Northwest Lichenologists

Caloplaca

  • 10 May 2016 3:22 PM
    Message # 4012589

    I looked at this species under the scope that I expected to be Rinodina. But it seems like it's Caloplaca, as the spores and the epihymenium look like Caloplaca. All of them are hyaline and 1-septate. I found it on soil at a high site, an upper montane grassland surrounded by forest. I think it was in the shade of a tree. Could this be C. atroalba? Are the spores always relatively elongate in that species- my specimen had rounder spores. Also, I took sections of the very dark rimmed apos as well as the lighter rimmed apos, and they are the same thing. There are a number of photos in the gallery. Or could it possible be a dark C. ammiospila?

    Thanks!

  • 11 May 2016 9:16 AM
    Reply # 4013846 on 4012589

    Isn't it exciting to find out that it's a Caloplaca, when it looks so much like a Rinodina!!! I found a lot of these but I am afraid I can't help with the spore shape. I leave that to Bruce. But i think the truth of the matter is that there isn't anyone working on Caloplaca currently and there is likely at least one soil crust sp. that isn't described.

  • 12 May 2016 7:27 AM
    Reply # 4015260 on 4012589
    Bruce McCune (Administrator)

    In my experience the black-fruited species are pretty rare in your part of the world. C. atroalba is usually on rock. C. cinnamomea/ammiospila is pretty common in the alpine, but this doesn't look right for that. All I can suggest is trying (1) the Caloplaca key that is posted online (http://people.oregonstate.edu/~mccuneb/Caloplaca.pdf) and (2) Wetmore's paper on black fruited species in North America. (cited in 1).

  • 12 May 2016 12:47 PM
    Reply # 4017135 on 4012589

    Thanks Daphne, thanks Bruce. Hmmm this is a puzzler. I ran it through the keys  suggested, and nothing is a good fit. I measured a ton of spores, and they average 15.6 x 10, with a range of 13-17 x 9-11. They are much rounder than any listed. I tested the epihymenium with K on a number of apos under the scope with inconsistent results- a couple times it seemed a strong K+Y, and others it was barely perceptible. I wonder if the size or age of the apos matter sometime? The big apos were stronger reaction. Anyway, I am at an impasse with this species- I guess I would like to name it C. emalinii, after my daughter... :) 

  • 30 May 2016 9:59 PM
    Reply # 4048123 on 4012589

    Could it be growing on a moss?  Might try Rinodina mniaraea http://lichenportal.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=55239 and http://www.waysofenlichenment.net/lichens/Rinodina%20mniaraea



  • 31 May 2016 9:38 AM
    Reply # 4049325 on 4012589

    Thanks Larry. It's my understanding that Rinodina spores are dark, and these here are all hyaline. They also resemble Caloplaca spores. Photos of R. mniarieae in "Biotic Soil Crust Lichens of the Columbia Basin" and elsewhere show dark spores that seem very different. But I am definitely open to suggestions, thanks for the input!

     http://www.afl-lichenologie.fr/Photos_AFL/Photos_AFL_R/Textes_R/Rinodina_mniaraea.htm

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