Extending the distribution of Ramalina lacera (With.) J. R. Laundon (Ramalinaceae, lichen forming Ascomycota): First record from eastern South America

Ramalina Ach. is a cosmopolitan genus with ca. 150 to 200 species (Kashiwadani and Nash 2004; Sérusiaux et al. 2010). Generally the species have a greenish gray to yellowish-green fruticose thallus, always producing usnic acid. The branches may vary from flat to cylindrical, from solid to hollow, and often produces pseudocyphellae (e.g. Krog and James 1977; Krog and Østhagen 1980; Kashiwadani and Kalb 1993). The anatomy of the branches is also variable, which can often present a cortical layer followed by a chondroid tissue and a medulla (Kashiwadani and Kalb 1993; Kashiwadani and Nash 2004). The ascospores are hyaline, usually 2-celled and varying from ellipsoid to fusiform (e.g. Krog and James 1977; Kashiwadani and Nash 2004). Ramalina lacera (With.) J. R. Laundon is a remarkable Abstract: The lichen forming fungus Ramalina lacera is reported for the first time from Brazil. The specimens were collected in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Southern of Brazil), only on rocks and between 210 m to 350 m altitude. A distribution map, figure and comments on the species are provided. 1 Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Botânica, Av. Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Agronomia, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. 2 Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Botânica, 81531-980, Curitiba, PR, Brazil. * Corresponding author. E-mail: emersongumboski@gmail.com Emerson Luiz Gumboski 1*, Sionara Eliasaro 2 and Rosa Mara Borges da Silveira 1 Extending the distribution of Ramalina lacera (With.) J. R. Laundon (Ramalinaceae, lichen forming Ascomycota): First record from eastern South America

Extending the distribution of Ramalina lacera (With.) J. R. Laundon (Ramalinaceae, lichen forming Ascomycota): First record from eastern South America member of the genus due to the absence of a supportive hyphal layer called chondroid tissue (Kashiwadani andKalb 1993, Kashiwadani andNash 2004). This layer is present in the majority of species of Ramalina. The species is also unusual within the genus because of the production of bourgeanic acid in the medulla (Kashiwadani and Nash 2004), a compound that is rarely produced in Ramalina.
The study is based on unidentified specimens collected by Dr. Mariana Fleig between 1989 and 1998 housed in the Herbarium of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (ICN). They were examined using standard stereoscopic (20-40×) and light microscopic (400-1000×) techniques. Sections of thallus and apothecia were mounted in water. Chemical constituents were identified by spot tests, under UV light and thin layer chromatography (TLC) using solvent system C (Orange et al. 2001).
Substrate and ecology: According to Kashiwadani and Nash (2004) this species occurs mainly on branches of various trees and rarely on rock, and Krog and Østhagen (1980)  Notes: The presence of fertile apothecia (i.e., with mature asci and ascospores) in R. lacera is evidently very rare (Krog and James 1977;Krog and Østhagen 1980). In specimens from Canary Islands, Krog and Østhagen (1980) found apothecia, but without mature ascospores; whereas Kashiwadani and Nash (2004) did not find specimens with apothecia in the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Krog and James (1977) mentioned the presence of mature ascospores in European material, giving the dimensions as 10-15 × 3-5 µm. This size range matches the dimensions of the ascospores found in Brazilian specimens.
According to the literature and our analyses, Ramalina mollis is very similar to R. lacera in their chemistry, ecological features and overall morphology. Krog and Østhagen (1980) distinguished R. lacera from R. mollis by the presence of soralia and rare presence of apothecia in the former, and by the absence of soralia and to usual presence of apothecia in the latter species. Both are identical in anatomical features too, however, molecular studies are needed to clarify the relationships between these two species (i.e., whether they represent a monophyletic group) and whether they represent a pair of monophyletic clades that correspond to the presence and absence of soralia. While R. lacera has been reported from various localities around the world, R. mollis is known only from the Canary Islands and parts of Spain (Krog and Østhagen 1980;Stolley and Kappen 2002).
According to Kashiwadani and Nash (2004), Ramalina lacera might also be confused with R. canariensis. However, R. lacera has monophyllous main laciniae with marginal secondary branches, no chondroid tissue, a single-layered cortex and produces bourgeanic acid in the medulla. Whereas R. canariensis has palmately or irregularly branched laciniae, chondroid tissue present, a two-layered cortex and produces divaricatic acid in the medulla.