Pendulous Usnea species (Parmeliaceae, lichenized Ascomycota) in tropical South America and the Galapagos

CAMILLE TRUONG; JUAN MANUEL RODRIGUEZ; PHILIPPE CLERC

LICHENOLOGIST (LONDON)

CAMBRIDGE UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Cambridge; Año: 2012

0024-2829

Abstract: The diversity of pendulous Usnea species in tropical South America (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela) and the Galapagos Islands is discussed with reference to twenty-three species. Usnea crenulata Truong & Clerc is newly described. Usnea articulata, U. deformis, U. dimorpha, U. geissleriana, U. merrillii, U. perhispidella, U. sanctaeritae, U. subflammea and U. transitoria are newly reported for South America. Modern descriptions are provided for Usnea amabilis, U. arthroclada, U. dodgei, U. humboldtii and U. regia. We propose to reject the synonymy of U. hesperina with U. schadenbergiana , and the valid name for U. hesperina is therefore U. subgracilis. Distinct patterns of unidentified tri-terpenoids have been detected by thin layer chromatography and are used to characterize several species within this group. The morphology, branch anatomy, chemistry, ecology and distribution of each species are given together with an identification key.