Rhizocarpon anaperum new to Svalbard

Abstract

While studying the taxonomy of the non-yellow species of Rhizocarpon DC., with hyaline and muriform ascospores, in the Nordic countries (Ihlen 2004), some specimens of Rhizocarpon from the Svalbard archipelago were also examined. Among this material, we discovered six specimens of Rhizocarpon anaperum (Vain.) Vain. that had been labelled “R. obscuratum”. As R. anaperum is not listed in the recent checklist from Svalbard (Elvebakk & Hertel 1996) or, to our knowledge, in any other paper dealing with the lichen flora of Svalbard, it is here reported new to this archipelago.