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Here, we show that Lichinodium (Lichinaceae, Lichinomycetes, Ascomycota) constitutes a formerly unrecognized lineage within the Leotiomycetes, thus being the first lichenized lineage recognized in the superclass Sordariomyceta (Leotiomycetes, Laboulbeniomycetes and Sordariomycetes). To infer the position of Lichinodium, we constructed two multilocus phylogenies based on six and five gene regions (nuLSU rDNA, nuSSU rDNA, mtSSU rDNA, RPB1, RPB2 and MCM7) including main Pezizomycotina groups in the first analysis and focusing secondly on a comprehensive selection of Sordariomyceta. The results show that Lichinodium is sister to Leotiaceae. We discuss the morphological and ecological similarities between Lichinodium and other Leotiomycetes, and describe the new order Lichinodiales and family Lichinodiaceae. The sister relationship between Sordariomycetes and Laboulbeniomycetes is here supported as it is the relationship between this clade and the Leotiomycetes. The results also support the polyphyly of Helotiales, the recognition of the Leotiales in a strict sense or the inclusion of the Triblidiales in Leotiomycetes. The photobionts of Lichinodium were sequenced for two genetic markers (rbcLX and 16S rDNA) and identified as Rhizonema, a recently described genus of filamentous cyanobacteria belonging to Nostocaceae. TEM studies revealed that the mycobiont-cyanobiont interface in Lichinodium does not produce haustoria, thus differing from a typical Lichinomycete (e.g. Ephebe).

Morphological characteristics and analyses of molecular sequence data (ITS, mtSSU) indicate that the austral-marine lichen Lichina pygmaea var. intermedia is distinct from the chiefly European marine species L. confinis and L. pygmaea. It is thus proposed to treat var. intermedia as a separate species. Lichina intermedia differs from L. confinis chiefly in the distinctly corticated branches, and deviates from L. pygmaea in the shorter and thinner branches. Diagnostic differences between the three species are summarized and distribution patterns discussed.

Details are given of errors and additions to the recently published checklist of lichens reported from South Africa (Fryday 2015). The overall number of taxa reported from South Africa is increased by one, to 1751.

Lempholemma syreniarum is described from Ontario, Canada in North America. The new species grows on the bark of deciduous tree bases that are seasonally flooded. In seasonally dry periods, its black areolate thallus, typically with numerous light brown apothecia, is easily seen on tree bases and root flares but is underwater during most other parts of the year. A key is given aiding identification of small crustose-squamulose and corticolous cyanolichens with simple ascospores.

Alien tree species have been introduced to Europe and often used as roadside trees. Currently, preference is given to species that are adapted to urban climate and drier conditions. Native epiphytic lichens are adapted to local tree species; however, little is known whether a shift toward more alien roadside trees would affect the diversity of epiphytic lichens within cities. We considered three genera of roadside trees that are common in Hamburg (Germany) Acer, Tilia, and Quercus, each with a native and an alien species per genus. Species numbers, frequency and diversity of epiphytic lichens were assessed and compared. Tree locations were grouped according to three classes of increasing traffic volume as a proxy for air pollution. Mean bark pH values have been recorded for each tree individual. The species pairs Quercus robur/rubra and Acer platanoides/saccharinum showed significant differences in the diversity and abundance of lichens, with the alien species showing lower values. The species pair Tilia cordata/tomentosa did not show any significant differences. The number of nitrogen-tolerant lichen species differed little among all tree species. Lichen species richness decreased with increasing traffic volume for all tree species pairs, thus demonstrating the inhibiting effect of traffic on the occurrence of lichens. Bark pH differed little between the species pairs yet high traffic volume resulted in an increased bark pH. In conclusion, two out of three alien species had negative effects on lichen diversity. Further tree species should be assessed to better estimate the effect of alien roadside trees on lichen diversity.

The family Peltulaceae is currently composed of the three genera Peltula, Phyllopeltula and Neoheppia. The last two genera, both with two species, are distinguished from Peltula only by a small number of morphological characters. The morphology of the genus Peltula varies from peltate-umbilicate thalli to squamulose-semifruticose or squamulose-compound types, as well as subfoliose-compound and crustose types. All types have an upper epinecral layer and possess medullary cavities of various sizes; a lower cortex is normally present but is usually not developed in the subfoliose and crustose types. The genera Neoheppia and Phyllopeltula differ from the common Peltula morphology by crustose-areolate and subfoliose-compound thalli, respectively. Both Neoheppia and Phyllopeltula are additionally characterized by the absence of medullary cavities and lower cortices. To investigate the phylogenetic validity of Phyllopeltula and Neoheppia, we sequenced six loci from representatives of these two genera together with 37 species from Peltula. Despite the relatively high amount of conflict among loci, the results clearly indicate that both Phyllopeltula and Neoheppia are not monophyletic, and are nested within the genus Peltula. Consequently, we subsumed species of these two genera within the genus Peltula.

Many Brazilian plant names are based on specimens gathered by European naturalists working in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Among these explorers is Ernst Ule, a German naturalist who collected profusely in Brazil. Ule's specimens were largely used to publish names before the need to indicate types for valid publication and, hence, many of those names need to be typified. Because typification is not always a straightforward process, we use examples from Mimosa and Paepalanthus to show how an understanding of the historical background of these collections is necessary to support nomenclatural work with names based on specimens he gathered. We present a set of guidelines for typification of names based on his collections and, as examples, we provide lectotypifications for 35 species of Mimosoid legumes.

The cyanolichen genus Epiphloea is currently included within the Heppiaceae (Lichinomycetes) based on ascus characteristics. The presumed presence of a prototunicate ascus has been used as support for this classification, despite the incongruence with other characters (e.g. spores). Here, we use a molecular phylogeny of the two markers mtSSU rDNA and Mcm7 to investigate the position of Epiphloea. In addition, we have re-investigated the ascus characteristics. Our results place the two species, Epiphloea byssina and E. terrena, within the Collemataceae, nested in Leptogium s. str. The ascus type in both species is shown to be Lecanoralean and similar to the ascus in other Collemataceae, with a strongly amyloid tube-like structure. This observation supports the placement within Lecanoromycetes and refutes the earlier suggested affinities with Heppiaceae and Lichinomycetes. The correct names for these species are Leptogium byssinum and Leptogium terrenum.

Two new species of Lichenothelia, both from Iran, are described. Lichenothelia iranica is characterized by a black thallus with often finely lobate, slightly effigurate, not areolate margins, eight non-amyloid spores per ascus and 1–3-septate ascospores with 1–2 longitudinal or oblique septa. Lichenothelia ilamensis is distinguished by a black areolate, fissured, slightly effigurate or rarely lobulate thallus. The areoles are confluent and aggregated in the centre, becoming dispersed towards the margin, and the asci contain (4–)6(–8) non-amyloid, 1-septate spores.

Pezizomycotina is the largest subphylum of Ascomycota and includes the vast majority of filamentous, ascoma-producing species. Here we report the results from weighted parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of five nuclear loci (SSU rDNA, LSU rDNA, RPB1, RPB2 and EF-lalpha) from 191 taxa. Nine of the 10 Pezizomycotina classes currently recognized were represented in the sampling. These data strongly supported the monophyly of Pezizomycotina, Arthoniomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Orbiliomycetes and Sordariomycetes. Pezizomycetes and Dothideomycetes also were resolved as monophyletic but not strongly supported by the data. Lecanoromycetes was resolved as paraphyletic in parsimony analyses but monophyletic in maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. Leotiomycetes was polyphyletic due to exclusion of Geoglossaceae. The two most basal classes of Pezizomycotina were Orbiliomycetes and Pezizomycetes, both of which comprise species that produce apothecial ascomata. The seven remaining classes formed a monophyletic group that corresponds to Leotiomyceta. Within Leotiomyceta, the supraclass clades of Leotiomycetes s.s. plus Sordariomycetes and Arthoniomycetes plus Dothideomycetes were resolved with moderate support.Pezizomycotina is the largest subphylum of Ascomycota and includes the vast majority of filamentous, ascoma-producing species. Here we report the results from weighted parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of five nuclear loci (SSU rDNA, LSU rDNA, RPB1, RPB2 and EF-lalpha) from 191 taxa. Nine of the 10 Pezizomycotina classes currently recognized were represented in the sampling. These data strongly supported the monophyly of Pezizomycotina, Arthoniomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Orbiliomycetes and Sordariomycetes. Pezizomycetes and Dothideomycetes also were resolved as monophyletic but not strongly supported by the data. Lecanoromycetes was resolved as paraphyletic in parsimony analyses but monophyletic in maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses. Leotiomycetes was polyphyletic due to exclusion of Geoglossaceae. The two most basal classes of Pezizomycotina were Orbiliomycetes and Pezizomycetes, both of which comprise species that produce apothecial ascomata. The seven remaining classes formed a monophyletic group that corresponds to Leotiomyceta. Within Leotiomyceta, the supraclass clades of Leotiomycetes s.s. plus Sordariomycetes and Arthoniomycetes plus Dothideomycetes were resolved with moderate support.