Lichinella nigritella (Lettau) P.P. Moreno & Egea

Cryptogamie, Bryol.-Lichénol., 13: 246, 1992. Basionym: Thyrea nigritella Lettau - Beih. Repert. Spec. Nov. Regni Veg., 119: 276, 1942.
Synonyms: Gonohymenia nigritella (Lettau) Henssen; Thallinocarpon nigritellum (Lettau) P.M. Jørg.
Distribution: N - VG, Frl (TSB 17372), TAA (Schultz 2000), Piem (Clerc & al. 1999), Lig (TSB 34678). C - Abr (Nimis & Tretiach 1999, Caporale & al. 2016), Mol (Caporale & al. 2008), Sar (TSB 6221). S - Camp (Nimis & Tretiach 2004), Pugl (Nimis & Tretiach 1999), Cal.
Description: Thallus small-foliose to squamulose-umbilicate, polyphyllous, gelatinous when wet, black, dull to glossy, very rarely with patches of grey pruina, forming regular to irregular up to 3 cm wide cushions, soon covered in minute, globose 0.1-0.3 µm wide isidia, densely lobulate, the lobules at first adpressed, but soon ascending to erect in central parts of thallus, 1-2 mm wide at base and 3-4 mm wide at tips, broadly rounded at first but soon divided, with ascending, thicker margins; lower surface attached by a central holdfast. Thallus 0.2-0.4 µm thick, the outer part 50-70 µm thick, formed by short-celled, mainly anticlinally oriented hyphae enclosing the photobiont cells, the medullary part of loosely to densely arranged (forming a 50-100 µm thick compact strand), 1-2 µm thick hyphae with cylindrical cells, lacking photobionts. Apothecia thallinocarps, hemiangiocarpous, the ascogonia arising freely beneath the thallus surface, rare, marginal to apical, 0.3-0.6 mm wide, sunk in thallus and difficult to recognize unless when wet, with a rough disc and a up to 50 µm wide, indistinct thalline margin. Proper exciple absent; hymenium 110-150 µm high, separated into partial hymenia by intrusions of wedge-shaped, sterile thalline tissue, covered by a continuous layer of sterile tissue separated by the pore-like discs of the partial hymenia, K/I+ blue turning wine-red; subhymenium hyaline, continuous, 50(-100) µm thick, I+ blue. Asci 16-24-spored, subcylindrical to obclavate, prototunicate, with a thin, one-layered, non-amyloid wall, an amyloid external apical cap, and passive spore discharge via apical rupturing, Lichina-type. Ascospores 1-celled, hyaline, broadly ellipsoid, 6-8 x 3-4 µm. Pycnidia rare, globose, immersed. Conidia ellipsoid, 4-5 x 1.5 µm. Photobiont cyanobacterial, chroococcoid, th cells single, measuring 6-12 x 6-10 µm, penetrated by haustoria and surrounded by a brownish gelatinous sheath. Spot tests: all negative. Chemistry: without lichen substances.
Note: on steeply inclined surfaces of calcareous or base-rich siliceous rocks with water seepage after rain; certainly more widespread in the Alps and in the Apennines. See also note on L. iodopulchra.
Growth form: Fruticose

Substrata: rocks
Photobiont: cyanobacteria, coccaceous (e.g. Gloeocapsa)
Reproductive strategy: mainly sexual
On otherwise dry surfaces with short periods of water seepage after rain

Commonnes-rarity: (info)

Alpine belt: absent
Subalpine belt: absent
Oromediterranean belt: absent
Montane belt: very rare
Submediterranean belt: rather rare
Padanian area: extremely rare
Humid submediterranean belt: rare
Humid mediterranean belt: very rare
Dry mediterranean belt: absent

pH of the substrata:

12345

Solar irradiation:

12345

Aridity:

12345

Eutrophication:

12345

Poleotolerance:

0123

Altitudinal distribution:

123456


Predictive model
Herbarium samples

Manuel Gil
Spain, Canary Islands , Lanzarote



P.L. Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Herbarium: TSB (8273)
2002/01/02
isidia



P.L. Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Herbarium: TSB (17383)
2001/12/09


Pier Luigi Nimis
Italy, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trieste, Trieste Coast, near Tenda Rossa
07.2016


Pier Luigi Nimis
Italy, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trieste, Trieste Coast, near Tenda Rossa
07.2016


Pier Luigi Nimis
Italy, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trieste, Trieste Coast, near Tenda Rossa
07.2016


Pier Luigi Nimis
Italy, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trieste, Trieste Coast, near Tenda Rossa
07.2016



Pier Luigi Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste
Italy, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trieste, Trieste Coast near Tenda Rossa, on a wall of calciferous sandstone
07/2016



Curtis Randall Björk – CC BY-SA 4.0
British Columbia, South Okanagan, Elkink/Sparrow Grasslands Date: 2014-06-07 On rock in sagebrush steppe


Ulrich Kirschbaum
Iran; Kurdistan: Near Sanandaj. (Coll:A. Rouhollahi; ident: H. Sipman).