Ramalina paludosa, a New Species from Florida

Abstract

The new species Ramalina paludosa is a small caespitose plant occurring sporadically throughout Florida on Taxodium distichum in swamps. It is morphologically and chemically distinct from the other species of Ramalina in Florida. Although there are nine species of Ramalina in Florida, the genus is generally uncommon except near the coast. However, I found a small and apparently undescribed Ramalina to be quite common in inland swamps. The new species, R. paludosa, has probably been overlooked because of its small size and its habitat in swamps, and because of a generally poor representation of Florida lichens in herbaria. Ramalina paludosa is usually smaller than R. complanata (Sw.) Ach. and R. denticulata (Eschw.) Nyl., the other compressed, tuberculate species of Ramalina in Florida. In addition, the medullary reaction of the new species is C+ red rather than Cas in R. complanata and R. denticulata. For discussion of the chemistry of R. paludosa, see Culberson (1967). Single specimens sometimes occur on fence posts and hardwood trees, but R. paludosa is abundant only on Taxodium distichum (bald cypress). It is generally most common on the upper branches of Taxodium except at the edges of swamps where it is on the twigs, the lower branches, and even the trunks. Ramalina paludosa is sporadically distributed but locally abundant in swamps throughout the state (Fig. 1). However, while it is quite abundant in some swamps, it may be entirely lacking from similar sites nearby. 1 Research carried out under National Science Foundation Grant GB-1239 to Duke University. 2 Department of Botany, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27706. This content downloaded from 157.55.39.177 on Wed, 16 Nov 2016 04:33:57 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 316 THE BRYOLOGIST [Volume 70 FIGURE 1. The known distribution of Ramalina paludosa. Ramalina paludosa B. Moore, sp. nov. (Fig. 2). Thallus parvus, caespitosus, ramosissimus, ramulis compressis sed ad apicem teretibus. Apothecia terminalia vel subterminalia, 1-5 mm lata; sporae ellipsoideae, 1-septatae, 3-5 X 9-12/,. Cortex K-; medulla, K-, C+ rubescens, KC+ rubescens, PD-. Acidum usnicum in cortice et acidum cryptochlorophaeicum in medulla. Thallus greenish, caespitose, small, usually less than 3 cm long, much branched, usually dichotomously; branches 0.5-1 mm broad, compressed in part but terete at the tips, tuberculate. Apothecia common, terminal or subterminal, 1-5 mm broad, the disk tan, convex or flat; spores ellipsoid, 1-septate, 3-5 X 9-12 /u. Cortex K-; medulla K-, C+ red, KC+ red, PD-. Usnic acid in the cortex and cryptochlorophaeic acid in the medulla. Type: FLORIDA. GILCHRIST CO.: Trenton, Moore 3897 (DUKE-holotype).