Staurolemma omphalarioides (Pannariaceae, Ascomycota), a new species and genus for the lichen flora of Russia from Abrau Peninsula (North-Western Caucasus)

Abstract

The genus Staurolemma Körb., represented by the species S. omphalarioides (Anzi) P. M. Jørg. et Henssen, identified both by morphology and using DNA barcoding (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 gene), is reported for the first time for Russia, based on materials collected in the North-Western Caucasus in the Utrish Reserve on the Abrau Peninsula. The genus Staurolemma is widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics, and only one species S. omphalarioides, has a Mediterranean-Atlantic area. As in the Mediterranean basin, in the Abrau Peninsula, the species is confined to warm and humid habitats on the Black Sea coast, where it grows in sub-Mediterranean plant communities, in oak-juniper and juniper-pistachio forests, on the trunks and branches of deciduous trees, mainly on Pistacia mutica Fisch. et C. A. Mey. and Quercus pubescens Willd. Description and photo of species are given with a discussion on their taxonomy and distribution. For some studied specimens, new rITS sequences were generated and their GenBank accession numbers are provided.