Cladonia merochlorophaea Asahina

Data Set Maintenance: Data set standard item. Data set author(s): Brodo I. & Ahti T. (96-12-10). Data set to be published after submission; 96-12-10.

Nomenclature: Current taxonomic status: accepted. Taxonomic rank: species. Cladonia. Cladoniaceae Zenker (1827).

Taxonomic Literature: Brodo I.M. & Ahti T., Can. J. Bot. 74: 1147-1180 (1996).

Ecology: Terricolous or lignicolous; growing sun-exposed or partially shaded; substrate non-calciferous.

Thallus: Crustose, squamulose; lobes ascending or horizontal; branches densely aggregated, scattered, loosely aggregated, or clustered; separate thallus parts 1-3 mm long; .5-1.5 mm wide. Primary Thallus: Persistent. Secondary Thallus: Present, arising from center of the primary thallus or arising from edge of the primary thallus, of determinate growth; stipe 10-25 mm high, 1-2 mm wide, olive or brown (yellowish- or olive brown (77, 94) or dark greyish yellow (91)), homogeneously coloured, corticate (on lower half to 3/4 of podetium), with intact wall. Thallus Outline: Margin crenulate. Upper Surface: Verruculose or areolated, olive or brown; not sorediate. Lower Surface: White or grey.

Lower Cortex: Absent.

Ascocarps: Forming along the margin of scyphi, moderately abundant, .3-1.5 mm in diam.. Disk: Weakly convex to strongly convex; brown.

Conidiomata: Formed on margins of scyphi or on primary squamules.

Secondary Metabolites: 4-O-methylcryptochlorophaeic acid, merochlorophaeic acid, and fumarprotocetraric acid, of the following substance class(es): orcinol depsides and ß-orcinol depsidones.

Spot Tests: Upper surface: K – (negative), C + pink, KC + pink, PD – or + red.

UV-Fluorescence: Reaction colour: bright bluish white.

(report generated 15.Nov.2007)