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Australian Biological Resources Study

 
 
Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories
     
Introduction | A–D | E–O | P–R | S–Z | Oceanic Islands | References
     
     
Kantvilasia hians P.M.McCarthy, Elix & Sérus.
     
  Lichenologist 32: 319 (2000). T: Tasmania, c. 2 km SW of Stormont, 41°31'S, 146°00'E, alt. 800 m, on leaves of Atherospema moschatum at edge of rainforest, 27 June 1999, G.Kantvilas 306/99 (Holo—HO 445410; iso—CANB, LG, herb. Lücking).  
     
  Thallus whitish, pale grey or pale greyish green, sometimes with a faint blue tint, 15–25 µm thick, comprising ±round, dispersed or contiguous patches, 1–4 mm wide, or forming continuous colonies to 20 mm wide and covering much of the leaf surface; thallus surface smooth, dull, not or only sparingly cracked. Algae chlorococcoid; cells 5–12 µm diam. Mycobiont hyphae hyaline, long-celled, anastomosing, 2–3(–4) mm wide. Prothallus usually distinct, silvery grey, bluish grey or bluish black, delimiting larger colonies and linking dispersed thalline 'islands'; hyphae similar to those of thallus, but hyphal walls often bluish grey. Apothecia very numerous, scattered, superficial, frequently growing directly from the prothallus, not or very slightly attenuated at the base, (0.19–)0.25(–0.32) mm diam. [n = 96], epruinose in all parts and at all stages of development, at first plane to slightly convex, with a dark bluish grey disc and a very thin, slightly paler proper exciple. Mature apothecia strongly convex, blackish, superficially without visible trace of the exciple; surface often quite rough, soft and somewhat translucent when wetted. Exciple pale grey (thin section), prosenchymatous, not containing crystals, 20–40 µm thick, not or scarcely subtending the hypothecium, composed of rather thin-walled, radiating hyphae; cells ellipsoidal to elongate, 8–15 × 4–6 µm. Epithecium diffusely medium to dark grey-green, this colour extending into the upper parts of the hymenium and with faint vertical streaks extending down between the asci to the hypothecium. Hypothecium dark greenish grey to greenish black, colour deepening in K, then often with a purplish tone, 50–80 µm thick. Hymenium 50–90 µm thick, not inspersed with oil droplets, granules or crystals. Paraphyses richly anastomosing throughout the hymenium, 1–2 µm wide. Asci clavate to clavate-cylindrical, monosporous, with a tapering stalk, 58–80 × 22–34 µm [n =15]; apex of submature asci with a thick tholus, sometimes containing a small, convex, ocular chamber-like extrusion of the ascoplasma (often indistinct); side walls 2–4 µm thick; ascoplasma IKI-. Ascospores colourless, broadly to elongate-ellipsoid or short-cylindrical, muriform, with 13–17 transverse divisions, each transverse loculus with 4–6 longitudinal divisions (the first 3–5 transverse septa often remaining well-defined to maturity), lacking a perispore, often projecting through the surface of old apothecia, (37–)50(–68) × (16–)22(–28) µm [n = 75]. Campylidia moderately numerous, 0.29–0.48 mm wide, 0.25–0.45 mm tall, pale grey at the base, dark grey to blackish towards the apex; lateral flaps folded inwards and contiguous when dry, pulpy and somewhat translucent when wetted, and separating to expose the conidiogenous layer; postmature campylidia rather papery, dark grey to blackish throughout. Conidiogenous cells simple, 5–8 µm long, 1.5–2.5 µm wide, present on all inner surfaces including lateral flaps; outer surface of flaps with a palisade-like layer of cells similar to but thicker than conidiogenous cells. Conidia simple, broadly ellipsoid, oval or obovate, 5–8 × 3–4.5 µm; contents granular, usually monoguttulate. CHEMISTRY: Three lichen substances (by HPLC): atranorin (minor), an unknown depsidone with retention properties and ultraviolet spectrum very similar to that of argopsin (major), and a second unknown depsidone with retention properties and ultraviolet spectrum very similar to that of methyl virensate (submajor).
     
  Grows on the smooth, glossy upper surface of mature leaves of Atherosperma moschatum (Atherospermataceae) at the edge of a rather narrow corridor of high-altitude, callidendrous rainforest in western Tas.; also in southern Argentina and Chile.  
     
   
     
     
  McCarthy et al. (2000)  

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Introduction | A–D | E–O | P–R | S–Z | Oceanic Islands | References
 
 
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This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission from Australian Biological Resources Study. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed in the first instance to Dr P. McCarthy. These pages may not be displayed on, or downloaded to, any other server without the express permission of ABRS.


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