Indian Lichens Research Articles

Two new species and additional records of Coenogonium (Ostropales: Coenogoniaceae) from India

Two corticolous species of Coenogonium viz., C. pseudonepalense and C. submoniliforme are described as new to science. Coenogonium pseudonepalense is characterized by a crustose, greenish‐grey thallus, pale‐orange apothecial disc and 13.0–17.0 × 2.5–3.0 µm ascospores. Coenogonium submoniliforme is characterized by appressed‐filamentous thallus, small‐sized apothecia (up to 0.4 mm in diameter), pale orange apothecial disc and 14.0–18.0 × 2.8–3.8 µm ascospores. Coenogonium lueckingii and C. pineti are new records for Indian lichen biota. An updated world key to the known species of Coenogonium is also provided.

New additional records of lichenized fungi to Indian lichen biota

New additional records of lichenized fungi to Indian lichen biota

New species and new records of lichen genus Anisomeridium (Müll. Arg.) M. Choisy (Monoblastiaceae) from India

A new species Anisomeridium subphaeospermum is described and illustrated in the present article from Uttar Pradesh, India. It is characterized by a UV- (Negative) thallus, 8-spored asci, biseriate, brown, transversally 1-septate and broadly elliptical ascospores. Additionally, 6 species namely A. adnexum, A. americanum, A. quaternarium, A. subnectendum, A. tuckerae and A. uniseriale are reported as new records for Indian lichen biota along with a key of 26 species of the genus currently known from India.

The Lichen Flora of Pachmarhi-I

The lichen flora of India has only been partially investigated. A perusal of the literature on Indian lichens has revealed that the lichen flora of Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh) has remained totally unexplored. The present paper gives an account of the taxonomic investigations carried out by the author on the forest areas of Pachmarhi, which includes 5 species viz: Graphina pertricosa, G. junghuhnii, Parmelia cooperii, P. tinctorum, Leptotrema wightii, and the former two are new reports from India.

Lichens of the Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah

The paper deals with 49 taxa of lichens collected from the Indian Botanic Garden, Howrah. Out of these, Dirinaria confluens var. coccinea and Bacidia submedialis are reported new to Indian lichen flora. Distinguishing characters for each species are given to facilitate the identification.

New additions to lichenicolous mycota of India

The current study documents the presence of twelve lichenicolous fungi from India that were previously unknown from the country. These fungi include Cercidospora solearispora, Endococcus verrucosus, Lichenopeltella leptogii, Lichenostigma dimelaenae, Polycoccum aksoyi, P. evae, P. kerneri, Rosellinula haplospora, Scutula milliaris, Sphaerellothecium parmotrematis and Stigmidium ramalinae. Moreover, this research reveals that Cladophialophora parmeliae has expanded its distributional range in India. These newly documented lichenicolous fungi provide valuable insights into the biodiversity and ecological dynamics of the Indian lichen flora, throwing light on previously unexplored aspects of fungal diversity in the region.

A taxonomic revision of lichen genus Phaeophyscia Moberg (Physciaceae) with new records from India

The present study recorded 18 species including four new records of the genus viz. Phaeophyscia hirtuosa (Kremp.) Essl., P. laciniata Essl., P. nashii Essl., and P. rubropulchra (Degel.) Essl., for Indian lichen biota. Out of 18 species of Phaeophyscia reported from India, the northern region of the country showed rich diversity of Phaeophyscia species represented by 15 species followed by eastern and southern region with 9 and 6 species, respectively. Phaeophyscia hispidula is the dominant species.

Cetrelia isidiata (Asahina) W.L. Culb. & C.F. Culb. (Parmeliaceae) – an addition to the Indian lichen biota

Cetrelia isidiata (Asahina) W.L. Culb. & C.F. Culb., is characterized by the presence of isidia, pseudocyphellae on thallus, and containing anziaic acid. The species is reported here as an addition to the Indian lichen biota from Arunachal Pradesh. A detailed description along with key to isidiate species of the genus known is provided.

An enumeration of lichen diversity from Ultapani Forest Range of Kokrajhar District, Assam with <i>Ocellularia calvescens</i> and<i>Rhabdodiscus</i> <i>subcavatus</i>, two new records in India

The occurence of 52 species of lichens belonging to 25 genera and 14 families from Ultapani, Saralpara and Labanyapur of Ultapani Forest Range of Kokrajhar district, Assam (India) is provided. The majority of the species are crustose with 43 species, foliose with seven species and fruticose and squamulose with one species each. This study added two new records <italic>Ocellularia calvescens</italic> (Fée) Müll. Arg. and <italic>Rhabdodiscus subcavatus</italic> (Nyl.) Rivas Plata, Lücking &amp; Lumbsch for the first time to the Indian lichen biota. The family Diploschistaceae and Graphidaceae show luxuriant growth in the area followed by Pyrenulaceae and Trichotheliaceae. The genera <italic>Ocellularia</italic> is dominant with seven species followed by <italic>Pyrenula</italic> and <italic>Porina</italic> with six and four species respectively. Among the three areas, Ultapani showed maximum diversity of lichens compared to the other two. The dominance of Diploschistaceae and Graphidaceae members indicates semi-evergreen and moist deciduous forest as well as smooth bark trees in the region that provides healthy forest with ecological continuity.

A new record of pyrenocarpous lichen to the Indian biota

Pyrenula subglabrata (Nyl.) Müll. Arg. is reported as a new find to Indian lichen biota from Arunachal Pradesh and Tamil Nadu states. The species is found growing on smooth bark trees of both the regions.

Current Taxonomy of the Lichen Family Teloschistaceae from India with Descriptions of New Species

The present study recorded 36 genera and 115 species of the lichen family Teloschistaceae in India. Three species, i.e. Caloplaca rajasthanica S. Y. Kondr., Upreti et G. P. Sinha, Huriella upre- tiana S. Y. Kondr., G. K. Mishra, Nayaka et A. Thell, and Squamulea uttarkashiana S. Y. Kondr., Upreti, Nayaka et A. Thell, are described as new species. Seven new combinations, i.e. Fulgo- gasparrea awasthii (Y. Joshi et Upreti) S. Y. Kondr., Upreti et A. Thell, Neobrownliella cinnabarina (Ach.) S. Y. Kondr., Upreti et A. Thell, Neobrownliella holochracea (Nyl.) S. Y. Kondr., Upreti et A. Thell, Opeltia flavorubescens (Huds.) S. Y. Kondr. et J.-S. Hur, Oxneriopsis bassiae (Willd. ex Ach.) S. Y. Kondr., Upreti et J.-S. Hur, Upretia hueana (B. de Lesd.) S. Y. Kondr. et Upreti and Megaspora subpoliotera (Y. Joshi et Upreti) S. Y. Kondr., Upreti et A. Thell, are proposed based on nrITS phylogeny in the Teloschistaceae and Megasporaceae consequently. Validation of combination Olegblumia demissa is provided. Molecular data on Fulgogasparrea awasthii andMegaspora subpoliotera are recorded from India for the first time. Four new genera including one species each, i.e. Lazarenkoiopsis ussuriensis (Oxner, S. Y. Kondr. et Elix) S. Y. Kondr., L. őkö et J.-S. Hur, Mikhtomia gordejevii (Tomin) S. Y. Kondr., Kärnefelt, Elix, A. Thell, J. Kim, A. S. Kondratiuk et J.-S. Hur, Olegblumia demissa (Flot.) S. Y. Kondr., L. őkö, J. Kim, A. S. Kond- ratiuk, S.-O. Oh et J.-S. Hur and Pachypeltis intrudens (H. Magn.) Sochting Froden et Arup, as well as the genus Megaspora are reported as new for the Indian lichen biota.Out of the eight lichenogeographical regions of India, the Western Himalayas show the maximum diversity of Teloschistaceae members represented with 110 species followed by the Central Indian region with 38 species. The lichen genus Caloplaca is represented with 50 species in the country followed by Athallia and Rusavskia with 6 species each. The saxi- colous taxa exhibit dominance with 65 species whereas the corticolous and terricolous taxa are represented by 48 and 9 species, respectively. Among the different states of India, Ut- tarakhand showed the maximum diversity represented by 54 species followed by the state of Jammu &amp; Kashmir with 37 species, whereas the Jharkhand and Meghalaya states are represented only by the occurrence of a single species each. A key to the genera and species together with the description, basionyms and synonyms of each species are provided.

Two new records of Lichens for India from Maharashtra

Malmidea subgranifera (Kalb &amp; Elix) Kalb &amp; Elix and Thelotrema porinaceum Müll.Arg. are discovered as new records for Indian lichen biota from the state of Maharashtra. Brief descriptions are provided for the species with ecology, distribution and illustrations to facilitate their identification.

Three new records of lichenised fungi from India

Three lichen species, namely Amandinea errata and Baculifera xylophila, belonging to family Caliciaceae, and Baeomyces rufus, of family Baeomycetaceae, are newly reported for the Indian lichen biota. A brief morphotaxonomic description of each species, along with their ecology and distribution, is also provided.

Bathelium porinosporum Lücking, M.P. Nelsen &amp; Gueidan (lichenized Ascomycota: Trypetheliaceae), a new record for Indian lichen mycota with a key to Indian species

Bathelium porinosporum Lücking, M.P. Nelsen &amp; Gueidan is reported as a new record for Indian lichen mycota. A key to all known Indian species is provided to facilitate their identification.

Three New Records of Lichens from India

Three lichen species viz. Clauzadea immersa, Crocynia gossypina and Dermatocarpon reticulatum are reported new to Indian lichen flora. All the species are appended here with diagnostic characteristics, ecology and the details of specimens examined.

Additions to the checklist of Indian lichens after 2010

The present communication includes a list of 411 species of lichens under 147 genera reported or described from India after the publication of “Indian Lichens: An Annotated Checklist” by Singh and Sinha (2010). According to latest issue of Plant Discoveries 2016 (Singh and Dash, 2017) 2511 species of lichens are known from India. However, a thorough collation including less popular and online journals where taxonomic novelties in the form of new records are not mentioned, revealed significant increase during the past seven years. By addition of 411 species to the list of Singh and Sinha (2010), now the total number of lichens for India raises up to 2714 species. However, due to nomenclature changes and synonymy, revisions, etc. this data may change. Few species which were not included in Singh and Sinha (2010) are also included in this list. Species simply transferred to other genera without affecting the number tally are not listed here. Like-wise obligate lichenicolous and non-lichenized fungi are not included in the present list. The current list indicates that large number of taxa are reported from the family Graphidaceae (106 spp.) where genus Graphis alone counts 34 species. Large number of taxa are also reported from order Arthoniales (52 species) with Opegrapha representing 17 species. The species listed here follows the pattern of; species name (in bold), reference, and name of the state from where the species is reported. For the references cited in this paper readers may refer ‘Bibliography to the Indian lichens from the year 2010 onwards’ by Joseph et. al. (2018) published in the same issue of this journal.

Bibliography to the Indian lichens from the year 2010 onwards

Lichen research in India observed a rapid development in the recent years. Singh and Sinha (2010) in their publication “Indian Lichens: An Annotated Checklist” listed most of the references available untill the book was sent to press. In continuation of the same in this communication we gather a total of 638 research articles, books and Ph.D. thesis published since 2010. The missing publication (if any) in this list as well as new ones would be listed in the last issue of every forthcoming volume of the journal. myresearchjournals

New records and an updated key of Pyrenula from India

Pyrenula andina, P. atropurpurea, P. bahiana , P. caracasana, P. macrospora, P. massariospora, P. pseudobufonia , P. subducta, P. subgregantula and P. tristissima are described as new records for Indian lichen flora. An updated key to all Pyrenula species so far known from India is also presented.

Three new records of lichens in the family graphidoid Graphidaceae for India

Three species, Diorygma microsporum M. Cáceres &amp; Lücking; Fissurina aggregatula Common &amp; Lücking from the state of Sikkim and Graphis consanguinea (Müll. Arg.) Lücking, from Tamil Nadu state are reported as new records to Indian lichen biota. These are described and illustrated to facilitate their identification.

Replacement names of two Indian Lichens

While working on checklist of Indian Lichens (Singh and Sinha 2010) a few new combinations were published. Out of these, two species were found as later homonyms. These require replacement names (ICN, 2012: Article 6.11, 41). The same is proposed below.