ITALIC 8.0

Lichinella robusta Henssen

Symb. Bot. Upsal., 18, 1: 73, 1963.

Synonyms:

Distribution: C - Sar (Schultz 2000, Rizzi & al. 2011).

Description: Thallus microfruticose, black, of cylindrical, usually pointed, dichotomously branched, 2-3 mm long, 0.07-0.15 mm thick branches attached by bundles of rhizohyphae, forming regular to irregular, up to 20 mm wide and 4 mm tall cushions which are dispersed to contiguous, but not giving the impression of a rimose-areolate crust. Central part of branches with a distinct, fountain-like, dense hyphal strand consisting 4-5 µm thick hyphae with cylindrical cells, the peripheral parts made up of hyphae with more or less isodiametrical cells, encircling the photobiont cells. Apothecia thallinocarps, hemiangiocarpous, the ascogonia arising freely beneath the thallus surface, terminal on tips of branches, 0.2-0.35 mm across, with a flat to convex or rarely concave, rough disc, and a thin to thick thalline margin. Epithecium discontinuous, 15-20 µm high, with clusters of cyanobacterial cells penetrating in a wedge-like form into the hymenium; hymenium colourless, 70-100 µm high, K/I+ blue, the upper part with groups of photobiont cells intruding between the asci, covered by a more or less continuous layer of sterile thalline tissue; paraphyses stout, 3-4 µm thick, capitate; subhymenium colourless, compact, up to 80 µm high, K/I+ blue. Asci 16-24(-32)-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, globose or subglobose, 5-7 x 4-5 µm. Photobiont cyanobacterial, chroococcoid, of a few cells measuring 5-10 x 6-9 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 base-rich siliceous rocks with periodical water seepage after rain; sometimes confused with L. stipatula, but certainly very rare in Italy.

Growth form: Fruticose filamentous

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: absent

Submediterranean belt: absent

Padanian area: absent

Humid submediterranean belt: very rare

Humid mediterranean belt: very rare

Dry mediterranean belt: rare

pH of the substrata:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Solar irradiation:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Aridity:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Eutrophication:

1

2

3

4

5

(info)

Poleotolerance:

0

1

2

3

(info)

Altitudinal distribution:

1

2

3

4

5

6

(info)

Predictive model

Herbarium samples

Index Fungorum GBIF

P.L. Nimis; Owner: Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste

Herbarium: TSB (13755)
2001/12/24