A new species and new combination of Lecanora s. str. (Lecanoraceae) from China

A new lichen species, Lecanora zeorina Li J. Li & Printzen is described here from the south-west of China. Lecanora zeorina is characterized by its somewhat areolate-squamulose thallus, zeorine to lecanorine apothecia, an epihymenium without crystals around expanded paraphyses tips, an amphithecium with large calcium oxalate crystals and the production of atranorin. A new combination, Lecanora crystalliniformis (B.G. Lee & Hur) Li J. Li & Printzen, is based on Protoparmeliopsis crystalliniformis B.G. Lee & Hur, which was described as a new species from South Korea. Collections from China are almost identical in morphology and chemistry, and are phylogenetically closely related. Phylogenetic reconstructions based on ITS and mtSSU suggest that these two lecanoroid species belong in Lecanora s. str. where they form a sister group to sorediate species such as L. barkmaniana Aptroot & Herk and L. variolascens Nyl. Detailed descriptions, discussions, distributions and phylogenetic trees, based on multiple collections, are presented.

Automated summary

This article describes a new lichen species, Lecanora zeorina, from southwest China. It is characterized by its areolate-squamulose thallus, zeorine to lecanorine apothecia, epihymenium without crystals around expanded paraphyses tips, amphithecium with large calcium oxalate crystals, and the production of atranorin. A new combination, Lecanora crystalliniformis, is proposed based on the similarity between Chinese specimens and Protoparmeliopsis crystalliniformis from South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis shows that these two lichen species belong to Lecanora s. str. and form a sister group to sorediate species. Detailed descriptions, discussions, distributions, and phylogenetic trees are provided.