Lepraria indica R. Bajpai & Upreti, 2018

Bajpai, Rajesh, Upreti, D. K. & Nayaka, Sanjeeva, 2018, The lichen genera Lepraria (Stereocaulaceae) and Leprocaulon (Leprocaulaceae) in India, Phytotaxa 356 (2), pp. 101-116 : 106-107

12. Lepraria indica R. Bajpai & Upreti , sp. nov

MycoBank No.: MB 825365

Diagnosis: Leprose, cottony, soft, green to light grey, well developed marginal lobes with a weakly raised rim; medulla well developed, white; sorediate, projecting hyphae present.

Type: INDIA: Madhya Pradesh, Anuppur district, Amarkantak, Mai-ki-Bagiya forest, 10-05-2010, on rock over soil, Prajapati A 10-014010/A (Holotype-LWG).

Thallus leprose, cottony to powdery; soft, green to light grey, marginal lobes well developed with weakly raised rim; medulla well developed, usually thick, white; hypothallus rarely present, scarce, pale brown; thallus with soredia, soredia abundant, loosely packed, variable in size, fine, (80–)85–95(–100) μm diam., well separated from each other, projecting hyphae present, short.

Chemistry: Stictic acid, atranorin and zeorin, K+ yellow, C-, KC-, Pd+ yellow.

Ecology and Distribution: The species exhibits a restricted distribution as it is known only from a few localities in the Amarkantak area of Central India. The species grows on rock and soil over rock in mostly tropical areas between altitudes of 150– 500 m.

Etymology: The specific epithet referes to its locality ( India).

Additional specimens examined: MADHYA PRADESH: Anuppur district, Amarkantak, Mai-ki-Bagiya forest, 10-05-2010, on rock over soil, Prajapati A 10-014010/A, Shambhudhara, 10-05-2010, on soil, Prajapati A, 10- 014055(LWG).

Remark: Lepraria indica is a newly described species closely resembling L. lobificans in chemistry but differing in having well developed marginal lobes with slightly raised margins. It also similar to Leprocaulon coriense (Hue) Lendermer & B. P. Hodk , in shape of lobe (weakly raised margin) but differs in chemistry as L. coriense contains only usnic acid and zeorin. It is also similar to L. santosii , but differs in having a well-developed medulla and in the chemistry. L. elobata and L. caesioalba resemble the new species in the presence of stictic acid complex, but both differs in having a diffuse thallus with poorly developed lobes.

The new species resembles L. lobata , L. caesiella , L. isidiata and Leprocaulon corensis in the lobes with a thick raised margin. L. isidiata differs from the new species in having isidia-like granules and presence of protocetraric and fumerprotocetraric acids, while L. lobata , L. caesiella and Leprocaulon coriense have a different chemistry.