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The foliicolous lichen Gallaicolichen pacificus exhibits unique goniocystangia-like structures named peltidiangia and peltidia. Its taxonomic classification within the Ascomycota has been unclear due to the absence of ascomata and lack of molecular data. Here we clarify the phylogenetic affinities of Gallaicolichen pacificus by analyzing mitochondrial small subunit ribosomal RNA (mtSSU) sequences obtained from specimens collected in New Caledonia. Ascomata and ascospores of G. pacificus , previously unknown, are described and illustrated for the first time. The results from the molecular and morphological analyses clearly indicate that Gallaicolichen pacificus belongs to the Porinaceae and is closely related to Porina guianensis. This is a remarkable extension of the already known, wide morphological diversity of thalli and diaspores produced within this family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study re-examined the status of species of Diorygma Eshw. known from the Western Ghats using an integrative taxonomy approach that includes morphological and chemical data, as well as multigene phylogenetic analyses. Prior to this work, the two species D. karnatakense and D. dandeliense were distinguished primarily on lirellae morphology (branching pattern) and the number of ascospores per ascus. Our study of the morphology, chemistry and molecular phylogeny (mtSSU, LSU and RPB 2) of freshly collected samples and re-examination of type material suggests that both names should be synonymized. Consequently, D. karnatakense is accepted as the correct name, with D. dandeliense as a newly proposed synonym. Phylogenetically, D. karnatakense is allied to D. antillarum and D. hieroglyphicum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A revisionary synopsis is presented for the family Trypetheliaceae, based on a separately published phylogenetic analysis of a large number of species, morpho-anatomical and chemical study of extensive material, and revision of numerous type specimens. A total of 418 species is formally accepted in this synopsis, distributed among 15 genera as follows: Aptrootia (3), Architrypethelium (7), Astrothelium (242), Bathelium (16), Bogoriella (29), Constrictolumina (9), Dictyomeridium (7), Distothelia (3), Marcelaria (3), Nigrovothelium (2), Novomicrothelia (1), Polymeridium (50), Pseudopyrenula (20), Trypethelium (16), and Viridothelium (10). All accepted genera, including new genera described separately in this issue, are keyed out and briefly described and discussed, and keys are provided for all accepted species within each genus. Entries with full synonymy and brief descriptions, and in part also discussions, are provided for all accepted species, except those newly described elsewhere in this issue, which are cross-referenced in the corresponding keys. The description of the newly defined genera takes into account phylogeny in combination with morpho-anatomical features with the result that they are mostly recognizable by a combination of thallus, ascoma and ascospore features. Most species previously assigned to the genera Astrothelium, Campylothelium, Cryptothelium, and Trypethelium, based on a schematic concept of ascoma morphology and ascospore septation, are now included in a single genus, Astrothelium, with highly variable ascoma morphology and ascospore septation but invariably with astrothelioid ascospores (at least when young), that is diamond-shaped lumina, and a well-developed, corticate, usually olive-green thallus that often covers the ascomata. While the genera Aptrootia (large, brown, muriform ascospores), Architrypethelium (large, mostly 3-septate ascospores), and Pseudopyrenula (ecorticate, white thalli and astrothelioid ascospores) are maintained, Trypethelium is redefined to include species with raised, pseudostromatic ascomata and multiseptate ascospores with thin septa. The sister group of Trypethelium is the genus Marcelaria, with brightly coloured pseudostromata and muriform ascospores. Bathelium is now limited to species with strongly raised, fully exposed pseudostromata and septate to muriform ascospores with thin septa. Several genera are recognized for more basal lineages with mostly ecorticate, white thalli and solitary, exposed ascomata previously assigned to Arthopyrenia, Mycomicrothelia and Polymeridium, viz. Bogoriella, Constrictolumina, Dictyomeridium, and Novomicrothelia. In addition, separate genera are accepted for the Trypethelium tropicum (Nigrovothelium) and T. virens (Viridothelium) groups. In addition, a refined species concept resulting from phylogenetic studies is employed which pays particular attention to morphological features of the thallus and ascomata. Of a total of 526 names checked, 107 remain synonyms of accepted names and a further eight are newly excluded from the family. Based on these redispositions, the following 146 new combinations are proposed, including reinstatement of numerous names previously subsumed into synonymy: Architrypethelium columbianum (Nyl.) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., A. grande (Kremp.) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., Astrothelium aeneum (Eschw.) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., A. alboverrucum (Makhija & Patw.) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., A. amazonum (R. C. Harris) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., A. ambiguum (Malme) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., A. andamanicum (Makhija & Patw.) Aptroot comb. nov., A. annulare (Spreng.) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., A. aurantiacum (Makhija & Patw) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., A. auratum (R. C. Harris) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., A. aureomaculatum (Vain.) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., A. basilicum (Kremp.) Aptroot & Lücking comb. nov., A. bicolor (Taylor) ... [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Based on separately obtained and analyzed molecular data and within the framework of a global revision of the family Trypetheliaceae, 21 new species are described, from the Neotropics and tropical Asia, in the genera Architrypethelium (1), Astrothelium (15), Bathelium (1), Nigrovothelium (1), Trypethelium (1), and Viridothelium (2), namely: Architrypethelium lauropaluanum Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Marcelli sp. nov., differing from A. hyalinum in the perithecia immersed between coarse thallus verrucae and in the additional ascospore septa; Astrothelium aurantiacocinereum Lücking, Naksuwankul & Lumbsch sp. nov., differing from A. aeneum in the prominent, well-delimited, trypethelioid pseudostromata and the absence of pigment on the thallus surface, as well as in the barely lichenized thallus; A. carassense Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Marcelli sp. nov., differing from A. purpurascens in orange, K+ red pseudostroma pigment and the slightly larger ascospores; A. cryptolucens Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & N. Salazar sp. nov., differing from A. carrascoense in the inspersed hymenium; A. fijiense Lücking, Naksuwankul & Lumbsch sp. nov., differing from A. cinereorosellum in the presence of lichexanthone on the well-delimited pseudostromata and in the slightly shorter ascospores; A. laevithallinum Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Marcelli sp. nov., differing from A. endochryseum in the smooth thallus; A. leucosessile Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Aptroot sp. nov., differing from A. phlyctaena in the conspicuous, sessile pseudostromata; A. macrostomoides Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Benatti sp. nov., differing from A. macrostomum in the larger ascospores; A. megacrypticum Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & N. Salazar sp. nov., differing from A. longisporum in the single-spored asci and larger ascospores; A. nicaraguense Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & T. Orozco sp. nov., differing from A. gigantosporum in the smaller ascospores; A. norisianum Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Aptroot sp. nov., differing from A. sepultum in the distinct, well-delimited pseudostromata; A. obtectum Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Benatti sp. nov., differing from A. nigrocacuminum in the smaller ascospores; A. sordithecium Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Marcelli sp. nov., differing from A. leucothelium in the inspersed hymenium and the absence of lichexanthone from the thallus surface outside the pseudostromata; A. subendochryseum Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Marcelli sp. nov., differing from A. endochryseum in the absence of pigment in the pseudostromata and the lateral thallus cover of the pseudostromata; A. subinterjectum Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Jungbluth sp. nov., differing from A. obtectum in the smaller pseudostromata and smaller ascospores, and from A. interjectum in the diffuse pseudostromata and smaller ascospores; Bathelium porinosporum Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & Gueidan sp. nov., differing from other Bathelium species in the 3-septate, euseptate ascospores; Nigrovothelium bullatum Lücking, Upreti & Lumbsch sp. nov., differing from N. tropicum in the bullate thallus; Trypethelium tolimense Lücking, Moncada & M. Gut. sp. nov., differing from T. xanthoplatystomum in the absence of a yellow-orange pigment on the pseudostromata and the K+ yellow (not K+ red) medullary pigment; Viridothelium tricolor Lücking, M. P. Nelsen & N. Salazar sp. nov., characterized by black perithecia with a lateral ostiole immersed in white pseudostromata strongly contrasting with the surrounding brown thallus, in combination with 2-spored asci and large, muriform ascospores; and V. vonkonratii Lücking, Naksuwankul & Lumbsch sp. nov., differing from V. virens in larger ascospores and mostly solitary ascomata. All species are illustrated and their taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships are discussed. ITS barcoding sequences are reported for five specimens of Bathelium porinosporum. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Four new species from Cuba are described in the genus Ocellularia, emphasizing the importance of the Caribbean for the diversification of lichen fungi and the level of unrecognized species richness in Ocellularia. Three of the new species belong in the O. bahiana group: O. coronata Lücking & Pérez-Ortega, differing from O. bahiana by the ridged to folded thallus, vertically ridged apothecia, and complex columella largely covering the disc; O. fuscospora Lücking & Pérez-Ortega, differing from O. urceolaris in the immersed to erumpent, columellate apothecia; and O. radiata Lücking, differing from O. bahiana in the complex, radiating columella filling the disc. In contrast, Ocellularia nigririmis Lücking & Pérez-Ortega is a species of the O. papillata morphodeme with immersed apothecia with a small, black-rimmed pore filled by a greyish black columella, and small ascospores. We also clarify the taxonomy and nomenclature of columellate taxa in the O. bahiana group and provide a key to all thelotremoid Graphidaceae with small, brown, (sub-)muriform ascospores. The new combination Ocellularia lunensis (Nagarkar & Hale) Lücking is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phylogenetic position of the genus Geisleria and its type species G. sychnogonioides was reconstructed using sequence data of the mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU), the nuclear large subunit rDNA (nuLSU) and the first subunit of the RNA polymerase (RPB1). The species, previously classified in Verrucariaceae (Eurotiomycetes) and Strigulaceae (Dothideomycetes), is sister to the type of the genus Absconditella, A. sphagnorum, and nested within the genera Absconditella and Cryptodiscus combined (which also includes the lichenized Bryophagus). At first glance it appears to be a further example of parallel evolution of perithecioid ascomata within Stictidaceae (Lecanoromycetes: Ostropales), besides Ostropa and Robergea, adding to the growing list of perithecioid forms nested within apothecioid lineages in Ostropomycetidae, and specifically Ostropales, with other examples known from Graphidaceae (several genera), Gyalectaceae (Belonia), and Porinaceae. However, revision of type material collected by Nitschke revealed that the species actually develops typical apothecia with a narrowly exposed disc. We conclude that Geisleria sychnogonoides was erroneously considered a pyrenocarpous taxon, because in dry conditions the apothecia are closed and not recognizable as such. The species usually grows on unstable soil and therefore often only develops young, more or less closed ascomata (yet with mature ascospores), and has also been confused with the superficially similar Belonia incarnata, in which the ascomata remain closed even when mature. Geisleriasychnogonioides has so far only been known as a rarely reported pioneer species from loamy soils in Europe and North America. Here it is reported to occur abundantly on lateritic soils in subtropical Brazil, suggesting that it is cosmopolitan and possibly common, but much overlooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]