Cladonia arbuscula subsp. boliviana (Ahti) Ahti & DePriest (2001: 500)

Yánez-Ayabaca, A., Ahti, T. & Bungartz, F., 2013, The Family Cladoniaceae (Lecanorales) in the Galapagos Islands, Phytotaxa 129 (1), pp. 1-33 : 6

Cladonia arbuscula subsp. boliviana (Ahti) Ahti & DePriest (2001: 500)

( Figs. 1c–d )

Primary thallus evanescent; podetia forming cushions, slender, whitish gray, up to 12 cm tall, sparsely branched; branching pattern anisotomic, dichotomous, rarely trichotomous, principal axes easily distinguishable; axils occasionally perforate; tips typically slightly brown; surface ecorticate, barely verruculose; algal clumps (glomerules) often observed on the surface of old podetia; pycnidia with hyaline jelly; apothecia brown.

Spot tests and chemistry: P−, K−, C−, KC−, UV−; all Galapagos material examined contains only usnic acid (chemotype II of Ahti 2000).

Distribution and ecology: Currently known only from a single collection from the humid zone of Isabela Island; forming lichen heaths in sunny, wind- and rain-exposed habitat among ferns ( Pteridium arachnoideum , Pernettya howellii , Lycopodium sp. ).

Notes: The species is similar to C. confusa f. bicolor , but that species differs by thinner, more densely branched podetia and a ramification pattern where no principal axes can clearly be distinguished.

The axil perforation observed in the Galapagos material of C. arbuscula subsp. boliviana is not mentioned by Ahti (2000).

Selected specimens examined: ECUADOR. GALAPAGOS: Isabela Island, Volcán Alcedo, 1970, Prichard ( H, LSU), Volcán Sierra Negra, close to the southern crater rim, along the trail to Alemania , 0°51’12.69”S, 91°8’40.5”W, 1055 m, humid zone, on soil, 16 Aug. 2008, Bungartz, F. 8338 ( CDS 40984) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. a–b Cladia aggregata (Bungartz 3971). a bifurcate apices of the pseudopodetia (scale 5 mm); b close-up with characteristic oval perforations (scale 3 mm). c–d Cladonia arbuscula subsp. boliviana (Bungartz 8338). c general thallus aspect (scale 5 mm); d podetial apices showing the predominantly anisotomic dichotomous branching pattern (scale 5 mm). e–f Cladonia arcuata (Bungartz 7495); e general thallus aspect (scale 3 mm); f podetial apices showing the predominantly isotomic dichotomous branching pattern (scale 2 mm).