Ochrolechia longispora Brodo & Q. Ren

Fig. 5

Remark.

Lichenologist 49: 67–84 (2017); Type: China, Shaanxi, Mt. Taibai, Wengong Temple, on Abies, 3600 m elev., 2005, Q. Ren 1081 (SDNU – holotype).

Description.

Thallus greyish-green, thin to thick, verruculose, dull; prothallus distinct, pale yellow, shiny; isidia and soredia absent.

Sexual morph. Apothecia frequent, scattered or crowded, sessile, round, 0.5–1.0 mm diam., disc plane, pale yellow or pinkish, epruinose; margins thick, concolorous with the thallus, higher than disc, smooth or with a few verrucae, shiny. Pycnidia are absent. Hymenium hyaline and colourless, 340–420 μm high, paraphyses are branched, densely aggregated; epihymenium pale brown, 40–50 μm high; hypothecium pale brown (the colour of the epihymenium and hypothecium disappears in a 10 % KOH solution), 45–50 μm high, algae forming a continuous layer in the margin and in scattered clumps below the hypothecium. Asci narrowly clavate, (230) 235–251 (255) × (29) 31–50 (n = 10) μm. Ascospores simple, hyaline, aseptate, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, (78) 82–89 (91) × (32) 35–43 (45) μm (n = 30).

Chemistry.

Thallus and ascomata contain gyrophoric acid, lecanoric acid, lichesterinic acid and traces of protolichesterinic acid (TLC). Thallus cortex: K + pale yellow, C + red, KC + red; medulla: C –; apothecia cortex: K + pale yellow, C + red, KC + red to yellow-green; medulla: C –; disc: C + red; thallus UV –.

Material examined.

China • Guizhou Province, Qiandongnan Prefecture, Leigongshan National Nature Reserve, 26°22'43.41"N, 108°11'42.47"E, 1660 m elev., on bark, 27 October, 2023, Bo Liu and Ze Yang, LGS 213 -2 (KUN-L 96622); • 26°22'43.17"N, 108°11'42.62"E, 1682 m elev., on bark, 27 October, 2023, Bo Liu and Ze Yang, LGS 205 (KUN-L 96623).

Notes.

This study provides the first DNA sequences for Ochrolechia longispora. O. longispora is distinguished by its larger spores and the presence of four specific compounds. Phylogenetic analysis shows that O. longispora is closely related to O. kuankuoshuiensis; however, we confirm that they are separate species. Since the key differences have already been detailed in the previous section, we will not repeat the comparison here.

According to Ren (2017), O. longispora is characterised by a thin, rugose to verruculose thallus; thick, smooth or sparsely verrucose apothecial margins; ascospores measuring 80–90 (– 105) × 32–42 μm; and the presence of gyrophoric acid, protolichesterinic acid, lichesterinic acid and a trace of lecanoric acid. These characteristics show a high degree of concordance with those of our specimens.