Parmotrema marcellii, a new species of Parmeliaceae (lichenized Ascomycota) from Brazil

Abstract

Parmotrema marcellii is described as a new saxicolous species on granitic rocks in the rocky shores of Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil. The rocky shores generally are extensions of rocky mountains, near the coast, reaching the sea floor. They are included among the less studied environments in Brazil and despite showing a remarkable lichenized fungi diversity, just over 10 % of the species on Brazilian rocky shores are supposed to be known. From southern Brazil, a total of 33 species representing the parmelioid lichens and distributed in nine genera are so far known. The Parmotrema species form the largest and most important portion of the lichenized micobiota of this habitat, with over half the number of known species producing medullary salazinic acid. Belonging to this group, the new species presented here is characterized by reticulate maculate upper cortex, bacilliform conidia and marginal to mainly submarginal pustules that usually form dense agglomerations forming no soredia. Herein, we describe this new species and compare it with other morphologically similar species.