Lecidea hassei
| Lecidea hassei | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | incertae sedis |
| Family: | Lecideaceae |
| Genus: | Lecidea |
| Species: | L. hassei |
| Binomial name | |
| Lecidea hassei | |
Lecidea hassei (Hasse's lecidea lichen) is an endolithic lichen that appears as tiny black, gray rimmed, plate-like or crinkled discs between crystals of rock in California.[1] The main body grows inside solid rock, which is called being, and the crinkled discs above the rock surface are the sexual reproduction structures.[1] It is endemic to California, where it only grows in the lower montane belt, including in deserts and chapparal. [1][2] It occurs in Joshua Tree National Park.[3] The sexual reproduction structures (apothecia) are black, thinly rimmed (70-100 µm ) with unpigmented fungal tissue surrounding black discs in the middle, and up to 2.2 mm in diameter.[1] They rise out of the rock in a flat to convex disc with a constricted base,[1] giving the appearance of tiny raised plates. It grows in open areas on granite, schist, and other acidic rock.[1] It resembles Lecidea laboriosa but produces schizopeltic acid as a metabolite, instead of 4-O-demethyl planaic acid.[1] The name is from H.E. Hasse, who wrote the 1913 "Lichen Flora of Southern California".[1] It is classified by the fungus as being in the Lecidea genus of the Lecideaceae fungus family.[1] Lichen spot tests are negative on both the cortex and medulla (K-, C-, KC-, P-).
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 2, Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bugartz, F., (eds.) 2001,
- ↑ The Lichen Flora of Joshua Tree National Park An Annotated Checklist, Kerry Knudsen, Mitzi Harding, Josh Hoines, National Park Service,
- ↑ Lichens, Joshua Tree National Park, National Park Service,