This is a key to all species of Rinodina and related genera (see below) known to occur in Italy (Nimis 2016), plus a few species known from neighbouring territories (see e.g. Giralt 2001, Nimis & al. 2018) for a total of 104 infrageneric taxa. The key includes the following genera:
1) Rinodina (Ach.) Gray- Comprising c. 300 species, this cosmopolitan genus of the Physciaceae is widely distributed in both Hemispheres, from polar to tropical latitudes. Rinodina-species usually have crustose thalli, lecanorine apothecia, 2-celled brown ascospores with inner wall thickenings, and Lecanora-type asci. The most important character complexes are those of the proper exciple, ascospores and asci. Nadyeina & al. (2010), besides accepting the segregation of some species in the resurrected genus Endohyalina, suggest that both exciple type and ascospore characters are rather dynamic in the evolution of Rinodina-species, and only appear consistent in foliose and fruticose groups of the Physciaceae. Classical morphological and anatomical characters should thus be re-evaluated and supported by other parameters for a new generic delimitation within the Physciaceae. The species of the Iberian Peninsula were treated by Giralt (2001, 2010). Important information was provided by Hinteregger & al. (1989), Ropin & Mayrhofer (1993, 1995), Mayrhofer & al. (1992, 1993), Giralt & Mayrhofer (1994, 1994b, 1995), Giralt & Matzer (1994), Giralt & al. (1994, 1995, 1997), Giralt & Barbero (1995), Giralt & Llimona (1997), Mayrhofer & Moberg (2002), Mayrhofer & Sheard (2007), van den Boom & al. (2009), Sheard (2010, 2018), Resl & al. (2016) and Arup & Ligander (2023).
2) Endohyalina Marbach, based on species formerly belonging to the Rinodina ericina-group, is characterised by crustose, autonomous or obligately lichenicolous thalli, lecideine apothecia with a hymenium often more or less inspersed with oil droplets, a brown hypothecium, Bacidia-type asci, small Dirinaria-type ascospores developing with type B ontogeny, bacilliform conidia, and by diploicin as the major secondary metabolite. The genus is closely related to Diploicia; for further details see Giralt & al. (2010) and Nadyeina & al. (2010).
3) Phaeorrhiza H. Mayrhofer & Poelt is a small genus of 2 species, which was segregated from Rinodina by the presence of rhizohyphae which fasten the almost foliaceous thallus to the substratum, the type of ascospores and the variability of the apothecial margin. The genus seems to be monophyletic (Grube & Arup 2001).
4) Rinodinella H. Mayrhofer & Poelt was segregated from Rinodina on the basis of the very thin-walled, pale brownish coloured ascospores. It currently comprises 6 species, 2 of which occur in Europe.
5) Dimelaena Norman is a subcosmopolitan genus of c. 12 species (Ai & al. 2022), which was segregated from Rinodina on the basis of the placodioid thalli and unthickened spore walls. However, several morphological, chemical and molecular studies have shown that D. radiata is closely related to Buellia tesserata, so that both taxa should be recognised under the same generic name (either Buellia or Dimelaena), depending on the phylogenetic position of the type species, D. oreina. Dimelaena belongs now into the Caliciaceae and not in the Physciaceae (see e.g. Helms & al. 2003). The species of the Iberian Peninsula were treated by Rico & al. (2006), those of North America by Sheard (1974). A new lichenicolous species also occurring in the Italian Alps was described by Knudsen & al. (2013)
Recently, Kondratyuk & al. (2021) have split Rinodina into several other genera, such as Helmutiopsis, Huriopsis, Johnsheardia, Kudratovia and Oxnerella which, pending further study, are not accepted here.

References

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Last modified: January, 25, 2025

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