Interesting Lichens Research Articles

Some interesting lichens on volcanic rocks in the inland regions of the Iberian Peninsula

We report the first record of Acarospora insolata, A. irregularis, Caloplaca interna, Endocarpon adsurgens, and Flavoplaca limonia in the Iberian Peninsula. The species inhabit volcanic rocks in the Spanish Central Volcanic Region. This finding represents a significant expansion of the distribution range of these five species.

Mi'kmaw knowledge helps uncover a new area of interesting lichen biodiversity on the island of Newfoundland (Ktaqmkuk)

Mi'kmaw knowledge helps uncover a new area of interesting lichen biodiversity on the island of Newfoundland (Ktaqmkuk)

Discovery and excavation of lichen bioactive natural products.

Lichen natural products are a tremendous source of new bioactive chemical entities for drug discovery. The ability to survive in harsh conditions can be directly correlated with the production of some unique lichen metabolites. Despite the potential applications, these unique metabolites have been underutilized by pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries due to their slow growth, low biomass availability, and technical challenges involved in their artificial cultivation. At the same time, DNA sequence data have revealed that the number of encoded biosynthetic gene clusters in a lichen is much higher than in natural products, and the majority of them are silent or poorly expressed. To meet these challenges, the one strain many compounds (OSMAC) strategy, as a comprehensive and powerful tool, has been developed to stimulate the activation of silent or cryptic biosynthetic gene clusters and exploit interesting lichen compounds for industrial applications. Furthermore, the development of molecular network techniques, modern bioinformatics, and genetic tools is opening up a new opportunity for the mining, modification, and production of lichen metabolites, rather than merely using traditional separation and purification techniques to obtain small amounts of chemical compounds. Heterologous expressed lichen-derived biosynthetic gene clusters in a cultivatable host offer a promising means for a sustainable supply of specialized metabolites. In this review, we summarized the known lichen bioactive metabolites and highlighted the application of OSMAC, molecular network, and genome mining-based strategies in lichen-forming fungi for the discovery of new cryptic lichen compounds.

First Taxonomic study of the Lichens in the Tlemcen National Park (Case of Hafir Forest)

The objective of this work is the inventory of lichens in the Hafir forest, it is part of a more general project aimed at studying the lichen flora of the Tlemcen region. The Hafir forest is one of the last Algerian mountainous cork oak forests belonging to the Bético Rifain complex. Our study area enjoys a Mediterranean climate, subhumid with cool winters. Based mainly on random sampling, giving particular importance to the different types of substrate, we were able to sample 73 species of lichens belonging to 16 families and 38 genera. Among these, the Parmeliaceae family is the most dominant with 19 species followed by the Lecanoraceae family which is represented by 14 species and the Physciaceae by 13 species. The physiognomic spectrum shows the presence of 06 lichen categories: foliaceous lichens, crustaceans, fruticose, gelatinous, scaly and leprous. While the classification by type of substrate shows the dominance of corticolous lichens with 48 species followed by saxicolous with 13 species, terricolous with 06 in number and lignicoles and muscicoles with 03 species each. We were able to identify 18 species protected by Algerian law among inventoried lichens. The Hafir forest is home to a very interesting lichen diversity that deserves to be protected, which requires immediate intervention to reduce the anthropogenic pressure exerted and which can pollute this natural environment.
 Keywords:Lichen - Biodiversity-Sampling- Inventory- Tlemcen

A long-read amplicon approach to scaling up the metabarcoding of lichen herbarium specimens.

Reference sequence databases are critical to the accurate detection and identification of fungi in the environment. As repositories of large numbers of well-curated specimens, herbaria and fungal culture collections have the material resources to generate sequence data for large number of taxa, and could therefore allow filling taxonomic gaps often present in reference sequence databases. Financial resources to do that are however often lacking, so that recent efforts have focused on decreasing sequencing cost by increasing the number of multiplexed samples per sequencing run while maintaining high sequence quality. Following a previous study that aimed at decreasing sequencing cost for lichen specimens by generating fungal ITS barcodes for 96 specimens using PacBio amplicon sequencing, we present a method that further decreases lichen specimen metabarcoding costs. A total of 384 mixed DNA extracts obtained from lichen herbarium specimens, mostly from the four genera Buellia, Catillaria, Endocarpon and Parmotrema, were used to generate new fungal ITS sequences using a Sequel I sequencing platform and the PacBio M13 barcoded primers. The average success rate across all taxa was high (86.5%), with particularly high rates for the crustose saxicolous taxa (Buellia, Catillaria and others; 93.3%) and the terricolous squamulose taxa (Endocarpon and others; 96.5%). On the other hand, the success rate for the foliose genus Parmotrema was lower (60.4%). With this taxon sampling, greater specimen age did not appear to impact sequencing success. In fact, the 1966–1980 collection date category showed the highest success rate (97.3%). Compared to the previous study, the abundance-based sequence denoising method showed some limitations, but the cost of generating ITS barcodes was further decreased thanks to the higher multiplexing level. In addition to contributing new ITS barcodes for specimens of four interesting lichen genera, this study further highlights the potential and challenges of using new sequencing technologies on collection specimens to generate DNA sequences for reference databases.

Epiphytic lichens of the sacred natural site “Bosco di Sant’Antonio” (Majella National Park – Abruzzo)

Sacred Natural Sites are relevant for biodiversity conservation, as in the case of forest sites that, across centuries, developed old growth structures and are now crucial for the conservation of epiphytic lichens and other specialized forest organisms. In this study, we investigated the epiphytic lichen flora of a small forest patch included in the Majella National Park (Abruzzo), whose old growth features and naturalness reflect its long lasting spiritual role that perfectly fits with the concept of Sacred Natural Site. Results revealed that the “Bosco di Sant’Antonio” hosts a rich and interesting epiphytic lichen flora, thus indicating the potential of this Sacred Natural Site for lichen conservation. Fifty-six species were found including two species newly recorded in Abruzzo, two red-listed species, and the sensitive species Lobariapulmonaria. This study corroborates the hypothesis that sacred forest sites are relevant for the conservation of specialized epiphytic lichens. In particular, in the Italian forest landscape where old-growth stands are practically absent, sacred forest sites may provide unique old-growth structures and buffer anthropogenic disturbance.

Rare or interesting lichen species new to China

During recent studies on the microlichens from Mount Taibai in Qinling Mountains of northwestern China, Bryobilimbia hypnorum, Catillaria nigroclavata, Mycobilimbia tetramera, Placidiopsis pseudocinerea, and Toninia diffracta were revealed as new records for China or mainland China. Illustrations and detailed taxonomic descriptions are provided for these five newly reported species.

Several Interesting Lichens and Bryophytes from Mount Washington, New Hampshire

The presence on Mount Washington of the rare species Cladonia macrophylla and C. trassii are validated. In addition, several other rare arctic-alpine lichens and bryophytes are reported and/or discussed.

New and interesting lichens and allied fungi from British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec, Canada

New and interesting lichens and allied fungi from British Columbia, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec, Canada

New and interesting lichens from Panama

The following five new species are described from Panama: Anisomeridium trichialis, Arthothelium isidiatum, Astrothelium flavomegaspermum, Mycocalicium chiodectonicola and Polymeridium xanthopleurothecium. In addition, 41 species are reported from Panama for the first time.

Atranorin - An Interesting Lichen Secondary Metabolite.

Atranorin, a compound with the depside structure, is one of the most common lichen secondary metabolites, characteristic for numerous lichen families but rarely found in some mosses and higher plants. Over the years various biological properties of atranorin were examined. This review summarizes the studies on atranorin, focusing on a number of biological activities in different fields. The literature describes anti-inflammatory, analgesic, as well as wound healing, antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic, antioxidant, antiviral, and immunomodulatory activities of the depside. Furthermore, lack of toxicity of atranorin was confirmed in the animals' in vivo assays. In conclusion, atranorin seems to be an interesting lichen substance, which needs to be investigated in more detail in order to allow further applications, e.g. in pharmacy, medicine or cosmetology.

Further new or interesting lichens and lichenicolous fungi from La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain)

Forty-five taxa of lichens and lichenicolous fungi are recorded from La Palma for the first time. Twelve are new to the Canary Islands archipelago. One further species, Didymocyrtis canarienis, is described as new for science. The total number of known taxa from the island La Palma has raised to 874. An alphabetical annotated species list of all taxa with collection localities, substrate and occasional further annotations is presented.

New and interesting lichen records from the Ural Mountains, Russia

Ten species of lichenized ascomycetes are reported from the Urals. Aspicilia spermatomanes, Fuscidea praeruptorum, Lepra excludens, L. monogona, Metamelanea caesiella and Pertusaria amarescens are new to Russia while Bryobilimbia ahlesii, Lecanora orosthea, L. rouxii and Tephromela grumosa are new for the Urals. Our records considerably extend the ranges or fill gaps in the formerly disjunctive distributions of these species. The morphology, secondary chemistry and ecology of the species are discussed.

Notes on new and interesting lichens from Ontario, Canada - III

Notes on new and interesting lichens from Ontario, Canada - III

New and interesting lichen records for Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). III

Lichen specimens collected in 2008, 2015 and 2016 in Central (Olekminsky district), Eastern (Oimyakon district) and Southern (Aldan, Neryungri districts) Yakutia were studied. As a result 16 lichen species are recorded for Yakutia for the first time, among them 8 species are new to Eastern Siberia and one species — Ramonia himelbrantii — new to Asia. At present the list of lichens of Yakutia numbers about 820 species.

New and interesting lichen records from northeastern Poland

Details are given of the occurrence of three rarely reported and poorly known lichen species from Poland area. Brief taxonomic, distributional, and ecological notes of <em>Agonimia flabelliformis</em>, <em>Bacidia pycnidiata</em>, and <em>Vezdaea aestivalis</em> have been provided. <em>Agonimia flabelliformis</em> have been reported for the first time from the northeastern part of Poland and <em>B. pycnidiata</em> from the northern part of the country. <em>Vezdaea aestivalis</em> has been rediscovered in northeastern Poland, nearly 150 years after its first and only recording in the region.

New or Interesting Lichens from the Limousin Region (Western Massif Central, France)

Abstract: Mies, B. A. 2015. New or interesting lichens from the Limousin region (Western Massif Central, France). — Herzogia 28: 473–483. The mountainous landscape of Limousin region (Massif Central, France), swept by an Atlantic climate and high precipitation, bears a rich lichen flora with 43 lichens worthy of mention. Platismatia norvegica and Micarea farinosa are new species for the lichen biota of France and continental Europe, and Arthothelium spectabile, Naetrocymbe fraxinii and Usnea longissima are new to central and western France. These are also new records for the three Departments, Creuse (no. 23), Haute-Vienne (no. 87) and Correze (no. 19), as well as Arthonia vinosa, Arthopyrenia persoonii, Bacidina phacodes, Bunodophoron melanocarpum, Calicium glaucellum, Callome multipartita, Flavocetraria cucullata, Graphis inustuloides, Lecanora cadubriae, Melanohalea elegantula, Mycomicrothelia confusa, Psilolechia clavulifera and Zwackhia viridis. Confirmation of pre-1959 records for one of the three D...

Further new or interesting lichens and lichenicolous fungi from Madeira with notes on the genus Gyalidea in Macaronesia

As a contribution to the lichen mycota of the island Madeira (Macaronesia), 62 taxa of lichens and lichenicolous fungi are reported for the first time, including 7 taxa new to Macaronesia: Acrocordia cavata, Amandinea efflorescens, Diplolaeviopsis ranula, Lecanora albellula var. macroconidiata, Lecanora sarcopidoides, Scoliciosporum gallurae, and Thelidium minutulum. A new species, Gyalidea subminuta, is described from Madeira, and a key for the genus Gyalidea in Macaronesia is added.

New and interesting lichens from Ontario, Canada - II

New and interesting lichens from Ontario, Canada - II

Further new additions to the lichen mycota of Andhra Pradesh, India

During the lichen exploration in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh several interesting lichen taxa were collected of which 10 species are reported here as new records for the state. The species includes Biatorella conspersa (Biatorellaceae), Caloplaca bassiae, C. poliotera (Teloschistaceae), Dimelaena tenuis (Physciaceae), Lecanora chlarotera, L. helva, L. interjecta, L. psuedistera (Lecanoraceae), Pertusaria melastomella (Pertusariaceae) and Porina tetracerae (Porinaceae). These taxa / species have been enumerated along with their characteristic features and distributional notes.