The genus Micarea was studied for the first time in the Taita Hills, Kenya. Based on new collections and existing data, we reconstructed a phylogeny using ITS, mtSSU and Mcm7 regions, and generated a total of 27 new sequences. Data were analyzed using maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony methods. Based mainly on new collections, we discovered four undescribed well-supported lineages, characterized by molecular and phenotypic features. These lineages are described here as Micarea pumila, M. stellaris, M. taitensis and M. versicolor. Micarea pumila is characterized by a minutely granular thallus, small cream-white or pale brownish apothecia, small ascospores and the production of prasinic acid. Micarea stellaris has a warted-areolate thallus, cream-white apothecia usually darker at the centre, a hymenium of light grey or brownish pigment that dissolves in K, and intense crystalline granules that appear as a belt-like continuum across the lower hymenium when studied in polarized light. Micarea taitensis is characterized by a warted-areolate thallus and cream-white or yellowish apothecia that sometimes produce the Sedifolia-grey pigment. Micarea versicolor is characterized by a warted-areolate, sometimes partly granular thallus and apothecia varying from cream-white to light grey to blackish in colour. This considerable variation in the coloration of its apothecia is caused by an occasional mixture of the Sedifolia-grey pigment in the epihymenium and another purplish brown pigment in the hymenium. Micarea stellaris, M. taitensis and M. versicolor produce methoxymicareic acid. The main distinguishing characters are presented in a species synopsis. Three of the new species are nested in the M. prasina group, and the fourth one (M. taitensis) resolves as a basal taxon to the M. prasina group. The new species inhabit montane cloud forests, which have fragmented dramatically throughout the Eastern Arc Mountains in recent decades.
Species of Verrucaria, characterised by large spores (at least some spores exceeding 25 µm in length), perithecia leaving pits in the rock and a pale thin thallus, form a taxonomically-difficult and poorly-known group. In this study, such species occurring in Finland are revised, based on ITS sequences and morphology. Maximum likelihood analysis of ITS sequence data was used to examine if the species belong to the Thelidium group, as suggested by BLAST search. Twelve species are accepted in Finland: Verrucaria bifurcatasp. nov., V. cavernarumsp. nov., V. devergens, V. difficilissp. nov., V. foveolata, V. fuscozonatasp. nov., V. karelica, V. kuusamoensissp. nov., V. subdevergenssp. nov., V. subjunctiva, V. subtilis and V. vacillanssp. nov.Verrucaria foveolata is nested in V. subjunctiva in the phylogeny, but due to morphological and ecogeographical differences, the two taxa are treated as separate species pending further studies. Based on the analysis, the study species belong to the Thelidium group. The studied species show a rather high infraspecific morphological, but a low genetic variation. Furthermore, they show considerable overlap in their morphology and many specimens cannot be reliably identified, based on morphology only. All species are restricted to calcareous rocks. Verrucaria alpigena, V. cinereorufa and V. hochstetteri are excluded from the lichen flora of Finland. Verrucaria grossa is considered a species with unresolved identity. Verrucaria foveolata and V. subtilis are rather common on calcareous rocks of Finland while V. devergens and V. kuusamoensis are restricted to northern Finland. Verrucaria subjunctiva occurs mainly in northern Finland. Verrucaria bifurcata has been found only from southern Finland. Verrucaria difficilis has few localities both in SW and NE Finland. Verrucaria vacillans is restricted to calcareous rocks (dolomite) on the mountains of the NW corner of Finland. Verrucaria fuscozonata, V. karelica and V. subdevergens occur only in the Oulanka area in NE Finland. A lectotype is designated for V. subjunctiva. The morphology of the Finnish species was compared with 51 European species of Verrucaria presumably belonging to the Thelidium group.
We report new records of 19, predominantly rare, Micarea species, mostly from dead wood in mixed montane forests characterized mainly by Norway spruce, European beech and silver fir in the Bavarian Forest National Park on the German-Czech border. Their ecology and key morphological features are discussed. Micarea contexta, M. fallax, M. melanobola, M. pseudomicrococca, M. pusilla, M. soralifera and M. tomentosa are reported for the first time from Germany. Micarea anterior, M. byssacea, M. elachista, M. laeta, M. micrococca and M. nowakii, in addition to the aforementioned, are reported as new for the Bavarian Forest National Park.
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