Polyblastidium Kalb, 2015

Mongkolsuk, Pachara, Meesim, Sanya, Poengsungnoen, Vasun, Buaruang, Kawinnat, Schumm, Felix & Kalb, Klaus, 2015, The lichen family Physciaceae in Thailand-II. Contributions to the genus Heterodermia sensu lato, Phytotaxa 235 (1), pp. 448-450 : 448-450

Polyblastidium Kalb , gen. nov.

Mycobank MB 813826

Similar to Heterodermia s.str., but differing in having an arachnoid lower surface and mostly ascospores of Polyblastidia - type. Type species:— Polyblastidium japonicum (M. Satô) Kalb ; Anaptychia dendritica var. japonica M. Satô, J. Jap. Bot. 12: 427 (1936);

38 • Phytotaxa 235 (1) © 2015 Magnolia Press

MONGKOLSUK ET AL.

Anaptychia japonica (M. Satô) Kurok., Beih. Nova Hedwigia 6: 58 (1962). Type :— TAIWAN. Mt. Arisan, Mingestu, 24 January 1936, M. Satô (Taiwan 10) (holotype TI n.v.); Heterodermia japonica (M. Sato) Swinscow & Krog, Lichenologist 8: 122 (1976).

Etymology:—Among other features, ascospores often with many (Gr. = polys) sporo blastidia distinguish this genus from Heterodermia s.str.

The new genus is characterized by a thallus with lobes appressed to the substrate which do not or only ascend slightly towards the tips, a paraplectenchymatous upper cortex, an ecorticate ± compact or arachnoid lower surface without rhizines (marginal rhizines are present); apothecia which are laminal, brown, ascospores thick-walled, 1- septate with 1–3 sporoblastidia (Polyblastidia - type), very rarely without sporoblastidia (e.g. P. hypoleuca and P. microphyllum ). Polyblastidium contains many species of Anaptychia Körb. sect. Polyblastidium Kurok. ser. Polyblastidium Kurok. , but the type of this series, Physcia speciosa (Wulfen) Nyl. *obscurata Nyl. , has a lower surface with a superimposed layer of cotton-woolly hyphae, impregnated by yellow to orange-brown pigments, hence this species together with similar ones belongs in another group, unrelated to Polyblastidium (see below).