Allographa effusosoredica P. A. Ansil, Rajeshk., Lücking & B. O. Sharma, 2024

Allographa effusosoredica P. A. Ansil, Rajeshk., Lücking & B. O. Sharma , sp. nov.

Index Fungorum number: IF901545

Type:— INDIA. Kerala: Idukki District, Munnar, elev. 1500 m, 10.09° N, 77.05° E, 18 Dec. 2022, Ansil P. A. & Rajeshkumar K. C. ( AMH – holotype AMH 22.244).

( Fig. 4 View FIGURE 4 )

Thallus crustose, corticolous, continuous, sometimes finely cracked, greenish grey, almost effuse with diffuse soredia, delimited by whitish mycelial prothallus, in section ecorticate, thin (25–75 μm) with trentepohlioid algae and calcium oxalate crystals.

Apothecia lirelliform, very long, irregularly branched, 1.0– 12.5 mm long, 0.1–0.3 mm wide, 0.1–0.2 mm high, erumpent, with apically thin complete thalline margin. Disc concealed to narrow, black, whitish pruinose; proper margin thin sometimes bordered by a crack. Labia entire, pruinose, appear bluish-black. Excipulum entire, apically carbonized, 40–70 μm wide. Hymenium 100–260 μm high, hyaline, clear, I –, KI–. Paraphyses unbranched, smooth. Subhymenium hyaline, 13–23 μm high, I –, KI–. Epithecium granulose, 5–12 μm high, brown. Asci fusiform, 90–150 × 13–25 μm. Ascospores 8 per ascus, ellipsoid, transversely 7–11 septate with lenticular lumina, 30–55 × 8–10 μm, 3.5–5.5 times as long as wide, hyaline, I + blue.

Conidiomata not seen.

Chemistry: Thallus K + yellow turning red with crystals, UV –, TLC: containing norstictic acid.

Distribution and ecology: This species occurs in forest fringes, disturbed forest areas (on the bark of Cinnamomum malabatrum ( Burman 1768: 92) Presl (1825: 46) , Artocarpus hirsutus Lamarck (1789: 210) and Magnolia champaca ( Linnaeus 1753: 536) Pierre (1880: 3) and plantations of Areca catechu L. ( Linnaeus 1753: 1189) and Cocos nucifera ( Linnaeus 1753: 1188) of the Southern Western Ghats, India (collections from approx. elev. 700–1500 m).

Etymology: The specific epithet effusosoredica refers to the effuse ecorticate, sorediate thallus.

Notes: Allographa effusosoredica is characterized by a greenish grey, almost effuse, ecorticate thallus with a K + yellow turning red reaction, diffuse soredia, pruinose bluish black lirellae with apically carbonized exciple, ellipsoid, I + blue, hyaline, transversely 7–11 septate ascospores, 30–55 × 8–10 μm in size, and the norstictic acid chemistry. The new species resembles Graphis glaucescens Fée (1825: 36) , Allographa sayeri (Müll. Arg. 1887: 401) Lücking & Kalb (2018: 555) , Allographa chloroalba (Makhija & Adawadkar 2005: 373) Lücking & Kalb (2018: 548) , and Allographa xanthospora in having an apically carbonized exciple and transversely septate ascospores. A. sayeri (40– 55 × 6–10 μm) and A. xanthospora (20–40 × 8–10 μm) have similar ascospore dimensions compared to the new species (30–55 × 8–10 μm), whereas A. chloroalba differ by having smaller ascospores (20–25 × 5–7 μm). All three species differ from A. effusosoredica by having a corticate thallus lacking lichen acids. Allographa effusosoredica quite notably resembles G. glaucescens , in morphology and anatomy, but the latter differs in the absence of soredia and the lack of lichen acids, as well as the smaller ascospores (25–35 × 5–7 μm). Morphologically, A. effusosoredica would key out to Graphis eburnea Adawadkar & Makhija (2007: 314) , in the key from Lücking et al. (2009), but G. eburnea differs in having smaller ascospores and lack of soredia. Allographa effusosoredica is also comparable with Graphis norsorediata Aptroot (2020: 6) and Graphis sorediosa Nagarkar & Patwardhan (1982: 129) with respect to the sorediate thallus. However, G. norsorediata differs in the almost stellate lirellae with blackish labia lacking a bluish tinge (not resembling the G. glaucescens morphology). Graphis sorediosa differs from the current species by having striate labia with laterally carbonized exciple and a stictic acid chemistry. The striking similarity of the new species with G. glaucescens raises questions about the correct generic placement of the latter, requiring sequence data for clarification.

Additional specimens examined: INDIA. Kerala: Idukki District, Munnar, elev. 1500 m, 10.09° N, 77.05° E, 18 Dec. 2022, Ansil P. A. & Rajeshkumar K. C. ( AMH 22.240, AMH 22.241). Munnar, elev. 1500 m, 10.03° N, 77.13° E, 18 Dec. 2022, Ansil P. A. & Rajeshkumar K. C. ( AMH 22.260). Wayanad District, Kalpetta, elev. 750 m, 11.59° N, 76.08° E, 14 Dec. 2022, Ansil P. A., Sruthi O. P. & Rajeshkumar K. C. ( AMH 22.229, AMH 22.230). Wayanad District, Mananthavady, elev. 780 m, 11.78° N, 76.00° E, 14 Dec. 2022, Ansil P. A., Sruthi O. P. & Rajeshkumar K. C. ( AMH 22.231, AMH 22.232). Kodagu District, Madikeri, elev. 1050 m, 12.42 °N, 75.72° E, 14 Sep. 2022, Ansil P. A., Sruthi O. P. & Rajeshkumar K. C. ( AMH 22.72).