Mason E. Hale

Rimelia Hale & Fletcher, a new lichen genus (Ascomycotina: Parmeliaceae)

A new genus, Rimelia Hale & Fletcher, typified by Parmelia cetrata Ach., is described. There are 12 species: R. austrocetrata (Elix & Johnst.) Hale & Fletcher, comb. nov.; R. cetrata (Ach.) Hale & Fletcher, comb. nov.; R. commensurata (Hale) Hale & Fletcher, comb. nov.; R. diffractaica (Essl.) Hale & Fletcher, comb. nov.; R. hawaiiensis (Zahlbr.) Hale & Fletcher, comb. nov.; R. homotoma (Nyl.) Hale & Fletcher, comb nov.; R. macrocarpa (Pers.) Hale & Fletcher, comb. nov.; R. olivaria (Ach.) Hale & Fletcher, comb nov.; R. reticulata (Tayl.) Hale & Fletcher, comb. nov.; R. ruminata (Zahlbr.) Hale & Fletcher, comb. nov.; R. simulans (Hale) Hale & Fletcher, comb. nov.; and R. subisidiosa (Miill. Arg.) Hale & Fletcher, comb. nov. Rimelia is closely related to Parmotrema Massal. and differentiated by rhizine, conidial, apothecial, and chemical characters.

Vertical Distribution of Cryptogams in a Red Maple Swamp in Connecticut

Vertical distribution of cryptogams on five in- dividuals of Acer rubrum was measured by actual coverage in quadrats encircling the trunk at heights of 1.5, 4, 7, and 10 m. Five lichens dominated: Parmelia caperata, P. physodes, P. rudecta, P. saxatilis, and P. sulcata. Parmelia sulcata had greater coverage than all the other species combined. All species showed distinct patterns of vertical distribution with mosses dominating below 1 m and lichens being most abundant between 4 and 7 m. In 1952 I surveyed the vertical distribution of cryptogams in a virgin windfallen forest in northern Wisconsin. There was pronounced stratification of cryptogams with an apparent peak of abundance in and just below the canopy. No data on coverage were taken in that study because of time limitations; presence and frequency in one- meter-high quadrats encircling the trunks were the only measure- ments of the species. After learning in 1962 that a small red maple swamp in Connecticut was destined for eventual lumbering, I de- cided to investigate it at once and to use actual coverage of the species as the main phytosociological measurement. This method is highly accurate but extremely tedious and time-consuming, and for this reason has apparently never before been employed on such a large scale. The area under investigation is a typical flat red maple swamp of about seven acres, located at the headwaters of a small stream one mile south of Colebrook, Litchfield County, Connecticut. Tree ring analysis showed an age range of 60-70 years before which the area was a clear-cut wet sedge meadow. Complete reforestation with little disturbance followed about 1900.. The soil has now built up as a thick layer of muck (about 80 cm deep) and hummocks of humus underlain by sand and gravel. The understory is herbaceous with sedges and ferns dominant. The major trees are red maple (Acer rubrum), elm (Ulmus americana), and ash (Fraxinus nigra). The canopy is quite irregular, with an average height of 14-18 m, admit- ting considerable sunshine, as opposed to the dense canopy in the virgin forest in Wisconsin.

Lichen Evidence for Changes in Atmospheric Pollution in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Recently collected specimens of the lichen Flavoparmelia baltimorensis from Shen- andoah National Park in Virginia, especially those from higher elevations, contain higher concen- trations of sulfur, and lower concentrations of lead than specimens collected from the same sites at various times in the past. These results suggest long-term increases in regional sulfur pollution and a corresponding decline in lead pollution. The well-documented ability of some lichens to accumulate elements from the atmosphere has led to their frequent use as monitors of atmospheric pollution. In an on-going effort to assess levels of air pollutants in Shenandoah National Park in Vir- ginia, we have investigated lead and sulfur accu- mulation by specimens of the lichen, Flavoparmelia baltimorensis (Gyelnik & F6riss) Hale, a common species that has been collected in the park at various times during its 50-year history. Our objective was to compare sulfur and lead concentrations found in recently collected specimens to concentrations of the same elements in specimens collected in the past. Such a retrospective element analysis is valu- able because it provides information about changes in pollution deposition patterns with time.

Chemical and morphological evolution in Parmelia sect. Hypotrachyna: Product of ancient hybridization?

Nineteen species ofParmelia sect.Hypotrachyna that contain either barbatic acid or evernic acid and other related compounds fall into four major chemical types based upon biogenetic consideration of their secondary products. The major chemistries show clear correlations with geography, but groups based upon morphological characters do not. The origin of the present-day species can be explained by ancient hybridizations of chemically different types and subsequent parallel morphological evolution.

CORTICAL STRUCTURE IN PHYSCIA AND PHAEOPHYSCIA

Species of Physcia reported to have a paraplectenchymatous lower cortex ap- pear to have a dual cortex consisting of a lower paraplectenchymatous layer and an upper periclinally arranged prosoplectenchymatous layer. These species may have a black or pale lower surface but always contain atranorin. They should be retained in the genus Physcia.

4-O-Demethylnotatic Acid, a New Depsidone in Some Lichens Producing Hypoprotocetraric Acid

A new depsidone is shown to be 4-O-demethylnotatic acid by thinlayer chromatographic comparison of its diazomethane O-methylation products with those of the known depsidone notatic acid. The new depsidone was found in 22 of 33 taxa that also produce a related pf-orcinol depsidone, hypoprotocetraric acid. Hypoprotocetraric acid-previously known in Ocellularia, Parmelia, and Ramalina--also occurs in Leptotrema, Phaeotrema, and Thelotrema. In addition, some specimens produced 4-O-methylhypoprotocetraric acid and notatic acid. The depsides that correspond to the four depsidones studied here are all known, and this complete depside-depsidone series can be viewed in terms of possible biosynthetic pathways. Several recently described species of Parmelia subgen. Xanthoparmelia contain hypoprotocetraric acid (Hale, 1971a,b; Kurokawa & Elix, 1971), a compound previously known only in Ramalina (W. L. Culberson, 1967) and Ocellularia (C. F. Culberson & Culberson, 1968). In six of the Parmelia species, an unidentified PDsubstance occurs with hypoprotocetraric acid. The possibility that this new substance might be the depsidone corresponding to the depside norobtusatic acid was suggested by a recent discovery (Kurokawa et al., 1971) of 4-O-methylhypoprotocetraric acid and a depsidone, notatic acid, that corresponds to the depside obtusatic acid. The latter pair of depsidones occur together in a new Australian species, P. notata Kur. Experiments described in the present report prove that the new depsidone accompanying hypoprotocetraric acid is 4-O-demethylnotatic acid. The new depsidone was identified microchemically in hypoprotocetraric acid-containing species of several genera. In Parmelia subgen. Xanthoparmelia, the occurrence of these depsidones and their 4-O-methyl derivatives provides a biogenetically interesting parallel to the depside chemistry of some species in subgen. Parmelia sect. Hypotrachyna. MATERIALS AND METHODS Species containing hypoprotocetraric acid were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) according to a standardized method (C. F. Culberson, 1972). Except where otherwise indicated, materials were from DUKE and Us. Chemical Studies on P. weberi Hale and P. notata Kur.-A small sample (0.11 g) of P. weberi (Weber &r Charette 3663) from Mexico was extracted four times with benzene at room 1 This study was supported in part by grant CB-25346 from the National Science Foundation. 2 Department of Botany, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27706. 3 Department of Botany, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 20560. This content downloaded from 207.46.13.172 on Fri, 07 Oct 2016 06:15:05 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 78 THE BRYOLOGIST [Volume 76

Parmelia pustulifera, a new lichen from southeastern United States

A new species inParmelia subgenusParmelia sect.Hypotrachyna,P. pustulifera, is described from southeastern United States. It is similar in chemistry and fine structure of the cortex toP. livida Taylor and in gross morphology toP. formosana Zahlbr.

Two new species of Hypotrachyna (Lichenes) from India

Two new species of Hypotrachyna are described from the Western Ghats region of India. Hypotrachyna awasthii Hale & Patwardhan, sp. nov. (FIG. 1) Thallus corticola, laxe adnatus, 6-10 cm diametro, albido-cinereus, lobis latis, subirregularibus, apice rotundatus, usque ad 1 cm latis, isidiatis, isidiis densis, simplicibus vel ramosis, cylindricis, 0.1-0.2 mm diametro, 0.5 mm altis; superne planus, nitidus, cortex superior 12-14 /m crassus, stratum gonidiale 16-18 /m crassum, medulla alba, 90-110 [tm crassa, cortex inferior 16-18 p/m crassus; subtus niger, modice rhizinosus, rhizinis sparse dichotome ramosis. Apothecia (ex coll. Hale & Patwardhan 40070) rara, adnata, 1.0-2.5 mm diametro; hymenium 50-60 /m altum, sporis octonis, simplicibus, 8 X 10 p/m. Holotype: India. Wilson Point, Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, elevation 1580 m, Awasthi 4041, 14 October 1959 (AWASTHI HERBARIUM; isotype in us). Chemistry: Atranorin, norstictic acid, salazinic acid (at times trace only). Additional specimens examined. India, Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra, Degelius As-48 (DEGELIUS HERBARIUM), Hale & Patwardhan 40070 (us and M.A.C.S. HERBARIUM, POONA). This species was initially identified as Parmelia wallichiana Taylor, which has simple rhizines, marginal cilia, and salazinic acid alone. Careful examination of ample material from Mahabaleshwar, however, showed that the rhizines are dichotomously branched, placing the species in the genus Hypotrachyna (Vainio) Hale. The combination of acids is typical of Old World members of the genus. Comparable New World species would have usnic acid instead of atranorin in the cortex. The one exception, H. rhabdiformis (Kurok.) Hale, has dense rhizines and sublinear lobes. Parmelia wallichiana also occurs rather widely in India and care should be taken to separate it from Hypotrachyna awasthii. This new species grows abundantly on trunks of small trees, both planted and naturally growing, in open areas on the Mahabaleshwar plateau, a region of low but dense rain forest. Hypotrachyna dodapetta Hale & Patwardhan, sp. nov. (FIG. 2) Thallus corticola, laxe adnatus, ad 12 cm diametro, cinereo-albus, lobis subirregularibus, apice rotundatis, 0.5-1.0 cm latis; superne planus, nitidus, mox valde pustulatus, pustulis fragilibus, erumptentibus, esorediatis; cortex superior 11-12 [km crassus, stratum gonidiale 22-24 [tm crassum, medulla alba, 90-110 [tm crassa, cortex inferior 8-10 /m crassus; subtus niger vel marginem versus castaneus, modice rhizinosus, rhizinis dense dichotome ramosis. Apothecia ignota. Holotype: India. On roadside Cupressus on road to Dodapetta, elevation about 2600 m, Nilgiri Hills, Tamil Nadu, Hale & Patwardhan 40218, 8 November 1973 (us, holotype; isotypes in AWASTHI HERBARIUM and the M.A.S.C. HERBARIUM, POONA). Chemistry: Atranorin, salazinic acid, and traces of norstictic acid. This robust species of Hypotrachyna has, as do many Old World species, rather broad subirregular lobes, in contrast to the more usual narrow sublinear lobes found in most New World species. The closest relative is another Indian endemic, H. thryptica (Hale) Hale, known only from Kerala. It has a much smaller, more fragile thallus and This content downloaded from 157.55.39.231 on Thu, 06 Oct 2016 04:01:15 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 638 THE BRYOLOGIST [Volume 77

Chemical components of type specimens in Parmelia—I

The present paper is mainly an account of the distribution in Florida, most par t icular ly in western Florida, of 53 kinds of vascular plants. Thir ty-two of them are indigenous to the phytogeographieal area of which Flor ida is a par t and 21 of them are introductions or adventives. On the basis of published records examined, it seems likely that at least 33 of the taxa are newly repor ted for Florida.

New Species of Everniastrum and Hypotrachyna from South America (Lichenes: Parmeliaceae)

One new species of Everniastrum, E. paramense, and four new species of Hypotrachyna, H. cendensis, H. meridensis, H. neoflavida and H. primitiva, are described from the paramo region of Venezuela. Everniastrum paramense Hale & L6pez, sp. nov. (FIG. 1) Thallus foliaceus, corticola vel saxicola, laxe adherens, fere subfruticosus, rigidus, cinereoalbus, 15-30 cm latus, lobis lineari-laciniatis, subdivaricatis, 1-3 mm latis, planis vel convexis atque subcanaliculatis, margine integro, anguste nigro, superne nitidus, emaculatus, sorediis isidiisque destitutus, subtus niger, modice rhizinosus, rhizinis longis, furcatis vel dichotome ramosis. Cortex superior columnaris, 30 Am crassus, stratum gonidiale ca. 25 Am crassum, medulla alba, pallide flava vel nigricascens, 70-90 Am crassa, cortex inferior niger, 26-28 Am crassus. Apothecia numerosa, substipitata, expansa, 4-6 mm lata, latiora quam lobis, disco fisso; hymenium 70-75 Am altum; sporae 8:nae, incolores, simplices, 9-10 x 14-16 Am. Chemistry: Atranorin, secalonic acid A and traces of unidentified substances (determined by Dr. C. F. Culberson). Holotype: VENEZUELA, ESTADO MIRIDA: Paramo de Motumba, Quebrada de El Volcan, 3100-3200 m, on shrubs. M. L6pez 12516, (us; isotype in MERF, Universidad de los Andes). This remarkable species is unusual in several respects. At first we included it in Hypotrachyna because of the plane or more often weakly canaliculate, linear, eciliate lobes and the long dense, furcate to dichotomously branched rhizines. Small specimens in particular show these traits. In addition the chemistry is close to Hypotrachyna (similar unknowns are found in H. palmarum (Lynge) Hale) and not at all like that of Everniastrum (see Hale, 1976). Later examination of larger collections convinced us that it is more probably an Everniastrum, mostly because of the canaliculate lobation, very long divaricate lobes with large apothecia and the columnar cortical structure similar to that in Everniastrum pachydermum (Hue) Hale. It is common on shrubs and on soil in a number of paramos, especially above 3000 m. Additional specimens examined.-VENEZUELA. MERIDA: Same locality as the type, L6pez 12483, 12487, 12521 (us); Pairamo de Aricagua, L6pez 12815, 12818, 12838, 12849, 12861, 12872 (us); Phramo de Cende, L6pez 13061, 13077, 13090, 13111 (us); Piramo de San Jose, L6pez 13921 (us). TACHIRA: Piramo del Rosal, Hale & L6pez 45058; Piramo de Tamai, Hale & L6pez 45209; Phramo de El Zumbador, L6pez & Keogh 9404 (us). TRUJILLO: Phramo de Guaramacal, Ldpez 10381 (us); Paramo de Guirigay, L6pez 10950, 10968, 10982, 10984 (us); Phramo El Jab6n, Ldpez 13369, 13396 (us). Hypotrachyna cendensis Hale & L6pez, sp. nov. (FIG. 2) Thallus foliaceus, fragilis, laxe adnatus, viridi-flavus, usque ad 12 cm latus, lobis brevibus, inaequaliter dilatatis, subimbricatis, 2-5 mm latis, superne planus, nitidus, albo-maculatus, sorediis isidiisque destitutus, subtus niger, sparse vel modice rhizinosus, rhizinis dichotome ramosis. Cortex superior 9-11 Am crassus, stratum gonidiale 24-26 Am crassum, medulla alba, 120-150 sm crassa, cortex inferior niger, 12-14 pm crassus. Apothecia substipitata, usque ad 11 mm diametro, disco piano, fisso, amphithecio rugoso; hymenium ca. 70 sm altum; sporae 8:nae, incolores, simplices, 3-4 x 5-6 Gm. Chemistry: Usnic acid, lecanoric acid and evernic acid. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.157 on Mon, 01 Aug 2016 04:28:36 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 1978] SHORT ARTICLES 591 ::: ::::i::::::::::::::::I-:::: ::: ::::.:. :::::j:::::::::::::::::::::::::::: :::::::: :-:-::::i-:::-:::::-:::::::_::::i:::--::