Abstract
Two new Micarea species, M. minuta and M. pseudotsugae, are described from the Netherlands based on morphological, chemical and molecular data. Micarea minuta belongs to the M. denigrata group and can be distinguished from other similar species of this group by its small apothecia, Sedifolia-grey pigment in the epihymenium, mostly 1-septate and small ascospores, 40–80 μm wide mesopycnidia, and the lack of secondary lichen metabolites detectable by thin-layer chromatography. Micarea pseudotsugae is a member of the M. prasina group and is characterized by an areolate, granular to subsquamulose thallus, the presence of methoxymicareic acid, the lack of Sedifolia-grey pigment, the presence of crystals (visible in polarized light) in the apothecia only, and one type of conidia (mesoconidia). The phylogenetic position of the newly described species was studied based on mtSSU rDNA marker analysis; M. minuta was found to be closely related to M. denigrata, M. nitschkeana and M. subnigrata, while M. pseudotsugae was found to be closely related to M. byssacea and M. laeta. Notes on secondary chemistry, ecology, distribution and phylogeny are given.
Highlights
The lichen genus Micarea has recently been studied intensively, and several new species have been recognized worldwide (Aptroot & Cáceres 2014; Brand et al 2014; van den Boom & Ertz 2014; Guzow-Krzemińska et al 2016, 2019a; van den Boom et al 2017a, b; 2018; Kantvilas 2018; Launis & Myllys 2019; Launis et al 2019a, b)
Micarea minuta belongs to the Micarea denigrata group, and M. pseudotsugae belongs to the M. prasina group
Material of the two new species was collected by the first author in the Netherlands except for one collection made in Belgium, all deposited in LG, UGDA and the private herbarium of the first author
Summary
The lichen genus Micarea has recently been studied intensively, and several new species have been recognized worldwide (Aptroot & Cáceres 2014; Brand et al 2014; van den Boom & Ertz 2014; Guzow-Krzemińska et al 2016, 2019a; van den Boom et al 2017a, b; 2018; Kantvilas 2018; Launis & Myllys 2019; Launis et al 2019a, b). The highly supported M. micrococca clade consists mostly of species containing methoxymicareic acid as shown by Guzow-Krzemińska et al (2019a) and Launis et al (2019a, b). Van den Boom), LG DNA 4239 Andersen 178a (BG) Launis 67113, DNA A340 (H) Koffman 399
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