ITALIC 8.0

Rhizocarpon malenconianum (Llimona & Werner) Hafellner & H. Mayrhofer

Herzogia, 4, 3-4: 346, 1977. Basionym: Leciographa malenconiana Llimona & Werner - in Llimona, Opusc. Sparsa (Bot. Dep. Fac. Sci., Univ. Barcinon.), 6: 11, 1974.

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Distribution:

Description: Thallus doubtfully lichenized, inducing the formation of (0.4-)0.7-1.5(-4) mm wide, convex, whitish, ochraceous or greenish, finely fissured, often pruinose gall-like structures on the thalli of terricolous Diploschistes species. Apothecia black, sessile, orbicular to irregular in outline, flat to strongly convex, (0.2-)0.3-0.7(-0.8) mm across, soon becoming emarginate. Proper exciple poorly developed, dark; epithecium thick, opaque, dark brown to olivaceous black, K+ purple-red; hymenium colourless, 60-90 µm high, I+ blue; paraphysoids coherent, branched and anastomosing, c. 2.5 µm thick at mid-level, the apical cells capitate, 4-5 µm wide; hypothecium brown-black to reddish brown, 75-112 µm high, K-. Asci 8-spored, clavate, fissitunicate, with a well-developed tholus that is K/I- in lower part and K/I+ blue near the apex, lacking an ocular chamber, Rhizocarpon-type. Ascospores (1-)3-spetate, rarely finally weakly submuriform, slightly constricted at septa, brown, narrowly ellipsoid, 15-23 x 5-10 µm, halonate at least when young. Photobiont probably absent. Spot tests: those of the hosts. Chemistry: thallus probably without lichen substances.

Note: a probably non-lichenized species inducing the formation of gall-like structures on the thalli of terricolous, often gypsicolous species of Diploschistes, described from Spain and known from Southern France (incl. Corsica) and the southern Balkan Peninsula, with outposts in the dry valleys of Norway. To be looked for in Italy.

Growth form: Lichenicolous fungus

Substrata: soil, terricolous mosses, and plant debris

Reproductive strategy: mainly sexual

Subcontinental: restricted to areas with a dry-subcontinental climate (e.g. dry Alpine valleys, parts of Mediterranean Italy)

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Predictive model

Photo by Einar Timdal - CC BY-SA 3.0 - Source: https://artsdatabanken.no/Pages/230112/

Norway

Detail from: https://gzu.jacq.org/GZU000291941

GZU000291941 - Collector Llimona,X. Vězda, A.: Lichenes Selecti Exsiccati 1299 Date 1973-08-15 Location Spain / Aragón Label Hispania. Huesca, Barbastro: prope lacum Pueyo dictum ; Alt. 400 m Habitat Supra gypsum loco semistepposo, in thallo Diploschistis steppici vigens