Physcia pseudospeciosa J. W. Thomson

Data Set Maintenance: Data set compiled (from Sonoran Lichen Flora Vol.1). Data set author(s): Bungartz F. (02-02-21). Data set to be published after submission; February 2002.

Nomenclature: Current taxonomic status: accepted. Taxonomic rank: species. Currently accepted name Physcia pseudospeciosa J.W. Thomson. Physcia. Physciaceae Zahlbr. (1898); Lecanorineae; Lecanorales.

Type Information: Basionym: Physcia pseudospeciosa J.W. Thomson. Type: Physcia pseudospeciosa J.W. Thomson.

Biogeography: Subtropical; submontane, montane, and upper montane. Continent: Northern America. Checklist records: Mexico, Sonoran Desert, and United States and Canada (continental).

Ecology: Biotroph; lichenized; saxicolous; episubstratic; growing partially shaded or fully shaded; under conditions which are moist or wet (relatively high summer precipitation).

Thallus: Foliose, subdivided into main parts, usually dispersed throughout and distinctly seperate, lobed; lobes widening towards the apex, weakly ascending; not imbricate (rarely overlapping); separate thallus parts.5-1 mm wide. Thallus Size and Differentiation: Up to (3) cm in diameter. Thallus Outline: Irregular or orbicular; margin lobulate (sparsely lobulate along margin); soon disappearing. Upper Surface: Grey or pale grey; maculate (weakly developed); eciliate; without hairs; not isidate; sorediate; soralia subperipheral or peripheral, punctiform, isolated, not confluent with other soralia, soredia coarse; not blastidiate; not schizidiate; not lobulate. Lower Surface: Present, white or pale pale brown; attached by holdfasts (true rhizines); rhizinate; rhizines black or white, without projections, not branched or branched (rhizines simple to sparsely furcate), sparsely furcate; not sorediate; not tomentose.

Upper Cortex: Present; outer cortical layer paraplectenchymatous; inner cortical layer paraplectenchymatous. Medulla: White. Lower Cortex: Present.

Reproduction Strategy: Only known as sterile, asexually reproducing form (not seen). Margin: Sorediate. Hymenium: Not inspers. Subhymenium: White.

Ascospores: Wall dark brown (at maturity).

Conidiomata: Absent resp. not observed (not seen).

Secondary Metabolites: Present; throughout the thallus medulla (atranorin, zeorin), atranorin or hopane-6a,22-diol (with triterpenes).

Spot Tests: Present reactions. Upper surface: K + deep yellow, C –, KC –, PD + yellow; cortex: KC + deep yellow, –, PD + yellow; medulla: K + yellow; C –, KC –, PD + deep yellow; soredia: K + deep yellow; KC –.

(report generated 13.Nov.2007)