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heat treatment of Caloplaca spores

  • 01 Feb 2017 4:14 PM
    Message # 4581699

    Whetmore’s papers mention that Caloplaca spores should be treated with heat to give uniform measurements, but he doesn't say how this should be done, and refers to Steiner, M. & E. Peveling. 1984. Lagerungsbedingte Anderungen der Sporenstructur bid einigen Arten der Gattung Caloplaca (Lichenes, Teloschistaceae). Beiheft qur Nova Hedwigia 79: 775-787. Don’t know that I could understand the German if I found a copy, so wonder if someone can describe how to do the heat treatment, or suggest another reference. (Spent quite a while trying to find this information online, to no avail.)

    Regarding polarilocular spores, besides being quite nice to find when keying a specimen I like the way they look. Apparently they are “unique to the lichenized Ascomycetidae” (Pentecost 1981), and more frequent on lichens found on limestone (1988 CRC Handbook of Lichenology v2). Are they unique to Teloschistaceae? Interesting to read in Smith et al. (2009) The Lichens of Great Britain and Ireland of Caloplaca - “Ascospores ellipsoid, palarilocular or rarely plurilocular, or in a single instance (C. nivalis) simple, colourless.” Posting photos of C. nivalis from Gold Creek Trail, near Snoqualmie Pass, WA ca. 847m. (Expect C. nivalis would be placed in a different genus but still in Caloplaca on North America Checklist.)

    Last modified: 02 Feb 2017 9:10 AM | Richard Droker
  • 02 Feb 2017 8:01 AM
    Reply # 4583426 on 4581699
    Bruce McCune (Administrator)

    I have had success with a bic lighter, just slowly passing the slide above the flame a couple of times until the slide is hot to the back of my hand, but before the water boils.

  • 05 Feb 2017 10:06 AM
    Reply # 4592481 on 4581699

    Thanks very much Bruce!

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