Caloplaca bassiae ( Acharius 1803: 5 ) Zahlbruckner (1930: 78)

Kalb, Jutarat & Kalb, Klaus, 2017, New lichen species from Thailand, new combinations and new additions to the Thai lichen biota, Phytotaxa 332 (2), pp. 141-156 : 144

Caloplaca bassiae ( Acharius 1803: 5) Zahlbruckner (1930: 78) . ( Fig. 1B )

This species is characterized by its greyish, greenish or orange, thin, continuous and smooth thallus which is almost totally covered by coralloid, orange (when growing in well-lit situations) or greenish-grey (when growing in the shade), branched isidia. As it is the only isidiate Caloplaca species so far recorded for Thailand, it is easily identified even when sterile (although sterile specimens can be confused with Letrouitia leprolyta (Nyl.) Hafellner ).

Distribution and habitat:—A pantropical species, usually growing on bark of various trees in light and open situations. We collected it in northern Thailand in ± dry evergreen forests from 1185–1500 m.

Material examined from Thailand:— Chiang Rai province: Khun Tan district ; tambon Yang Hom, Phaya Pipak Forest Park, in a dry evergreen forest, 1185 m, 19°51’52’’ N, 100°20’04’’ E, 10 December 2016, J. & K. Kalb 41911 (with apothecia; Hb. K. & J. Kalb)— Chiang Mai province: Mae On, descent from Doi Mon Lam to Mae Kam Pong village , in an evergreen forest dominated by Lithocarpus, Quercus, Castanopsis etc., 1500 m, 18°51’22’’ N, 99°22’02’’ E, 19 March 2008, K. Kalb et al. 36852 (sterile; Hb. K. & J. Kalb) .

Remarks:—A similar species, viz. Caloplaca clavatoisidiata S. Y. Kondr., Kärnefelt & J. Vondrák ( Kondratyuk et al. 2009: 265) was recently described from Australia, but this species differs by a distinctly areolate thallus with unbranched, non-coralloid, clavate isidia.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. Acanthothecis consocians (J.S. & K.K., KK37067; scale 0.5 mm); B. Caloplaca bassiae (J.K. & K.K, KJK 41911; scale 0.4 mm); C. Chapsa pulchra (K.K. et al., KK 39153; scale 0.5 mm); D. Constrictolumina leucostoma (K.K. et al., KK 40863; scale 0.5 mm); E. Allographa stictilabiata, section through ascoma showing the striate exciple (scale 100 μm); F. Allographa stictilabiata (K.K. & Poengsungnoen, KK 38768; scale 1 mm); G. Graphis aphaneomicrospora (K.K. et al., KK 38387; scale 0.8 mm); H. Graphis balaghatensis (J.S. & K.K., KJK 41380; scale 0.5 mm).