Diploschistes, Norman, 1853

The genus Diploschistes View in CoL

Diploschistes View in CoL is widespread genus with about 30 species worldwide, characterised by apothecioid ascomata, brown, muriform ascospores and, critically, a trebouxioid photobiont, a character that sets it apart within a family where the photobiont is otherwise trentepohlioid ( Aptroot et al. 2023b). Of the 17 species recorded for Australia by McCarthy (2023), nine are known from Tasmania. With the exception of the widespread and frequently alpine D. scruposus (Schreb.) Norman View in CoL and D. bartlettii (Lumbsch) Lücking View in CoL , the remainder are restricted to low rainfall areas where they colonise exposed rocks or dry, consolidated soil. Whereas most species of the genus are free-living, two, D. muscorum (Scop.) R.Sant. View in CoL and D. bartlettii View in CoL , commence their life cycle as parasites on other lichens, usually on species of Cladonia View in CoL ( Lumbsch 1987; Aptroot et al. 2023b) but rarely also on other lichen genera ( Zhurbenko 2010). A further lichenicolous species is described here.