G. P. Sinha

New species and new records of Cryptothecia and Herpothallon ( Arthoniales ) from India

Five new species of Cryptothecia: C. alboglauca, C. bengalensis, C. farinosa, C. multipunctata and C. verruculifera , and two new species of Herpothallon : H. granulosum and H. isidiatum are described from India. Herpothallon australasicum (Elix) Elix & G. Thor and H. granulare (Sipman) Aptroot & Lucking are also reported as new records.

Contributions to the genus Synarthonia (lichenized Ascomycota, Arthoniaceae )

Abstract: The type specimens of Synarthonia bicolor and S. stigmatidialis were examined, leading theauthors to revise their descriptions as well as the generic description. Also, two new species ofSynarthonia, viz. S. psoromica and S. sikkimensis are described from India. Synarthonia psoromica,collected from the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu, is characterized by immersed synascomata and thepresence of psoromic acid. Synarthonia sikkimensis, collected from Sikkim-Himalaya, is characterizedby the sorediate thallus with a rhizomorph-like prothallus. These distinguishing characters areobserved for the first time in Synarthonia. After considering the protologue of the recently describedS. sarcographoides, a comprehensive account of this genus is made. In addition, a world key to allknown species of Synarthonia is provided. Key words: Arthoniales, India, lichen, new species, taxonomyAccepted for publication 5 December 2014 Introduction The genus Synarthonia Mu¨ll. Arg. is char-acterized by solitary ascomata, becomingmono- to pluri-carpocentral synascomataembedded in a slightly elevated to immersedpseudostroma, with a thin white thallinemargin and Arthonia-type asci with transver-sely septate (macrocephalic) or muriformascospores. The genus, represented by onlytwo species (Mu¨ller Argoviensis 1891, 1895)viz. S. bicolor Mu¨ll.Arg.andS. stigmatidialisMu¨ll. Arg., remained unfamiliar to mostlichenologists until the discovery of an alliednew genus Synarthothelium (Sparrius 2009).Recently, Menezes et al. (2013) added anotherspecies, S. sarcographoides Aptroot et al.fromBrazil. Out of the three species, only S. bicoloris known from India (Jagadeesh Ram & Sinha2009).During the course of studies on specimensof the family Arthoniaceae,typesofS. bicolorand S. stigmatidialis were examined. Study ofthe types and protologue of S. sarcographoidesAptroot et al. revealed some additionalinformation about the genus. These studiesalso led to the discovery of two new species,S. psoromica and S. sikkimensis from India.The taxonomic significance of these findingsis discussed here.

A new species and new records of Pyrenula ( Pyrenulaceae ) from India

A new lichen species, Pyrenula darjeelingensis ( Pyrenulaceae ), is described from the Eastern Himalayan region of India. It is characterized by having 5-septate to submuriform ascospores with papillate apices and the terminal lumina mostly not separated from the exospore by an endospore layer. Six additional species of Pyrenula are reported for the first time from India: P. acutalis R. C. Harris, P. dermatodes (Borrer) Schaer., P. mastophoroides (Nyl.) Zahlbr., P. mucosa (Vain.) R. C. Harris, P. subelliptica (Tuck.) R. C. Harris and P. thelemorpha Tuck.

New species and new records of Enterographa ( Roccellaceae ) from India

Enterographa bengalensis , a new species is described from the mangrove reserve – Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve, West Bengal, India. It is characterized by the convergent punctiform to lirelliform ascomata, 12–15(–17) septate fusiform ascospores and the presence of psoromic acid. In addition, three species of the genus viz. E. anguinella (Nyl.) Redinger, E. divergens (Mull. Arg.) Redinger and E. multiseptata R. Sant. are also reported for the first time from India.

Pyrenula subcylindrica , a new pyrenocarpous lichen from India

A new species of pyrenocarpous lichen, Pyrenula subcylindrica , from the Sundarbans area on the delta of the River Ganges is described. It is characterized by ascomata with a distinct clypeus, and 7–11-septate ascospores 42–67 μm long made up of cells with rounded to polygonal lumina and with subacute apices.

A new corticolous Opegrapha ( Opegraphaceae ) species from India

A corticolous lichen species, Opegrapha granulosa Siljo & G. P. Sinha, with a UV+ pale yellow thallus, is described as new to science from the Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve, West Bengal, India.