Sarea resinae (Fr.) Kuntze

Raynor, Seth J., Watts, Jacob L. & Manzitto-Tripp, Erin A., 2024, Sarea cirrhendocarpa, a fungus species new to science from the southern Rocky Mountains, Phytotaxa 671 (1), pp. 87-97 : 94-95

Sarea resinae (Fr.) Kuntze

Lecidea resinae Fr., Observ. Mycol. 1: 180 (1815). Tromera resinae (Fr. ex Fr.) Körb., Parerg. Lichenol. , 453., 1865. [see Hawksworth & Sherwood (1981) for more complete list]

MycoBank #121286

Thallus absent. Disc with prominent margins, especially when young, occasionally becoming roughened and excluded, surfaces smooth and shiny and flush with the margins, initially slightly concave but becoming plane, margins and surfaces of discs concolorous. Apothecia pale yellow to pale orange in older portions, occasionally brilliant orange, solitary, biatorine, sessile to short stipitate, 0.2–0.5(–0.7) mm in diam., discoid (or slightly ellipsoid elsewhere in range). Exciple primarily not well-differentiated into separate layers, 89–100(–125) µm thick. Epihymenium dirty orange to light brown, K–, C+ red (fleeting under compound light microscope). Hymenium hyaline, K–, KI– or KI+ pale purple, 80-100 µm tall. Hypothecium dirty orange to light brown, 87-88 µm tall, pseudoparenchymatous. Asci clavate, 77–94(–100) x 15–20 µm (measured at widest part), KI- or KI+ deep blue to violet i.e., members of Clade 8 in Mitchell et al. (2021), +/– 100 spored. Ascospores hyaline, simple, globose, 2–3.5(–4) µm in diam. Paraphyses cylindrical, sometimes clavate apically, straight or bent at the apex, typically unbranched but occasionally branched at apex, terminal cell hyaline, 1.5–2 µm wide.

Chemistry: Gyrophoric acid was detected in the epihymenium of the apothecia (epihymenium C+ red) and confirmed by TLC.

Substrate: Sarea resinae occurs on old resin of pine trees and other conifers.

Distribution: This is a widespread species known from throughout the northern hemisphere in the North American and Eurasian continents.

Notes: Based on the inclusion of specimens from around the globe in our phylogenetic analysis, Sarea resinae appears to be widespread across continents and environments, as also shown in prior studies ( Beimforde et al. 2020, Mitchell et al. 2021, Hashimoto et al. 2021). However, multiple phylogenetic lineages within this species are apparent and future studies may ultimately reveal additional evidence of cryptic diversity within the group. See the notes section under S. cirrhendocarpa for differences between S. resinae and that species as well as and other resinicolous species.

IUCN Conservation Assessment: Sarea resinae is a widespread species globally, with many observations and collections having been made. We therefore assess this species as Least Concern (LC) in the present study (IUCN 2012). These widespread collections include many from the Northern Hemisphere in North America and Eurasia on the resin of numerous host trees. The species, therefore, appears to lack specificity both geographically and ecologically, beyond its restriction to conifers. A paucity of collections of this species in the Southern Hemisphere may be explained by the overlooking of the species owing to its small stature or the relatively lower abundance of coniferous trees in the Southern compared to Northern Hemisphere. This includes the near absence of the family Pinaceae in the Southern Hemisphere, which is the family of trees that all the specimens studied in this manuscript dwelled on.

Specimens studied: USA, Cᴀʟɪғᴏʀɴɪᴀ: Humbolt Co., USA, Cᴀʟɪғᴏʀɴɪᴀ: Humbolt Co., Spruce Cove, on Pinus muricata resin, March 1935, H.E. Parks 5500 (COLO!). USA, Nᴏʀᴛʜ Cᴀʀᴏʟɪɴᴀ: CadmEn Co., North River Game Land, 36°21’24”N 76°13’06”W,on Taxodium resin, 12April 2012, B. Hodkinson 18239 (NY!); Graham Co., Nantahala National Forest, 35°22’1”N 83°37’44”W, 1,960 ft., on Pinus strobus resin, 15 Mar. 2016, J. Lendemer 46549 (COLO!); Haywood Co., Great Smokey National Park, between Mt. Sterling Gap and Summit, 35°42’00”N 83°06’25”W, 4300 ft., on Picea resin, 16 October 2011, E. Tripp & K. Deregibus 2482 (NY!); Swain Co. Great Smokey National Park, between Clingmans Dome and Andrew’s Bald, 35°32’25”N 83°29’36”W, 5800 ft., on Picea resin, 10 October 2011, E. Tripp & J. Lendemer 2242 (NY!). USA, Sᴏᴜᴛʜ Cᴀʀᴏʟɪɴᴀ: OconEE Co., Sumter National Forest, Ellicott Rock Wilderness, 35°00’07”N 83°03’56”W, 3020 ft., on Pinus strobus resin, 18 April 2019, J. Lendemer 46787 (COLO!). USA, TENNESSEE: Blount Co., Great Smokey Mountain National Park, Rabbit Creek trail near junction with Hannah Mountain Trail, 35°35’57”N 83°54’51”W, on Pinus strobus resin, 24 June 2011, E. Tripp et al. 2628 (NY!); Sevier Co., Great Smokey Mountain National Park, Inadu Knob to Mt. Guyot summit, 35°42’22”N 83°15’47”W, 6300 ft., on Picea resin, 11 October 2011, E. Tripp et al. 2396 (NY!).