2056.

Parmotrema rampoddense (Nyl.) Hale [Fig.: 135]

Phytologia, 2S: 33^ i\974).

= Parmelia rampoddensis Nyl.

Acta Soc. Sci. Fenn.. 26(10): 7 (1900).

Thallus corticolous, loosely attached, 4-5 cm in diam., 126-150 ^m thick; lobes

10-20 mm wide, margin ± ascending, imbricate, sinuous, ciliate, sorediate; cilia simple or

furcate; soralia terminal, coalescing, linear, sorediate lobes involute, farinose; upper

cortex 6-12 ^m thick; algal layer continuous, 15-24 ^m thick; medulla white, 72-105 |im

98

thick; lower cortex thick, brown, 15-21 jam thick; lower surface black, sparsely rhizinate,

tan and shiny in the broad marginal zone. Apothecia not seen.

Chemsitry: Medulla K-, C-, KC+ rose, P-; UV-; atranorin and alectoronic acid present.

Habitat: Grows in moist and open places. In Maharashtra it has been collected in dry

deciduous forest and not recollected during my study.

Distribution: India (Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu,

and Uttar Pradesh), Sri Lanka, Florida. It is distributed in pantropical regions of the

world.

Remarks: Parmotrema rampoddense is distinguished by having ascending margin of the

lobes, lobes imbricate, sinuous, simple or furcate cilia, terminal, coalescing, linear soralia,

and by the presence of atranorin and alectoronic acids in its thallus. This species closely

resembles another sorediate species in Maharashtra P. kamatii Patw. & A. V. Prabhu in

its external morphology which, however, differs in having pustulate sorediate thallus and

by the presence of a-collatallic acid in addition to atranorin and alectoronic acid.

This species is rare in Maharashtra and is known by a single specimen.

Specimen examined: Nasik District, Saptashringi, 3.8.1974, A.V. Prabhu & M.B.

Nagarkar, 74.212.

Parmotrema saccatilobum (Taylor) Hah [Fig- 136]

Phytologia, 2S: 339 i\974).

= Parmelia saccatiloba Taylor

L(mdJ.Bot.,6: 174(1847).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, mineral gray to gray closely adnate to substratum, up

to 7-10 cm in diam., 90-150 ^m thick; lobes rotund, 4-10 mm broad, convolute tubular in

the peripheral region; margins entire, eciliate; upper surface smooth, dull, emaculate,

isidiate; isidia laminal, simple, granular to filliform, rarely branced; upper cortex 6-12 i m

thick; algal layer continuous, 24-36 nm thick; medulla white, 60-75 im thick; lower

cortex 12-15 \i\r\ thick; lower side black, sparsely rhizinate in central part, marginal area

erhizinate, brown and shining. Apothecia absent.

99

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow; medulla K-, C-, KC-, P+ red; UV-; atranorin and

protocetraric acid present.

Habitat: Growing on exposed tree trunks in semi evergreen forests known by single

specimen.

Distribution: India (South Andaman Island, Goa, Maharashtra, Nagaland, and West

Bengal), otherwise it is restricted to South Pacific regions, and Florida.

Remarks: Parmotrema sacctilobum is distinguished by convoluted lobes, small sized

isidia and by the presence of protocetraric acid. P. saccatilobum is externally very similar

to P. tinctorum (Nyl.) Hale in colour and presence of isidia and eciliate margins but

differs by the presence of protocetraric acid in its thallus where as P. tinctorum contains

lecanoric acid. T V\ \ 0 C ^ S?

This species is being reported for the first time from Maharashtra.

Specimen examined: Ratnagiri District, Nivali village: Chiplun-Hatkhamba road,

5.12.1974, A.V. Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar, 74.2051.

Parmotrema sancti-angelii (Lynge) Hale >^^^"^^Tvr;*v [F'g- 137]

Phytologia, 28: 329 {\974).

= Parmelia sancti-angelii Lynge

Ark.f.Bot.A^U):l>5{\9\A).

Thallus corticolous, glaucous to pale gray, loosely attached, coriaceous, 4-6 cm in

diam., 105-135 |im thick; lobes with margins ascending, imbricate, crenate or simple, 8-

12 mm broad, ciliate; cilia simple or forked; soralia linear, sorediate lobes involute; upper

surface emaculate, folded at centre; upper cortex 9-12 nm thick; algal layer 12-27 urn

thick; medulla white, 60-75 |jm thick; lower cortex 15-21 ^m thick; lower surface black;

rhizines simple to branched, with distinct light brown or ivory mottled marginal zone.

Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Medulla K-, C+ rose, KC+ rose to red, P-; UV-; atranorin and gyrophoric

acid present.

Habitat: Growing on trees in moist places in dry and moist deciduous forest.

100

Distribution: India (Kerala, Madliya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya,

Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal), Africa. Widely

distributed in pantropical regions of the world and also widely distributed in India.

Remarks: Parmotrema sancti-angelii is distinguished by the large coriaceous, emaculate

thallus, ciliate and involute sorediate margins, lower surface having distinct light brown

or ivory mottled marginal zone.

Specimens examined: Ahmednagar District, Bhandardara, 25.9.2002, U.V. Makhija &

B.C. Behera, 02.154. Kolhapur District, Panhala, elev. 950 m, 13.10.1974, P.O.

Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu. 74.993, 74.1001; 9.9.1988, P.O. Patwardhan & M.B.

Nagarkar, 88.97, 88.98, 88.99; 4.9.1990, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar, 90.6. 90.8;

Pune District, Purandar Fort, 13.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & B.C. Behera, 02.42. Satara

District, Panchagani, elev. 1000 m, 25.9.2001. B.C. Behera, 01.35.

Parmojrema tinctorum (Nyl.) Hale IFig- 138]

PZ/y/o/og/fl, 28:339(1974).

= Parmelia tinctorum Nyl.

F/ora, 55:547(1872).

Thallus corticolous, glaucous gray to grayish white, adnate, 4-8 cm or more in

r diam., 225-285 |iim thick; lobes wide, ± radially rugose, 10-20 mm; margin entire,

eciliate; upper surface emaculate, isidiate; isidia mostly laminal, cylindrical, simple or

coralloid branched; upper cortex 9-15 |jm thick; algal layer 30-45 |xm thick; medulla

white, 120-180 |im thick; lower cortex thick about 30-45 |im thick; lower surface black,

shiny, minutely wrinkled, sparsely rhizinate, marginal zone brown, naked. Apothecia not

seen in our specimens.

Chemistry: Medulla K-, C+ red, KC+ red, P-; UV-; atranorin and lecanoric acid present. Habitat: Abundant on trees, rocks and boulders in open and moist places in Maharashtra.

Distribution: India (Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tamil

Nadu, Nilgiri hills, Palni hills, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal). East Africa, Florida and

tropical regions of the world.

Remarks: Parmotrema tinctorum is the most abundant and common species of the genus

Parmotrema in Maharashtra and easily distinguished by large greenish gray thallii

growing onj;j; Qks often darker in the central part due to the presence of numerous isidia,

broad lobes, radially rugose, entire, eciliate margin, isidia abundant, mostly laminal,

cylindrical, simple or coralloid branched with black tips.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Katyayani, 8 kms from Kolhapur, 15.10.1974,

A.V. Prabhu & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1229, 74.1230, 74.1231, 74.1236, 74.1339, 74.1241;

Panhala at an altitude of 953.10 m, 13.10.1974, P.O. Patwardhan & A.V. Prabhu,

74.1036; 9.09.1988, P.G. Patwardhan & M.B. Nagarkar, 88.109, 88.110, 88.11 1, 88.1 12;

8.11.2004, U.V. Makhija & G.S. Chitale, 04.419, 04.422. Pune District, Sinhagad, on the

way at alt. 800m, 4.7.2003, 03.3, 03.46: Durgawadi, elev. 1200 m, 2.9.2003, U.V.

Makhija & G.S. Chitale, 03.289, 03.310, 03.333; 17.9.2004, G.S. Chitale, 04.188. Satara

District, Kas Lake, 22 kms from Satara, 5.10.2001, B.C. Behera & B.A. Adawadkar,

01.85, 01.86; 2.8.2004, B.A. Adawadkar, 04.97, 04.100, 04.101; Lingmala, 15.7.2003,

A.V. Dube & G.S. Chitale, 03.159, 03.160, 03.166; Mahabaleshwar, elev. 1372 m,

11.09.1972, P.D. Badhe, 72.36, 72.37; Panchgani, elev. 1000 m, 4.08.1981, M.B.

Nagarkar, 81.294, 81.295; Tata Holiday Home, 29.9.2003, B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale,

03.293.

Parmotrema sp [Fig-: 139]

Thallus corticolous, adnate, greenish gray, 6-12 cm in diam., 96-150 |im thick;

lobes 1.5-8 mm wide, subrotund, upcurled, involute, highly folded; margin entire, crenate,

wavy, ciliate, short, 0.1-0.9 mm long; upper surface emaculate, rugose, wrinkled,

sorediate, mostly laminal, crowded at centre, farinose; isidia absent; upper cortex 6-9 |im

thick; algal layer continuous, 15-30 |im thick; medulla white, 45-60 jam thick; lower

cortex 9-30 |im thick; lower surface black, minutely wrinkled, sparsely rhizinate at centre,

simple, marginal zone brown, naked. Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Medulla K+yellow, C-, KC+ rose, P+ deep yellow, soredia P+ yellow; UV-;

atranorin, a collotolic and alectoronic present. Fluorescence seen as in P. kamatii under

long UV wave length at 365 nm.

Habitat: Corticolous, the specimen was collected in Lonawala at an altitude of 596 m.

102


Remarks: The specimen of Parmotrema at hand has subrotund, upcurled, involute,

highly folded thalliis. margin entire, crenate. wavy, ciliate, short (0.1-0.9 mm long), upper

surface is rugose and wrinkled, sorediate. mostly laminal, crowded at centre. Thus seems

to be close to Parmotrema direagens (Hale) Hale externally as well as in chemistry,

which, however, differs in having broader lobes of 6-20 mm where as in our specimen

lobes are only 1.5-8 mm broad.

it appears to be a new species but since we have only single specimen at hand it

will be too early to formally describe it as an independent species in the present study.

Specimen examined: Pune district, Lonawala. elev. 596 m, 29.8.2000, B.A. Adawadkar

& K.R. Randive. 00.101.

Genus: Phaeophyscia Moberg (Physciaceae)

Symb. Bat. Upsal., 22(1): 29 (1977).

Thallus foliose, grayish brown to brown, suborbicular, heteromerous. Photobiont green

alga. Lobes radiating, narrow, corticated on both the surfaces. Upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous. Medulla white or orange red in lower part, underside black or dark

brown, rarely whitish. Lower cortex usually brownish to blackish, paraplectenchymatous,

with simple rhizinae, white at the tips even sometimes seen projecting beyond the

margins. Apothecia lecanorine, laminal, often coronate with rhizines at the base;

hypothecium colourless. Ascospores 8/ascus, brown, 2-celled, Physcia or Pachysporaria

type. Atranorin absent.

The genus Phaeophyscia Moberg is known by 20 species worldwide (Kirk et al,

2001). This genus is known by 14 species, distributed throughout the subtropical and

lower temperate regions of the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 1988, 2000).

In the present study the occurrence oi Phaeophyscia with t"ive species is recorded

for the first time from Maharashtra.

Key to the species

la. Thallus isidiate or sorediate 2 lb. Thallus lacking isidia or soredia 4

103

2a. Thallus isidiate Thallus pminose; medulla yellowish brown to orange near the isidia; isidia marginal to laminal, developing into squamulose lobules P. kairamoi

2b. Thallus sorediate 3

3a. Medulla white, lacking orange pigment (Skyrin absent) Thallus broad lobed 2-4 mm; rhizines projecting beyond lobe margin; ascospores Physciaiypt, 12-29.4 x 6-9 ^m P. hispidula

3b. Medulla with orange to red pigment (Skyrin present) Thallus radiating, lobes up to 1 mm broad, convex; soralia usually white but sometimes yellowish p. orbicularis

4a. Thallus flat to convex, lobes narrow 0.5-1 mm broad; apothecia margins entire, smooth; ascospores 16-30 x 9-11 |jm; skyrin and zeorin present

P. endococcinodes

4b. Thallus flat to concave, lobes sublinear to round, 1-3 (-4) mm broad; apothecia margins lobulate; ascospores 18-32 x 9-12 |im; skyrin present P. pyrrophora

Phaeophyscia endococcinodes (Poelt) Essl. [Figs.: 58, 59 & 140]

Mycotcaon. l{iy. 301 (1978).

= Physcia endococcinodes Poelt

Kumhhu Himal, 6(2): 77 (1974).

Thallus foliose, gray to brownish gray, closely adnate to the substratum,

occurring in circular patches, 2-3 cm in diam.; 100-120 [im thick; lobes narrow, radiating,

subdichotomously branched, centrally imbricate, discrete at periphery, 0.5-i.O mm broad,

apices minutely notched; non sorediate; non isidiate; upper surface smooth, flat to

convex; upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, 24-27 \im thick; medulla reddish orange

near the lower cortex, 45-55 ^m thick; lower cortex brownish black,

paraplectenchymatous, 21-33 ^m thick; rhizines long, black. Apothecia sessile, round,

0.1-1.7 (2) mm in diam.; margin concolorous, entire to smooth; disc brownish black,

smooth, epruinose; epithecium brownish, 16-20 |im thick; hymenium hyaline, 84-105 i m

high; hypothecium hyaline, 20-25 [xm high; asci clavate. 8 sporate, 72-90 x 9-18 im in

size. Ascospores brown, 2-celled, Pachysporaria type, ellipsoid, thick walled, 16-30 x 9-

11 1.UT1. Pycnidia present.

Chemistry: Thallus K-; medulla K+ purple-violet, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; skyrin and zeorin

present.

104

Habitat: Common on trees in moist open places along the roadside at higher elevations.

Distribution: India (Himalaya, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland and Uttar Pradesh),

Asia, Australia, Canada, East Africa, New Zealand and North America. This species has a

south temperate tropical montane distribution.

Remarks: Phaeophyscia endococcinodes, reported for the first time from Maharashtra,

differs from the other species in ascospore size and chemistry. However, the most closely

related species is evidently Phaeophyscia endococcina (KOrb.) Moberg from which it

may be almost impossible to distinguish except for the ascospore type as in P.

endococcinodes the spore type is Pachysporaria and Physcia type in P. endococcina.

Specimens Examined: Nasik District, Saptashringi Gad, 3.8.1974, A.V. Prabhu & M.B.

Nagarkar, 74.206; Trimbakeshwar, 30 km west of Nasik, 5.8.1974, M.B. Nagarkar &

A.V. Prabhu, 74.302, 74.309. Pune District, Dongarwadi, 19.9.2000, U.V. Makhija &

V.A. Mantri, 00.125; Durgwadi, elev. 1200 m, 2.9.2003, U.V. Makhija & A.V. Dube,

03.297; G.S. Chitale &. A.V. Dube, 03.321, 03.331; Sinhagad, on the way, at akitude 800

m, 4.7.2003, A.V. Dube & G.S. Chitale, 03.2. Satara District, Mahabaleshwar, elev.

1372 m, Lingmala, 15.7.2003, A.V. Dube & G.S. Chitale, 03.152; B.C. Behera & N.

Verma, 03.145; Panchgani, elev. 1000 m, Tata Holiday Home, 29.9.2003, G.S. Chitale &

A.V. Dube, 03.357, 03.360, 03.362.

Phaeophyscia hispidula (Ach.) Moberg (Figs.: 61 & 141]

fior.A^orwer, 131: 260 (1978).

= Parmelia hispidula Ach.

Lick f/mV., 468(1810).

Thallus foliose, spreading irregularly to orbicular, loosely attached to the

substratum, blackish gray or brown, 4-10 cm in diam., 90-120 urn thick; lobes 2-4 mm

broad with slightly dichotomous branching, somewhat concave with ascending apices and

margins; soredia laminal to sometimes marginal, farinose to granular, sometimes black to

white; upper surface dull, epruinose; upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, 18-24 \xm thick;

medulla white; under side brownish black; lower cortex paraplectenchymatous, 12-21 ^m

thick; rhizines black, often white tipped, projecting beyond lobe margins and apices.

Apothecia rare, constricted at base, with black hairs, 1.5-2 mm in diam., thalline margin

105

with rhizines on the margins; disc mud brown; epitheciiim brown, 9-15 |im thick;

hymenium hyaline to yellowish, 15-30 |.im high; paraphyses simple, thick at the apices;

asci clavate, 45-66 x 9-12 \im. Ascospores 8/ ascus, 2-celled, brown, Physcia type. 12-

29.4 X 6-9 \xm.

Chemistry: Thallus and medulla K-, KC-, C-, P-; UV-; no lichen substances present.

Habitat: Abundant on trees, but occasionally occurs on mossy rocks, in both dry and

moist places.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, South India and Uttar Pradesh),

Australia, Canada, North America, Nepal and New Zealand. Widely spread in East Africa

and in other tropical and subtropical regions of the world.

Remarks: Phaeophyscia hispidula shows great amount of variation in the size of the

thallus, lobes width and nature of soredia. Some specimens may be small without

projecting rhizinae and having soralia mainly marginal and sometimes the soralia may be

eroded making it difficult to identify. This species is the most abundantly occurring

species of this genus in India but first time reported from Maharashtra.

Specimens Examined; Ahmednagar District, Bhandardara, 25.5.2002, A.V. Bhosale &

G.S. Chitale, 02.132, 02.133, 02.137, 02.138; Kalsubai, elev. 1654 m, 25.5.2002, U.V.

Makhija & G.S. Chitale, 02.170. Kolhapur District, Panhala at an altitude of 953.10 m,

13.10.1974, P.O. Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1147, 74.1170. 74.1183, 74.1190,

74.1216, 74.1217, 74.1222. Nasik District, Saptashringi Gad, 24.5.2002, U.V. Makhija

& A.V. Bhosale, 02.196. Pune District, Malshej Ghat. Neemgiri, 9.9.2002, U.V. Makhija

& G.S. Chitale, 02.2, 02.4, 02.5, 02.7; Purandar Fort, 27.10.1993, P.G. Patwardhan,

93.25; 13.9.2002, B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 02.65, 02.67, 02.68, 02.74; Sinhagad,

4.7.2003, A.V. Dube & G.S. Chitale, 03.8; U.V. Makhija &. N. Verma, 03.13, 03.17,

03.18, 03.23, 03.24, 03.59, 03.63. Raigad District, Karnala, 16.9.2002, U.V. Makhija &

B.C. Behera, 02.101. Satara District, Mahabaleshwar, on cultivated silver oak tree,

24.9.1997, B.A. Adawadkar, 97.48; associated with Heterodermia pseudospeciosa,

25.5.2001, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar, 01.30,01.41,01.42,01.43.01.46,01.50,

01.51. 01.52; Lingmala, 15.7.2003, B.C. Behera & A.V. Dube, 03.137, 03.156,

29.9.2003, A.V. Dube & N. Verma, 03.483; Panchgani 1973. M.E. Hale, 40006;

4.8.1981, M.B. Nagarkar, 81.280; Gureghar, 7 kms from Mahabaleshwar, 15.7.2003, B.C.

106

Behera & N. Verma, 03.149, 29.9.2003, G.S. Chitale & A.V. Dube, 03.354; Tata Holiday

Home, 29.9.2003, G.S. Chitale & A.V. Dube, 03.356. Sindhudurg District, Amboli,

22.9.1980, P.O. Patwardhan, 80.489, 80.490.

Phaeophyscia kairamoi (Vain.) Moberg [Figs.: 32 & 142]

Symb. Bot. Upsal, 22(1): 40 (1977).

= Physcia kairamoi Vain.

Acta. Soc. Fl. Fenn., 46: 3 (1921).

Thallus subfoliose, corticolous sp.^aumg m-^guian^ lu orbicular, loosely

attached to the substratum, greenish to grayish brown, sometimes small lobes yellowish

orange to light brown, upto 4 cm in diam., loosely attached to the substratum, 73.5-175

|um thick; lobes irregularly branched, moderately broad, 1-2 mm broad, no hyaline hairs

seen on lobes, sometimes upper surface glistening, white pruina present; isidia marginal

to Jaminal, further turning into lobules; soredia absent; upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous, 14-17.5 |im thick, cilia not seen; medulla white in the lobe region

but yellowish brown to orange near the isidia, 24.5-70 jam thick; algal layer 17.5-24.5 |im

thick; underside black; lower cortex paraplectenchymatous with abundant jet black

rhizines simple to sometimes branched, white tipped, projecting beyond the thallus.

Apothecia not seen; pycnidia seen sometimes.

Chemistry: Thallus and medulla K-, KC-, C-, P-; UV-; no lichen substances present.

Habitat: Growing in shady, rather moist places. Collected only once from Panhala in

Maharashtra in moist deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra and W. Himalaya), Asia, China, Europe and widely

distributed in North America.

Remarks: Phaeophyscia kairamoi has been reported to be closely related to

Phaeophyscia sciastra (Ach.) Moberg having apothecia without marginal rhizinae

(Moberg, 1969). Another species probably closely related to P. kairamoi is P. hispidula

(Ach.) Moberg but the latter species has somewhat larger lobes and has laminal soredia

instead of marginal isidia.

Specimen Examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala at an altitude of 950 m, 11.12.2002.

G.S. Chitale, 02.288. ••

107

P/iaeophyscia orbicularis (J^eck.)Moherg [Fig-: 143]

Symh. Bat. Vpsai, 22(1): 44 (1977).

= Lichen orbicularis Neck.

Deliciae GaUo-Belgicae, 509 (1768).

Thallus foliose, corticolous, orbicular to suborbicular, loosely attached to the

substratum, grayish black, upto 3 cm in diam., 99-141 ^m thick: lobes short, narrow,

dichotomously branched, with small lateral lobes. 0.5-1 mm broad, sometimes upper

surface glistening, white pruinose; isidia marginal to laminal, further turning into lobules;

soralia absent; upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, 18-21 |am thick, cilia not seen;

medulla white in the lobe region but yellowish brown to orange near the isidia, 48-66 ^m

thick; algal layer 27-30 |jm thick; underside black; lower cortex paraplectenchymatous;

with abundant jet black rhizines, simple to sometimes branched, white tipped, projecting

beyond the thallus. Apothecia not seen; pycnidia sometimes seen.

Chemistry: Thallus and medulla K+ purple. KC-. C-. P-; UV-: skyrin present.

Habitat: Only one specimen at hand which was found in dry deciduous forest on road

side.

Distribution: India (Jammu & Kashmir. Maharashtra, Manipur, South India and Uttar

Pradesh), Australia, Britain, Canada. Fennoscandia region. New Zealand, North America,

and tropical regions of the world.

Remarks: It has been reported from various parts of India but seems to be a very rare

species in Maharashtra.

Specimen Examined: Pune District, Malshej ghat, Neemgiri, in dry desiduous forest,

9.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & G.S. Chitale, 02.11.

Pltaeopltyscia pyrrophora (Poelt) D.D. Awasthi & M. Joshi

InciyycoJ. Res., 16(2): 278 (1978). [Figs.: 3 1 , ^ 6 0 , 62 & 1441

= Physcia pyrrophora Poelt

Khnmhu Himai. f>: U {\91A).

108

Thallus foliose, orbicular to sub-orbicular, greenisli gray to dark gray, closely

attached to the substratum, 4-5 cm in diam., 96-135 i m thick; lobes radiating, sublinear

to round, imbricate, irregular, branched, 1-3 (-4) mm broad, epruinose; isidia and soredia

absent; upper surface concave, smooth; upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, 18-21 jim;

medulla orange, 60-72 |am thick; algal layer 27-30 |iim thick; lower cortex blackish

brown, paraplectenchymatous, 12-18 |um thick; rhizines black. Apothecia numerous, 1-3

mm in diam.; margin entire to irregular, lobulate at age; disc dark brown, flat to concave,

epruinose; thalline exciple concolorous; epithecium brown, 12-21 i m thick; hymenium

hyaline, 75-120 |am high; hypothecium hyaline, 15-36 |im high; paraphyses simple,

septate; asci cylindrico-clavate, 80-91 x 9-16 |am. Ascospores 8/ascus, Pachysporaria

type, 18-32x9-12 \im.

Chemistry: Medulla K+ red-violet, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; skyrin present.

Habitat: Common on trees in open moist places.

Distribution: India (Manipur. Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh), China, Japan, Nepal and

Russia.

Remarks: Phaeophyscia pyrrophora is one of the most commonly occurring species of

this genus in India and is characterized by broad concave, imbricate lobes and

Pachysporaria type of ascospores. It resembles P. endococcinodes (Poelt) Essl. in having

orange medulla due to the presence of skyrin, but latter species has narrow flat to convex

lobes.

Specimens Examined: Ahmednagar District, Bhandardara, 25.9.2002, A.V. Bhosale &

G.S. Chitale, 02.135, 02.136, 02.139, 02.140. Kolhapur District, Panhaia, at an altitude

of 950 m, 13.10.1974, P.G. Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1205, 74.1225; 9.9.1988,

P.O. Patwardhan & M.B. Nagarkar, 88.82, 88.83, 88.84, 88.85, 88.86, 88.87, 88.88,

88.89; 4.9.1990, P.G. Patwardhan & B.A. Adawadkar, 90.19, 90.27, 90.31, 90.35;

13.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri, 00.414. Pune District, Sinhagad, elev. 800m,

19.5.1974, C.R. Kulkarni, 74.100, 74.103. Nasik District, Trimbakeshwar, 30 km west of

Nasik, 26.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & B.C. Behera, 02.205, 02.206; Brabmagiri, 02.208.

Satara District, Panchgani, elev. 1000 m, 25.9.2001, B.A. Adawadkar, 01.55, 01.59.

109

Genus: Phyllopsora Mull. Arg. (Biatoraceae)

Bull. ^ . Lick Soc, 34: 3-5/1894a).

Thallus crustose to squamulose, green to greenish brown, squamules bifurcate at apex

forming two new lobes, sometimes the squamules are no more than granules which may

be orbicular, digitate or globose to complanate and digitate lobes sometimes resemble

isidia. Photobiont green alga. Prothallus present, red purple to white. Isidia simple,

branched to pubescent, corticated only on upper side, having three types of cortex, type 1

the hyphae are highly gelatinized and their lumina are reduced to narrow thread-like

channels, appearing net like, type 2 cortex, in which hyphae are much less gelatinized and

the cortex is formed of isodiametric cells and type 1-2 which is intermediate having

angulate locules connected by channels with moderately narrowed lumina. Apothecia

biatorine, reddish brown to purple, hyaline or brownish, with chondroid hypothecium,

simple, conglutinated paraphyses. Ascospores 8/ascus, simple to elongate or ellipsoid,

having pseudosepta appearing as dots or bars.

The genus Phyllopsora Mull. Arg. is known by 65 species at world level (YJxr^et

al, 2001) and five species have so far been recorded from Indian subcontinent (Awasthi

1988, 2000; Upreti et al., 2003). Phyllopsora manipurensis (Mull. Arg.) Gotth.

Schneider, was the only species reported from Maharashtra (Upreti et al, 2003). In the

present study three more species have been discovered from Maharashtra. The occurrence

of Phyllopsora foliata (Stirton) Zahlbr. has been reported as a new record to India.

Key to the species

la. Thallus with isidia Isidia simple to coralloid; squamules 0.2-1 mm broad, fibrillose at margins; apothecia 0.2-1.7 mm diam.; ascospores 6-15 x 1.5-4.5 [im P. coralUna

Ib. Thallus lacking isidia 2

2a. Cortex type 1-2; squamules 0.2-2 mm broad, margins crenate, pubescent, fibrillose at margins; ascospores 9-12 x 1.5-6 urn P. hreviuscula

2b. Cortex type 2 in which hyphae are much less gelatinized and the cortex is formed of isodiametric cells is present 3

3a Squamules highly digitate isidia-like, 0.1-0.5 mm broad; ascospores 12-21 x 1.5-3 \s.m P. foliata

3b. Squamules minutely globose upto 0.1 mm broad, prothallus white; ascospores 7-13 x 2 5-3 Lim ^- manipurensis

Phyllopsora breviuscula (Nyl.) Mull. Arg. [Figs.: 78, 80, 81, 145 & 146]

Bull. Herb. Boissier, 2(1): 45 (1894).

= Lccidea breviuscula Nyl..

Ann. Sci. Nat. BoL, ser 4, 19: 339 (1863).

Thallus crustose to sqiiamulose, reddish brown to brown, appressed, complanate,

glabrous, 135-150 ^m in thickness, 6 cm in diam., prothallus not distinct; squamules flat

to convex, reddish orange, imbricate, 0.2-2 mm wide, margins crenate, pubescent and

tlbrillose at margins; isidia absent; upper surface smooth, glabrous; upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous, type 1-2 cortex, 30-36 jam thick; alga green unicellular; medulla

hyaline, 51-75 |am thick; lower surface pale, ecorticate. Apothecia sessile, biatorine; disc

convex, reddish brown, laminal, epruinose, 0.3-1.2 mm in diam.; thalline exciple absent;

epithecium brown. 9-12 |im thick; hymenium hyaline, 40-60 |im high, 1+ blue;

hypothecium brownish, 30 |um high; asci unitunicate, cylindrico-clavate, 45-48 x 6-9 |jm

in size; paraphyses short, thick, distinctly septate and give appearance like windows.

Ascospores 8/ ascus ellipsoidal, hyaline, pseudoseptate, 9-12 x 1.5-6 |jm in size. Pycnidia

absent.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV -; no lichen substance is present.

Habitat: Collected on the moist bark of tree in shade in dry decidous forest.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra), Africa.

Remarks: Phyllopsora breviscula is distinguished by its reddish orange flat to convex

squamules, cortex 1-2 type and having brownish hypothecium. It seems closely related to

Phyllopsora parvifolia var. fibrillifera (Nyl.) Mull. Arg. a species from Nova Caledonia,

in having cortex i-2 type and ascospores size but differs from the latter species in lacking

isidia.

This species is being reported for the first time from Maharashtra.

Specimens Examined: Kolhapur District, Vishalgad: Amba- Gajapur road, 6.12.1974,

C.R. Kulkarni & M.B. Nagarkar, 74.2176, 74.2178.

Phyllopsora coraUina (Eschw.) Miill. Arg. |Figs.: 79, 147 & 148]

Bol. F/)., 20:264(1894).

=Lecidea coraUina Eschw.

In Martius Fl. Bras., 1: 256 (1833).

Thallus squamulose. suborbicular, loosely appressed, orangish brown to reddish

orange when moist, complanate, glabrous, 114-189 ^m in thickness, 2-4 cm in diam.;

prothallus not distinct; squamules flat to convex, adjacent, imbricate, 0.2-1 mm broad,

margins pale at periphery, crenate, tlbrillose at margin; isidia concolorous, coralloid

present all over the surface; upper surface glabrous; upper cortex paraplectenchymatous,

cortex type 2, 15-36 nm thick; algae green unicellular; medulla hyaline, 30-150 nm thick;

lower surface pale to orangish yellow, lower cortex absent. Apothecia rare, sessile,

single, 2 or 3 in a group, biatorine; disc convex, reddish brown, laminal, epruinose, 0.2-

1.7 mm in diam.; thalline exciple absent; epithecium reddish brown, 6-10 fim thick;

hymenium hyaline, 24-36 im high, 1+ blue; hypothecium reddish brown, 24-90 \xm high;

paraphyses short, thick, distinctly septate and give appearance like windows; asci

unitunicate, cylindrico-clavate, 27-45 x 7.5-12 jam in size, with intense blue colour at

apices (amylloid plug). Ascospores 8/ ascus ellipsoidal, hyaline, pseudoseptate, 6-15 x

1.5-4.5 |jm in size. Pycnidia absent.

Chemistry: Thallus K- C-, KC-, P-; UV -; no lichen substance is present.

Habitat: Collected on trees in moist places.

Distribution: India (Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharastra, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu and

Uttaranchal), East Africa.

Remarks: Phyllopsora coraUina is distinguished by its small to medium sized squamules

and abundant isidia. it is closely related to Phyllopsora santensis (Tuck.) Swinscow &

Krog. Zahlbruckner (1926) listed Lecidea santensis as a synonym of P. coraUina.

According to Swinscow & Krog (1981) though morphologically and anatomically close

they are different chemically Phyllopsora coraUina is without lichen substances and

Phyllopsora santensis has zeorin and atranorin (trace).

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala at an altitude of 953.10 m,

13.10.1974, P.O. Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1187, 74.1226, 74.1227; on the way to

112

Khumbhi from Gaganbawada. 12.10.2000. B.C. Behera & B. A. Adawadkar. 00.348,

00.349; on the way to Phonda from Radhanagari, 12.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & K.R.

Randive, 00.319; Panhala Guest house 13.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar,

00.474. Pune District, Khandala, Boma hill, 18.9.1974, A.V. Prabhu & M.B. Nagarkar,

74.715, 74.716, 74.717, 74.718. Sindhudurg District, on the way to Amboli from Ajra,

10.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & K.R. Randive, 00.179, 00.194, 00.219.

Phyllopsorafoliata (Stirt.) Zahlbr. [Figs.: 82, 83, 149 & 150]

Cat. Lick Univ.. 4:397(1926).

= Lecidea foliata Stirt.

Tram. Proc. r. Soc. Vict., 17: 71 (1881).

Tliallus crustose to subsquamulose, reddish orange, appressed, 135-180 ^m in

thickness, 6-12 cm in diam., complanate, glabrous; prothallus white, distinct; squamules

flat to convex, orangish to reddish orange, highly incised or digitate that it may be

confused for isidia, 0.1-0.5 mm wide; isidia absent; upper surface rough, cracked, upper

cortex paraplectenchymatous, cortex type 2, 6-12 |Lim thick; algae green unicellular;

medulla hyaline, 60-90 [xm thick; lower surface pale, tomentose; lower cortex absent.

Apothecia sessile, single. 2 or 3 in a group, biatorine, disc convex, reddish brown,

laminal, epruinose. 0.1-1.3 mm in diam.. thalline exciple absent; epithecium brown, 6-9

urn thick; hymenium hyaline, 30-51 [xm high, 1+ blue green; hypothecium brownish. 18-

75 \im high; asci unitunicate. cylindrico-clavate, 27-39 x 9-12 |am in size, with 1+ intense

blue colour at apices (amylloid plug); paraphyses short, thick, distinctly septate and give

appearance like windows. Ascospores 8/ ascus ellipsoidal, hyaline, pseudoseptate, 12-21

X 1.5-3 |am in size. Pycnidia absent.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-. P-; UV -; no lichen substance is present.

Habitat: Collected on trees in moist and shady places.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra), Australia and East Africa.

Remarks: Phyllopsora foliata is distinguished by crustose to subsquamulose thallus,

margins incised, appearing isidiate, cortex type 2 in which hyphae are much less

gelatinized and the cortex is formed of isodiametric cells; hypothecium brownish,

ascospores larger in size, 12-21 x 1.5-3 |im.

The species is being reported for the first time from India.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Hirdoshi : Bhor to Mahad road, 4.12.1974,

C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1949; Amba, 6.12.1974, P.G. Patwardhan & M.B. Nagarkar. 74.2221;

On the way to Khumbi from Gaganbawada. 12.10.2000, B.C. Behera & B.A. Adawadkar,

00.352. Sindhudurg District, Amboli, 2.1.1988, P.G. Patwardhan, 88.71, 88.72, 88.73,

88.74, 88.75.

Phyllopsora manipuremis (Miill. Arg.) Gotth. Schneider

Bibl. Lichenol, 13: 177(1980).

= Psora manipurensis Miill. Arg.,

J. Linn. Soc. Bot., 29: 219 (1892).

Thallus squamulose, greenish gray to yellowish brown; prothallus white;

squamules upto 0.1 mm broad, globose; upper surface smooth, non-corticate below; upper

cortex paraplectenchymatous, type 2 cortex. Apothecia 0.5 mm in diam.; excipulum

brownish; hypothecium brownish. Ascospores 7-13 x 2.5-3 ^m in size (description from

Upretie/o/,,2003).

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV -; atranorin (in traces), unknown triterpenes at

Rf class 5.

Habitat: Collected in Ugavai sacred groove, alt. 700 m, on Holigarna granmii in semi

evergreen forest.

Distribution: India (Karnataka, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh).

Remarks: Phyllopsora manipurensis is distinguished in having white prothallus and

minute globose squamulose thallus. The occurrence of this species was recorded by

Upreti el al. (2003), from Maharashtra [Kolhapur District, Dajipur, Radha Nagari, Ugavai

sacred groove, alt. 700 m, on Holigarna granmii in semi evergreen forest, Nayaka 99-

75974/B (LWG)]. This species was not studied or collected by us.

We do not have specimen matching to this species, and hence the description is

taken from earlier publication (Upreti et a/., 2003).

114

Genus: Physcia (Schreb.) Michx.

Flora horeali-americana. Tom., 2: 326 (1803).

Thallus foliose, siiborbicular, appressed to subascending at margin, white to gray, usually

narrow lobed. Photobiont a green alga. Heteromerous, corticated on both surfaces, upper

cortex paraplectenchymatou. Lower cortex paraplectenchymatous, rhizinate. Apothecia

lecanorine, hypothecium hyaline. Ascospores 8/ ascus, brown, 2-celled, Physcia type or

Pachysporaria type, atranorin always present.

As many as 50 species of the genus Physcia (Schreb.) Michx. are known from the

world (Kirk et al. 2001). Physcia is represented by 21 species in the Indian subcontinent

(Awasthi 1988, 2000), and is now reported with its five species for the first time from

Maharashtra.

Key to species

la. Without soralia, usually with abundant apothecia. Underside black, pruina on the disc of young apothecia; medulla K+ yellow; ascospores 21-25 x 8-12 (im; atranorin and zeorin present P. integrata

lb. With soralia, with or without apothecia 2

2a. Medulla K-. zeorin absent Soralia at or under lobe tips, marginal P. tribacia

2b. Medulla K+; atranorin and zeorin present 3

3a. Soralia laminal to marginal Lobes upto 5 mm, soralia starting as small pustules and form confluent patches; ascospores 21-25 x 10-12 |.IITI Physcia sp

3b. Soralia marginal 4

4a. Soralia linear, giving undulating appearance, lobes shiny, pruinose; atranorin and zeorin present P. abuensis

4b. Soralia capitate, callus like; lobe tips lacinate; ascospores 17.5-28 x 7-12 \im\ atranorin, zeorin and traces of triterpenoids present P. tribacoides

115

Physcia abuensis D.D. Awasthi «& Singh [Fig.: 151]

Norw.J.Bot. 26:3(1979).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, brownish white to pale yellow, 6-7 cm in diam.,

undulating surface, pruinose to shiny, dull, closely adnate to the substratum, 192-269 ^m

thick; lobes narrow, linear, orbicular to suborbicular, confluent at the centre but lobes

separating at periphery, margins white or paler than thallus, crenate, irregular, 0.3-2 mm

broad; soralia marginal to laminal, linear, granular crowded at the centre, giving margins

an undulating appearance; upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, 28-45.5 |im thick; algal

layer uniform, 31.5-45.5 \\.m thick; medulla white, 87.5-157.5 \i.m thick; under side pale

to light brown; lower cortex

Chemistry: Thallus and medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; atranorin and zeorin

present.

Habitat: It grows on twigs, small branches and tree trunks in fairly open sites mixed with

other species oi Physcia and Phaeophyscia.

Distribution: India (Rajasthan).

Remarks: Physcia abuensis, earlier known only from Mt. Abu, is first time recorded

from Maharashtra and it can easily be recognized by the marginal soralia, pruinose to

shiny, dull surface which develop an undulating margin on the inner parts of the lobes. It

has some similarities with Physcia dimidiata (Am.) Nyl. but the K+ yellow medulla

easily separates P. abuensis from P. dimidiata.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala, at an altitude of 950 m, 4.9.1990,

P.G. Patwardhan & B.A. Adawadkar, 90.30; 13.10.2000, U.V. Makhija & V.A. Mantri,

00.395, 00.406. Pune District, Sinhagad, 4.7.2003, A.V. Dube «& G.S. Chitale, 03.7.

Satara District, Mahabaleshwar, Lingmala, near water fall, 15.7.2003, B.C. Behera & N.

Verma, 03.142.

Physcia integrata Nyl. [Figs.: 46, 63 & 152]

Syn. Method Lich.. 1(2): 424 (1860).

Thallus foliose, orbicular, to irregular, grayish white, warty, upto 4 cm in

diam., more or less adnate to the substratum, 123-130 yim thick; lobes imbricate, 0.5-1

mm broad, tips rounded, margins dissected into lobes, sometimes shows dichotomy; non

sorediate and non isidiate; upper side pale grayish white, usually glossy, upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous, 17.5-24.5 |im thick: algal layer 16-28 jam thick; medulla white,

38.5-70 |im thick; under side black, cortex paraplectenchymatous with thick, black cell

wall. 14-17 jam thick; rhizines few black simple to branched. Apothecia usually

abundant, 0.5-1.5 mm in diam., subsessile. margins entire; disc dark brown to black,

presence of white pruina abundant in young apothecia; epithecium brown; hymenium

pale yellow, 70-87.5 ^m high; hypothecium pale yellow, 28-35 |im high; paraphyses

simple, thick at apices; asci clavate 54-60 x 9-12 |im. Ascospores 8/ascus, Pachysporaria

type, 21-25 X 8-12 |am.

Chemistry: Thallus and medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; atranorin. zeorin and

unidentified triterpenoids present.

Habitat: Growing on both trees and rocks in open sites.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu), Africa, Australia and Mexico.

Remarks: Physcia inlegrata can easily be separated by the black, distinctly

paraplectenchymatous lower cortex, shiny upper side and by the presence of pruina on

young apothecia.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala, 950 m elev., 13.10.1974, P.G.

Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1202; 9.9.1988, P.G. Patwardhan & M.B. Nagarkar,

88.90, 88.91, 88.92, 88.93, 88.94. Nasik District, Anjaneri, 26.9.2002, B.C. Behera &

B.A. Adawadkar, 02.224. Pune District. Bhimashankar, 17.9.1997, B.A. Adawadkar,

97.25. 97.30; Junnar, Durgawadi, 2.9.2003, U.V. Makhija & A.V. Dube, 03.291. Satara

District, Panchgani, 4.8.1981, U.V. Makhija, 81.281, 81.282; 25.9.2001. VV. Makhija,

01.36. 01.48. 01.58. 01.61; Tata Holiday Home Campus, on Casurina equisetifolia,

29.9.2003, G.S. Chitale & A.V. Dube, 03.361, 03.411, 03.485.

Physcia tribacia (Ach.) Nyl. [Fig.: 153]

F/ora, 57:307(1874).

=Lecanora tribacia Ach.

Lich. t/mv., 415(1810).

Thallus saxicolous, foliose, whitish gray to dark gray, 2-3 cm in diam., more or less

adnate to the substratum. 90-105 |im thick; lobes imbricate, sometimes narrow, upto 0.5-1

mm broad, lobes margin crenulate: upper side pale grayish to dark grayish, usually

117

glossy, without pmina; soralia marginal to terminal, starting on the underside of the

extreme lobe tips, granular; upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, 15-30 [xm thick; algal

layer uniform about 21-24 [im thick; medulla white, 21-30 im; under side light brown;

lower cortex paraplectenchymatous, 12-18 ^m thick; rhizines few small, simple, brown to

black. Apothecia absent.

Chemistry : Thallus K+ yellow and medulla K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; atranorin present.

Habitat: Collected on rock in an open place and only a single specimen is at hand.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu), Nepal and East Africa.

Remarks: Physcia trihacia is being reported for the first time from Maharashtra and

seems closely related to P. tribacoides Nyl. and P. alhata (F. Wilson.) Hale but differs in

lobe size as it is 0.5-1 mm in Physcia trihacia and they are broader in latter two species.

Lobes are 0.5-3 mm in P. tribacoides and 1-5 mm in P. albata. Besides this in P. trihacia

only atranorin is present and in P. tribacoides and P. albata zeorin and unknown

triterpenoids are present in addition to atranorin.

Specimen examined: Pune District, Sinhagad, 4.7.2003, G.S. Chitale & A.V. Dube,

03.72.

Physcia tribacoides Nyl. [Figs.: 33, 64 & 154]

F/ora, 57:307(1874).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, bluish to greenish gray, 2-5 cm in diam., more or

less adnate to the substratum, 192-238 \im thick; lobes imbricate, 0.5-3 mm broad,

crenulate to lobulate; upper side pale grayish white, usually glossy, without pruina;

soralia marginal to laminal, small patches, capitate, granular, spreading all over thallus;

upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, 17.5-24.5 |jm thick; algal layer uniform about 35 \im

thick; medulla white, 105-129.5 ^m thick; under side pale to light brown; lower cortex

paraplectenchymatous with thick brown cell walls, 24.5-42 ^m thick; rhizines few small

and simple white to black. Apothecia rarely present, 0.1-1 mm in diam.; disc brown,

sometimes pruina seen; epithecium reddish brown, 14-42 i m thick; hymenium hyaline,

52.5-105 \xm high; hypothecium hyaline, 35-70 ^m high; paraphyses filiform, branched

and thick at apices; asci clavate, 52.5-80.5 x 7-10.5 |am. Ascospores 8/ascus, brown,

Pachysporaria type, 17.5-28 x 7-12 jam.

Chemistry : Thallus and medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; atranorin, zeorin and two

unknown triterpenoids present.

Habitat: Collected on trees in open places in dry and moist deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Manipur, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu), Australia, Britain, East

Africa, Europe, New Zealand, North America and tropical and temperate regions of

Japan.

Remarks: Physcia tribacoides is first time reported from Maharashtra and is easily

recognized by its callus like, soralia, crenulate lobes and the paraplectenchymatous lower

cortex with thick walled cells.

Specimens examined: Chandrapur District, Chandrapur, in dry deciduous forest,

24.8.2000, K.R. Randive «& V.A. Mantri, 00.72. Kolhapur District, Panhala, 13.10.2000,

U.V. Makhija & K.R. Randive, 00.395, 00.400a, 00.406. Pune District, Lonawala, elev.

596 m, 29.8.2000, B.A. Adwadkar & V.A. Mantri, 00.97; Malshej ghat, Neemgiri,

9.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & G.S. Chitale, 02.6a; Sinhagad, 16.8.2000, U.V. Makhija &

B.C. Behera, 00.3a, 00.21, 00.22, 00.32, 00.36, 00.42, 00.43, 00.44. Satara District,

Panchgani, Tata Holiday Home, 29.9.2003, U.V. Makhija & G.S. Chitale, 03.355, 03.413.

Physcia sp. [Fig.: 155]

Thallus foliose, grayish white, loosely adnate to the substratum, orbicular to

irregular, variable in size from i-7 (-10) cm in diam., epruinose, 159-189 |im thick; lobes

mostly broad at the growing end, 1-4 (-5) mm, tips rounded and incised; soralia mostly

laminal to sometimes marginal, starting as small pustules or cracks, becoming large and

confluent, granular, capitate and rounded; upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, 12.6-21

[im; lower cortex paraplectenchymatous, 21-25 ^m; under side white to light brownish;

with few pale to blackish brown, simple, rhizines. Apothecia rare but when present 0.5-

1.2 mm in diam., subsessile; thalline margin entire; epithecium brown, 12.6-21 nm thick;

hymenium hyaline, 63-92 nm high; hypothecium hyaline, 21-42 urn high; paraphyses

simple, thick at apices; asci clavate, 54-80 x 4-9 ^m. Ascospores 8/ascus, Physcia to

Pachysporaria type, 21 -25 x 10-12 |im.

119

Chemistry: Thallus and medulla K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; atranorin, zeorin, and

unknown triterpenoid below zeorin is present.

Habitat: This species has been collected on small trees and shrubs mostly in dry

deciduous forest.


Remarks: The present species differs from the most closely related Physcia tribacoides

Nyl.in having grayish white thallus with larger lobes of 1-5 mm in breadth, and in having

both laminal and marginal, callus like soralia. However, according to Moberg (1986) in

Physcia tribacoides the thallus is pale gray to gray with lobes of 1-2 mm in breadth, and

marginal callus like soralia. It seems to be a new species, but before describing it as a new

species, the authentic and more material of Physcia tribacoides will have to be studied.

Therefore this species is provisionally kept as unnamed in the present treatment.

Specimens Examined: Atimednagar District, Bhandardara, 25.9.2002, U.V. Makhija &

A.V. Bhosale, 02.134, 02.141; on the way to Kalsubai, elev. 1500 m, 25.9.2002, U.V.

Makhija & G.S. Chitale, 02.168, 02.169. Nasik District, Anjaneri, 26.9.2002, U.V.

Makhija & A.V. Bhosale, 02.225; Saptashringi Gad, 24.9.2002, B.C. Behera & A.V.

Bhosale, 02.173, 02.175, 02.197, 02.198. Pune District, Bhimashankar, 128 km from

Pune, 17.9.1997, U.V. Makhija, 97.24; Junnar, Durgwadi, elev. 1200 m, 2.9.2003. G.S.

Chitale & A.V. Dube, 03.334; Malshej Ghat, Neemgiri, 9.9.2002, U.V. Makhija & G.S.

Chitale, 02.8, 02.9; Sinhagad, elev. 800 m. 4.7.2003, U.V. Makhija & G.S. Chitale, 03.16,

03.25. 03.47, 03.72. Raigad District, Karnala, on the way about, 400 m, 16.9.2002, U.V.

Makhija & B.C. Behera, 02.99.

Genus: Physconia Poelt

I^ova Hedwi^ia. 9: 30 (1965).

Thallus foliose. orbicular, dull brown to gray, heteromerous, corticate on both surfaces.

Photobiont a green alga. Lobes narrow, densely white to bluish, pruinose. Upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous and lower cortex dark to light brown prosoplectenchymatous.

Lower surface brown black, rhizinate. Apothecia laminal, lecanorine. Hypothecium

120

hyaline to yellowish. Ascospores 8/ascus. brown, 2-celled, Physconia type, evenly thick

walled, with large locules.

Physconia Poelt is a small genus with 15 species at world level (Kirk et al, 2001).

Six species of this genus have been recorded from the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 1988,

2000). In the present study this genus has been reported for the first time from

Maharashtra with only one species.

Physconia enteroxantha (Nyl.) Poelt [Figs.: 34 & 156]

Nova Hedwigia, 12: 125 (1966).

= Physcia enteroxantha Nyl.

Flora, 56: 196(1873).

Thallus foliose, corticolous, suborbicular, gray to black, somewhat adpressed to

the substratum, 1.5-4.4 cm in diam., 210-231 |im thick; lobes grayish white to black,

adjacent, tips rounded, more or less dichotomously branched, 1-2 mm broad, pruinose;

isidia absent; soredia marginal, sometimes laminal, capitate, grayish white, sometimes

black, also some are yellow; upper surface plane to concave, smooth, upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous, 27-30 |im; medulla yellow, 111-150 \im thick; algal layer 27-30

|im thick; lower cortex white to light brown, prosoplectenchymatous, 24-30 f m thick;

rhizines black, short, simple to branched, scattered. Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Medulla K+ red-violet, C-, KC-, P-; UV -; one unknown substance present.

Habitat: This species is generally common on trees and also on mossy rocks. Only once

collected in Maharashtra in evergreen forest.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra), Britain, Canada, Europe, Nepal, New Zealand and

North America.

Remarks: Physconia enteroxantha was earlier reported from Nepal and this is the first

report of this species from Maharashtra.

Specimen Examined: Kolhapur District, Panhala at an altitude of 953.10 m, 3.10.1974,

P.G. Patwardhan & C.R. Kulkarni, 74.1139.

Genus : Pyxine Fr. (Physciaceae)

Syst. Orb. Keg., 267 (1825).

Thallus foliose, appressed, orbicular to suborbicular, white, pale gray to brownish gray,

often pruinose, heteromerous, corticate on both the surfaces.. Photobiont green alga.

Lobes narrow, radiating, often pseudocyphellae on lamina and margin. Upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous. Medulla often pigmented and lower cortex

prosoplectenchymatous. Rhizines present on lower surface. Apothecia laminal, with or

without a thalline exciple. Epihymenium K+ purple. Hypothecium brown to dark brown.

Ascospores 8/ascus, brown, 2- celled, thick walled.

The genus Pyxine Fr., mainly widespread in tropical regions and is known by 45

species in the world (Kirk et ai, 2001). Twenty one species have been reported from the

Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 1980, 1988, 2000) and only 3 species Pyxine cocoes var.

cocoes (Sw.) Nyl., Pyxine cocoes var. prominula (Stirt.) D. D. Awasthi, and Pyxine

petricola Nyl. (as Pyxine endoleuca (Miill. Arg.) Vain) have been recorded from

Maharashtra (Patwardhan & Badhe 1973, Awasthi 1975, 1980).

Key to species

1 a. Soredia present 2

1 b. Soredia absent 4

2a. Medulla pale yellow, soralia marginal to laminal, capitate; UV+ yellow P. subcinerea

2b. Medulla white, UV+ yellow 3

3a. Thallus maculate or pseudocyphellate; soralia mainly marginal, also laminal, producing confluent, raised heaps, granular or farinose soredia P. cocoes

3b. Thallus lacking maculae or pseudocyphellae; soralia mostly marginal P. cocoes var. prominula

4a. Medulla pale yellow to yellow, lobes pruinose; hypothecium red brown, K+ reddish purple; ascospores 15-19 x 6-8 urn; UV+ yellow

P. berteriana var. himalaica

4b. Medulla white; hypothecium reddish brown, K+ purple red; ascospores 16-21 x 6-8 |im; UV+ yellow; lichexanthone and atranorin (trace) present

P. petricola var. petricola

122

Pyxine berteriana var. Iiimalaica D.D. Awasthi. [Figs.: 35, 65 & 157] Phytomorph.. 30: 366 (1980).

Thallus foliose, corticolous, orbicular to suborbicular, glaucous gray to dark gray,

closely adpressed to substratum, 4-6 cm in diam.; lobes plane, narrow, irregularly

branched, 0.8-1.2 mm broad, compact, pruinose; corticated on both sides; upper cortex

paraplectenchymatous, 31.5- 38.5 jam thick; algal layer 42-52.5 |im thick, continuous;

medulla pale yellow, 52.5- 87.5 |im thick; lower surface black; lower cortex brownish,

prosoplectenchymatous, 21-25 |im thick; rhizines simple black. Apothecia round,

constricted, concave, 0.1-1 mm; disc black, margin thin, entire, smooth, epruinose;

epihymenium brown, 15-20 |um thick. K+ purple; hymenium, 100-105 ^m high;

hypothecium red brown, K+ reddish purple, 90-120 jam high. Ascospores 8 per ascus,

brown, 2-celled, ellipsoid, 15-19 x 6-8 |am.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, C -, KC-, P-; UV+ yellow; atranorin and lichexanthone

present.

Habitat: Corticolous, growing on trees at higher elevation.

Distribution: India (Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur,

Nagaland and Uttar Pradesh), widely distributed in tropics and subtropics.

Remarlis: Pyxine berteriana var. himalaica is distinguished by the presence of

adglutinated pruina on subapical lobes, medulla yellow and hypothecium K+ reddish

purple.

Specimens examined: Pune District, Lonawala, elev. 596 m, in evergreen forest,

29.8.2000, V.A. Mantri & K.R. Randive, 00.110; Sinhagad Fort, elev. 800 m, 19.5.1974,

C.R. Kulkarni, 74.104; 16.8.2000, on the way, at ca 600m alt., U.V. Makhija, 00.30,

00.47; 4.7.2003, U.V. Makhija, 03.58.

Pyxine cocoes var. cocoes (Sw.) Nyl. [Figs.: 66 & 158]

Mem. Soc. Imp. Sci. Nat., Cherbourg 5: 108 (1857).

= Lichen cocoe.s Sw.

Nov. Gen.Sp. PI.. 146(1788).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, whitish gray at periphery and glaucous gray at the

centre, orbicular, closely adpressed to the substratum, 5-7 cm in diam.; lobes white to

very pale gray, plane, 0.1-1.7 mm broad, compact, pruina usually present, often

glistening; maculae marginal and lamina!, distinct in apical region, developing into

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pseudocyphellae. then into soralia; soralia mainly marginal but also laminal, irregularly

orbicular to linear, sometimes becoming confluent, producing raised heaps of white,

granular or farinose soredia; corticated on both sides, upper cortex paraplectenchymatous,

17-35 \im thick; algal cell isodiametric, algal layer 14-32 i m thick, continuous; medulla

white, 59-87.5 |im thick.; lower cortex prosoplectenchymatous. 21-30 \im thick;

underside pale brown to black, small brownish to black rhizines. Apothecia round,

sessile, crowded, internal stipe red, K+ purple, 0.2-0.9 mm; disc black, concave,

epruinose, mature thalline exciple often containing algal cells, entire; epihymenium black,

K+ purple; hymenium hyaline, 70-87.5 |am high; hypothecium red brown, 28-35 im high.

Ascospores 8/ascus, brown, 2-celled, ellipsoid, 15.8-17.5 x 6-8.5 \im.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P-; UV+ yellow; lichexanthone and

triterpenoids present.

Habitat: Collected on trees in open places in dry and moist deciduous forest.

Distribution: India (Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh,

West Bengal,-Lakshadweep). Widely distributed in tropics and subtropics.

Remarlis: The distinguishing features of Pyxine cocoes are orbicular to linear laminal

and marginal soredia, with glistening pruina. red internal stipe, and the presence of

lichexanthone. Though its lobes are slightly smaller than those of Pyxine petricola Nyl.,

P. cocoes may be regarded as the sorediate counterpart of P. petricola (Swinscow and

Krog, 1975).

Specimens examined: Nasik District, Saptashringi Gad, 24.9.2002, A.V. Bhosale,

02.176; Trimbakeshwar, 30 km west of Nasik, near temple, on unidentified tree,

26.9.2002, U.V. Makhija, 02.202, 02.203. 02.204. Pune District, ARI Campus, on tree

trunk and branches of 17.10.2000, B.A. Adawadkar, 00.486, 00.487, 00.489; Purandar

Fort, 13.9.2002, G.S. Chitale, 02.75. Satara District, Panchgani, on road side trees,

8.8.1991, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar, 91.18, 91.19, 91.20.

Pyxine cocoes var. prominula (Stirt.) D. D. Awasthi

Indian J. Bot.lil): 183(1980).

= Pyxine prominula Stirt.,

Trans. & Proc. New Zeal. Inst., 30: 397 (1898).

The Pyxine cocoes var. prominula is distinguished from Pyxine cocoes var. cocoes

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by the generally broader (2 mm), somewhat flabellate lobes, well developed adglutinated

plaques of pruina, absence of maculae or pseudocyphellae, soralia mostly marginal. In

respect of distribution, var. prominula is primarily inland, and var. cocoes is oceanic.

(Description as reported in Phytomorphology, by D.D. Awasthi 1980)

Distribution: India (Assam, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu).

Remarks: The Pyxine cocoes var. prominula is distinguished from var. cocoes by the

generally broader (2 mm), somewhat flabellate lobes and absence of maculae or

pseudocyphellae. Soralia are mostly marginal. Awasthi (1980) recorded Pyxine cocoes

var. prominula based on the specimen collected from Bombay, near Sirur, on Ficus

henghalensis bark, Degelius As-45 (Awas. Degel).

Pyxinepetricola var. petricola Nyl. [Figs.: 47, 67 & 159]

in Crombie J. Bot., Lond, 14: 263 (1876).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, greenish gray to gray, orbicular, closely adnate to the

substratum, 6-8 cm in diam.; lobes adjacent, plane, narrow, fused and folded at margins,

white pruina can be observed in patches on the lobes, 1-2 mm broad; corticate on both

surfaces; soredia and isidia absent; upper cortex paraplectenchymatous, 18-40 ^m thick;

algal layer continous, 20-30 \im thick; medulla white, 60-92 |im thick; lower cortex

prosoplectenchymatous, 18-30 ^m thick; lower surface pale brown to black. Apothecia

laminal, sessile to subsessile, rounded, 0.2-1.2 mm in diam, internal stipe well developed,

brownish red, K+ purple red; disc plane to concave, brown to black, epruinose; thalline

margin entire, crenulate; epihymenium brown, K+ purple; hymenium hyaline, 80-92.5

|im high; hypothecium, brown, 30-36 |im high. Ascospores 8 per ascus, brown, 2-celled,

ovate, 16-21 x 6-8 |am.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV+ yellow; lichexanthone and atranorin present.

Habitat: Collected on road side trees in open places.

Distribution: India (Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra), Africa and

America.

Remarks: Pyxine petricola var. petricola differs from Pyxine petricola var. pallida

Swinscow & Krog in having brownish red and K+ purple red, internal stipe, whereas in P.

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petricola var. pallida the internal stipe is white to brownish and K- (Swinscow & Krog,

1988).

Specimens examined: Nasik District, Nasik, 30.4.2002, P.K. Sethy, 02.285. Pune

District, Agharkar Research Institute Campus, on Ailanthus excelsa, 17.10.2000, U.V.

Makhija, 00.485a, 00.488; Law College Road, 21.6.1970, P.D. Badhe, 70.14; Pune

University Campus, 3.6.1970, P.D. Badhe, 70.4. Satara District, 2km to Panchgani,

8.8.1991, U.V. Makhija & B.A. Adawadkar, 91.14, 91.15, 91.16, 91.17.

Pyxine subcinerea Stirt. [Fig.: 160]

Tram. Proc. N. Z. Inst., 30: 397 (1998).

Thallus foliose, corticolous, greenish gray to pale gray, orbicular, adpressed to

substratum, 1.5-4 cm in diam.; lobes small, dichotomously branched, 0.2-1.2 mm broad;

soralia marginal to laminal, more or less capitate, white to yellowish; upper side usually

with white pruina in distinctly delimited patches, corticate on both sides; upper surface

paraplectenchymatous, 17.5-21 \im thick; algal layer 10-21 ^m thick, continuous,

medulla pale yellow, 35-52.5 |jm thick; lower cortex prosoplectenchymatous, 14-16 ^m

thick; lower surface light brown to black, rhizines simple, black. Apothecia and pycnidia

not seen.

Chemistry: Thallus K +, C-, KC-, P-; UV + yellow; lichexanthone present.

Habitat: Collected on on Ailanthus excelsa in camp of Agharkar Research Institute and is

known by a single specimen.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, U.P and West Bengal),

widespread in subtropical and warm temperate regions of the world.

Remarks: Pyxine subcinerea can easily be distinguished by the presence of

lichexanthone, white to yellowish marginal soralia and yellow medulla. It is known by

single specimen.

Specimen examined: Pune District, Agharkar Research Institute Campus, on Ailanthus

excelsa, 17.10.2000, U.V. Makhija, 00.485b.

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Genus: Ramalina Ach. ex Luyken (Ramalinaceae)

Ach. Lick Univ., 122(1810).

In Luyken. Tenta. Hist. Lich.. 95 (1809).

Thallus fmticose, stiffly shrubby or shortly pendulous or longly pendulous and tangled,

greenish gray to stramineous gray or pale yellow. Photobiont green, Prolococcus.

Branches irregularly terete or complanate sometimes with colour difference between the

physiological upper and underside, hollow or solid, composed of a chondroid thick-

walled. Adglutinated hyphae over which is a cortical layer in some species with a dense

to arachnoid white medulla. Isidia absent. Apothecia lateral or terminal with smooth

thalline excipie. Disc stramineous gray, pruinose. Ascospores 8/ascus, colourless,

ellipsoid to fusiform, straight or curved, 1- septate.

The lichen genus Ramalina Ach. is known by 200 species world wide (Kirk el al.,

2001). and 24 species have been described from the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi 1988,

2000). in the present study this genus is being recorded for the first time from

Maharashtra with only one species. However, it was not possible to identify this species

based on a juvenile specimen hence it has been kept as an unnamed species.

Ramalina sp [F'g- 161]

Thallus fruticose, greenish gray to stramineous gray, stiffly shrubby or shortly

pendulous upto 0.8-1 cm high, irregularly branched, upto 2-4 mm broad, branched, strap

shaped; fronds 0.4-0.5 mm in diameter; nonsorediate; no difference between upper and

lower surfaces, upper and lower surfaces composed of longitudinally arranged thick-

walled, adglutinated hyphae; with algal layer, 6 |xm thick on upper and lower sides;

medulla solid, white, 54-75 nm thick. Apothecia not seen.

Chemistry: Thallus K+ yellow, C-, KC-, P+ yellow; UV-; atranorin and norstictic acid

present.

Habitat: Corticolous, growing in semi-evergreen forest, only one specimen was collected

on cashewnut tree.


Remarks: Ramalina sp is characterised by thallus narrow laciniate, solid, not hollow in

medulla, lacking soredia, and presence of atranorin and norstictic acid. But the specimen

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at hand is very small, about I cm long and immature so as to aassign it to any species.

The genus is extremely rare in the lichen flora of Maharashtra.

Specimen examined: Sindhudurg District, Ajra, 6.10.2004, B.C. Behera & N. Verma,

04.334.

Genus: Rimelia Hale & A. Fletcher (Parmeliaceae)

Bryologisi, 93:24(1990).

Thallus parmelioid, foliose, whitish gray to gray. Photobiont green alga. Trebouxia.

Lobes broad, rotund, margins ciliate, cilia simple. Upper surface with reticulate maculae

fissuring into fine cracks, epicortex pored. Upper cortex paraplectenchymatous. Lower

surface with simple to squarrosely branched rhizines up to the margin. Pseudocyphellae

absent. Apothecia iaminal, may be perforate or not. Ascospores 8/ascus, hyaline, simple,

conidia filiform, cylindrical.

The lichen genus Rimelia Hale & A. Fletcher is known by fifteen species in the

tropical regions of the world (Kirk et ai, 2001). The occurrence of two species have been

recorded from the Indian subcontinent (Awasthi, 1988, 2000). Rimelia reticulata (Taylor)

Hale & A. Fletcher has been recorded from Maharashtra earlier as Parmotrema

reticiilatiim (Taylor) Choisy (Prabhu et ai, 1983).

Rimelia reticulata (Taylor) Hale & A. Fletcher [Fig.: 162]

Bryologist. 93:25(1990).

= Parmelia reticulata Taylor,

In Mackay, Fl. Hihern., 2: 148 (1836).

Thallus corticolous, foliose, gray, adnate or loosely attached, 4-6 cm in diam.,

102-130 |im thick; lobes 6-12 mm wide, discrete to imbricate, in the central part of the

thallus often shortly dentate to dichotomously divided to become narrowly elongate

lacinules; margins ascending, crenate, sorediate, ciliate; cilia simple; upper surface

strongly reticulately maculate, fissured in the older parts; soralia marginal or submarginal,

developing on apices of narrow fmger like lacinules, involute lobes capitate or when

margins fuse to become sinuous; soredia granular; upper cortex 9-12 ^m thick; algal layer

continuous, 12-27 |im thick; medulla hyaline, 60-75 |jm thick; lower cortex brown, 15-20

Hm thick; lower surface black, densely rhizinate upto margin, rhizines simple to

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squarrosely branched; marginal zone narrow, brown, naked or with papillae. Apothecia

not seen.

Chemistry: Medulla K+ yellow turning red, C-, P+ orange; UV-; atranorin and salazinic

acid present.

Habitat: Corticoious growing in humid places.

Distribution: India (Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu,

Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal), Australia, East Africa, Florida and Nepal.

Remarks: Rimelia reticulata can be easily distinguished by the thallus with strong

reticulate maculae on the upper surface, fissured in the older parts, soralia marginal or

submarginal developing on apices of narrow fmger like lacinules, involute lobes, capitate

or when margins fuse to become sinuous and the presence of salazinic acid.

Specimens examined: Kolhapur District, Sakarpa- Amba, 6.12.1974, A.V. Prabhu &

M.B. Nagarkar, 74.2223. Satara District, Mahabaleshwar, elev. 1372 m, 21.11.1972,

P.D. Badhe, 72.47.

Genus: Usnea Dill ex Adans

Fam. P/. 2: (1763).

The lichen genus Usnea is characterized by fruticose thallus, attached by a basal holdfast,

greenish gray, yellowish gray to reddish, erect shrubby, procumbent to pendulous and

elongated, branches terete, cylindrical to angulate, with spinules and fibrils, with or

without papillae and tubercles on surface, corticated and heteromerous. Photobiont green

alga. Medulla centrally differentiated into chondroid axis composed of longitudinally

disposed, compact and conglutinated thick walled hyphae, axis usually solid, but

sometimes hollow or lacerated in the middle. Apothecia lateral to terminal, lecanorine.

Ascospores 8/ascus, hyaline, simple.

The lichen genus Usnea Adans is known by 300 species world wide (Kirk ct ai,

2001). As many as 54 species have been recorded from India and Nepal in the

comprehensive account of the lichen genus Usnea (G. Awasthi, 1986). Only two species

Usnea ghattensis G. Awasthi and Usnea cineraria Motyka were recorded from

Maharashtra (Patwardhan & Badhe, 1973; G. Awasthi, 1986). In the present study an

additional species Usnea complanata is recorded for the first time from Maharashtra.

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Key to species la. Psoromic, conpsoromic and usnic acids present

Thallus yellowish brown to dark brown, branchelets with or without papillae; apotheciaciliate, cilia 4-6 mm long U. complanata

lb. Usnic acid and an unknown substance present Thallus bright green to brownish green, lateral branchelets dense, sparsely papillate; apothecial cilia upto 3 mm long U. ghattensis

Usnea cineraria Motyka

Lich. Gen. Usnea Stud. Monogr. Pars Sysi., 1:618 (1936).

The critical examination of the specimens (Mahabaleshwar, 1970, P.D. Badhe and

P.O. Patwardhan, No. 23 AMH; Bhimashankar, 1970, P.O. Patawardhan and P.D. Badhe,

No. 64 AMH) on which this species was recorded from Maharashtra (Patwardhan &

Badhe, 1973) reveal the presence of psoromic, conpsoromic acid along with the usnic

acid, therefore the specimens are now placed in the species U. complanata, with similar

morphological characters, and is described below.

Usnea complanata (Miill. Arg.) Motyka [Figs.: 68, 70-72 & 163]

Lich. Gen. Usnea Stud Monogr. Pars Syst., 1: 108 (1936).

= Umea barbata var. strigosa f complanata Miill. Arg.

//et/w/g/fl, 31:276(1882).

Thallus corticolous, subpendulous, yellowish brown to dark brown, fruticose,

erect, 6-8 cm tall, attached to the substratum by black holdfast, rigid, spinules numerous

to dense, papillae few, 0.5-1 cm long, irregularly branched, broad at the base, 600-610

|im thick, exterior region corticate; outer cortex prosoplectencymatous, hyaline, 48-108

urn thick; medulla composed of loosely arranged hyphae and round green algal cells,

440-520 nm thick; central chondroid axis present, 1-. Apothecia terminal, peltate,

pedicellate, papillate, ciliate, cilia 4-6 mm long; disc slightly concave, pale brown to

brown, 2-12 mm in diam., underside gray, covered with cilia; epithecium blackish brown,

21 |im thick; hymenium hyaline, 126-168 |im high, 1+ blue, hypotheicum hyaline to pale

yellow, 105 |im high; algal layer running below the hypothecium; asci simple,

unitunicate, octosporous, cylindrical, hyaline, 84-86 x 18-25 nm in size; paraphyses

dichotomously branched at the tip, septate. Ascospores hyaline, unicellular, round to

ovate, uniseriate, 12-21 x 8-13 im.

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Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-. KC-, P+ slightly; UV-; conpsoromic, psoromic and usnic

acid present.

Habitat: Growing on shrubs and trees in open places and also common in man-made

habitat such as parks and town avenues, in Maharashtra, the species has been collected

from the bark oiCasuhna only at higher elevation. Most common in Mahabaleshwar.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu), Abyssinia and East Africa.

Remarks: Usnea complanata closely resembles U. ghattemis G. Awasthi with respect to

the overall morphology. However, they differ in the colour of the thallus and the

secondary products. JJsnea complanata is yellowish brown to dark brown and contains

conpsoromic, psoromic and usnic acid while Usnea ghattemis is bright green to brownish

green and has only usnic acid in its thallus. U. complanata can easily be mistaken for V.

ghattensis, if not seen carefully.

Specimens examined: Pune District, P.G.Patwardhan & P.D. Badhe Bhimashankar No.

64; Durgwadi, 2.9.2003, U.V. Makhija & A.V. Dube, 03.293. 03.329; 17.9.2004, B.C.

Behera, 04.112, 04.113. Satara District, Ajinkyatara, 2.8.2004, B.C. Behera, 04.108;

28.11.1977, M.B. Nagarkar & A.V. Prabhu, 77.1914; Mahabaleshwar, Wilson point,

elevation 1580 m, 6.6.1970, P.G. Patwardhan & P.D. Badhe, No. 23, 70.6, 70.7, 70.27,

70.31, 70.52; 7.7.1972, P.D. Badhe, 72.27, 72.30; 21.6.1973, P.G. Patwardhan, 73.197;

8.3.1974, M.B. Nagarkar, 74.55; 25.9.2001, U.V. Makhija & G.S. Chitale, 01.11, 01.12,

01.13, 01.14, 01.15, 01.16; 15.7.2003, B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 03.129, 03.131;

Gureghar, 7 kms from Mahabaleshwar, 29.12.1976, P.G. Patwardhan, 76.1185, 76.1188,

76.1189, 76.1190, 76.1192, 76.1193, 76.1194, 76.1195; 15.7.2003, on silver oak, B.C.

Behera & G.S. Chitale, 03.124, 03.128, 03.132, 03.135, 03.502; 21.1.2004, on Casurina

B.C. Behera, 04.47, 04.165, 04.166, 04.167, 04.168, 04.169; Lingmala, on Memycelon

15.7.2003, B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 03.122, 03.123, 03.125, 03.126, 03.127, 03.133,

03.134.

Vsnea ghattensis G. Awasthi [Figs.: 69 & 164]

J. HattoriBot. Lab.. 61:373 (1986).

Thallus corticolous, erect upto 6-12 cm tall, bright green to light brown

sometimes intermittently black, basal disc black, branching sympodial, with branches

compact, stiff terete, upto 3 mm in diam., tapering; lateral branchlets stiff, very dense.

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simple or branched, upto 1 cm long, flexuose, with apices blackish; surface sparsely

papillate, towards basal region; papillae concolourous with the thallus; pseudocyphellae,

isidia or soredia absent; cortex paiisade-like, 100-150 nm thick; alga in discontinous 30-

60 (xm thick; medulla dense near algal layer, lax inwards, 240-520 |.im thick; axis solid,

520 |im in diam., 1-. Apothecia terminal, geniculate, 2-8 mm in diam., disc concave, to

plane, greenish to yellow brown, epruinose, margin ciliate. cilia simple, thick, upto 3 mm

long; receptacle scrobiculate, shortly ciliate; epithecium greenish black, 33.6 ^m thick;

hymenium hyaline, 71-84 jam high, 1+ blue then turning black; hypothecium yellowish,

42-63 )jm high; asci 8-spored, cylindrical, 70-80 x 24-26 |im in size. Ascospores simple,

hyaline, (12-) 16-18 x 8-12 urn.

Chemistry: Thallus K-, C-, KC-, P-; UV-; usnic acid and an unknown yellow spot just

below usnic acid is present.

Habitat: Usnea ghattensis is often associated with the Heterodermia podocarpa (Bel.) D.

D. Awasthi and Heterodermia incana (Stirt.) Zahlbr. The species is restricted to moist

places (evergreen forests) of Western Ghats only.

Distribution: India (Maharashtra and Karnataka).

Remarks: Usnea ghattensis is distinguished by the stiff dense thallus, dense lateral

branchlets and greenish to yellow brown epruinose apothecia. The taxon is restricted to

Western Ghats of India. JJ. ghattensis is very close to U. complanata but differs in its

very stiff thallus with dense lateral branchlets and papillae and by the presence of usnic

acid with an unidentified substances indicated by yellow spot just below the usnic acid on

TLC plate in BDA and HEF (for details see U. complanata).

Specimens examined; Satara District, Gureghar, 7 kms from Mahabaleshwar.

29.12.1976, 76.1191, 76.1196; 15.7.2003. B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 03.121, 03.130;

Lingmala, 15.7.2003, B.C. Behera & G.S. Chitale, 03.127; 29.9.2003, U.V. Makhija &

A.V. Dube, 03.391; Mahabaleshwar, 28.2.1972, P.D. Badhe, 72.19, 72.31. 72.33;

8.3.1974, M.B. Nagarkar, 74.19. 74.56 Satara. Kas Lake, 22 kms from Satara. 5.10.2001.

B.C. Behera & U.V. Makhija, 01.75. 01.76. Thane District, Matheran, 13.9.1970. P.G.

Patwardhan, 70.46.

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