See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233563240 Saxicolous and terricolous lichens from the foothills of northern Oman Article in Nova Hedwigia · August 2002 DOI: 10.1127/0029-5035/2002/0075-0177 CITATIONS READS 9 171 3 authors, including: Gary Brown Matthias Schultz Kuwait National Focal Point University of Hamburg 35 PUBLICATIONS 749 CITATIONS 91 PUBLICATIONS 3,859 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects: Lichen Flora of Iran, An International Project View project Characterization of Stress Genes and Effects of Multiple Abiotic Stresses on Gene Expression, Protein and Metabolite Profiles of the Xerophytic Desert Shrub Haloxylon salicornicum in Kuwait View project All content following this page was uploaded by Matthias Schultz on 19 June 2014. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. Nova Hedwigia 75 1—2 177—188 Stuttgart, August 2002 Saxicolous and terricolous lichens from the foothills of northern Oman by G. Brown* Universität Rostock, Institut f. Biodiversitätsforschung, Abtlg. Allg. & Spez. Botanik Wismarsche Str. 8, 18051 Rostock, Germany M. Schultz Universität Hamburg, Institut für Allgemeine Botanik und Botanischer Garten Ohnhornstr. 18, 22609 Hamburg, Germany and M.D. Robinson Sultan Qaboos University, Department of Biology P.O. Box 36, Al-Khod 123, Sultanate of Oman With 4 plates Brown, G., M. Schultz, & M.D. Robinson (2002): Saxicolous and terricolous lichens from the foothills of northern Oman. - Nova Hedwigia 75: 177-188. Abstract: To date, 36 species of lichens have been recorded from the Sultanate of Oman, a rather short list in view of the number of potential suitable habitats. During a field trip to the foothills of northern Oman, twenty-four morphologically distinct taxa were found, 20 of which have been positively determined to specific level. Seventeen of these species are new records for the country. The majority of species (13) are cyanobacterial lichens. Most species occurred on compacted soil, mainly in partially shaded habitats such as in crevices in rocks, but occasionally, some species were found in sun-exposed situations on open ground ( Heppia adglutinata ). A few species were found growing on limestone rock. All species recorded during this study have been found in various countries of the Arabian Peninsula, and a marked similarity is evident with the lichen flora of southern Yemen. Zusammenfassung: Bislang waren Vorkommen von lediglich 36 Flechtenarten aus dem Sultanat Oman bekannt. Die Zahl erscheint klein in Anbetracht der Vielfalt der potentiellen Lebensräume. Im Zuge von Feldarbeiten im Hügelland des nördlichen Omans konnten nun 24 Flechten nachgewiesen und 20 davon bis zur Art bestimmt werden. 17 Arten sind Neufunde für das Sultanat Oman. Es dominierten cyanobakterielle Flechten. Bevorzugte Habitate waren Bodenkrusten in zum Teil be- schatteten Felslücken. Gelegentlich wurden auch offene, sonnenexponierte Bodenkrusten besiedelt (Heppia adglutinata ). Einige wenige Arten kamen direkt auf Kalkstein vor. Alle Flechten, die im Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie gefunden wurden, waren bereits aus verschiedenen Teilen der Arabischen Halbinsel bekannt. Es bestehen v.a. aber markante Übereinstimmungen in der Arten- zusammensetzung mit der Flechtenflora des südlichen Jemen. DOI: 10.1127/0029-5035/ 2002/0075-0177 0029-5035/ 02/0075-0177 $3.00 © 2002 J. Cramer in der Gebrüder Borntraeger Verlagsbuchhandlung, D-14129 Berlin · D-70176 Stuttgart 177 Introduction Information on the lichen flora of the Arabian Peninsula remains quite fragmentary, despite a number of studies that have been undertaken in recent years. Most species have been recorded from Saudi Arabia, although studies in this huge country have been restricted to rather a few localities (Bokhary et al. 1993). The lichen flora is probably best known from Kuwait, a small country in the north-east of the Arabian Peninsula. Thirty-eight lichens have been recorded from there by Brown (1998) and Schultz et al. (2000), and in the meantime, several more have been identified (Brown & Schultz, unpubl. results). Thirty-six species collected at a few localities in SE and SW Yemen were recently listed by Schultz (1998). In a recent study of the lichen flora of the Sultanate of Oman, Ghazanfar & Gallagher (1998) listed 36 species for the whole of the country. However, during a visit to the northern Oman by the first author in 2000, it soon became clear that this list in no way reflected the true wealth of lichens. In the present study, we report on the occurrence of lichens in the northern foothills of Oman in the general vicinity of Muscat, from where virtually no data are available, but where lichens are locally quite conspicuous. Material and methods During a two-week exploration of northern Oman in March 2000, the landscape was surveyed for the occurrence of lichens, and samples were collected by the first and third authors from various sites in distinct areas: 1. in the vicinity of Sultan-Qaboos University on limestone rock, on compacted soil in rock crevices or in the partial shade of rocks, and also on compacted soil fully exposed to the sun (60 - 80 m asl.), 2. on compacted, fully exposed soil of a natural drainage channel near Barka (50 m asl.), and 3. on limestone rocks and compacted soil in rock crevices near Falaj Bani Khazeer (High- way 13 between Nakhl and Rustaq, approx. 475 m asl.). Sections of most species were prepared with a freezing microtome and stained with lactophenol cotton blue. Identification of species is in accordance with Schultz et al. (2000), as well as the works mentioned in this publication.A digital-camera (Hitatchi HV-C20AMP) attached to a stereo microscope (Leica MZ 125) was used for photography. Most of the material is currently in the private herbarium of the first author, with additional specimens having been deposited with the herbarium at Sultan Qaboos University. Results Lichens appeared to be absent from much of the area surveyed, but a relatively rich lichen flora was found in the vicinity of Sultan Qaboos University and at Falaj Bani Khazeer. The collection probably contains 24 taxa, 20 of which were positively identified to specific level. These are listed together with brief details of their ecology and abundance. Apart from Buellia subalbula , Gloeoheppia turgida and Psora decipiens, all species are new records for Oman. 178 Buellia subalbula (Nyl.) Müll. Arg. Abundant and forming conspicuous crusts on calcareous rocks on hillsides in the immediate vicinity of Sultan Qaboos University, Al-Khod (Brown 50506, Plate 1a). Recorded by Ghazanfar & Gallagher (1998) from a variety of locations in Oman (but not in the current study area), and is thus probably widespread. Also known from Bahrain (Lamb 1936), Saudi Arabia (Abu-Zinada et al. 1985, Bokhary et al. 1993) and Yemen (Schultz 1998). Catapyrenium contumescens (Nyl.) Breuss Common at Falaj Bani Khazeer on calcareous rock (Brown 50517, Plate 1d). Otherwise known from Saudi Arabia (Bokhary et al. 1993), and recently collected in Kuwait (Brown, unpubl results). Catapyrenium squamulosum (Ach.) Breuss Not uncommon at Falaj Bani Khazeer on calcareous rock (Brown 50516). Otherwise known from Yemen (Schultz 1998). Digitothyrea divergens (Henss.) Moreno & Egea Found at Al-Khod (Brown 50540) and at Falaj Bani Khazeer (Brown 50543) on compacted soil in rock crevices. An easily overlooked species that has also been recently recorded from Yemen (Schultz 1998) and Socotra (Mies 2000), and is probably quite widespread in rocky areas of Oman. Selected material studied: CAPE VERDE ISL.: Santiago, Mt. Craciosa, 140 m, basaltic rock, B. Mies, 12.11.1987 [Almborn, Lich. afric. no. 147; as Thyrea divergens Henss., det. A. Henssen] (ASU). YEMEN: SW, 4 km N of Schureida, road from Aden to Ta’izz, exposed balsaltic rock, seepage track, 13°22.95’ N, 44°24.65’ E, M. Schultz 14001, 10.03.1997; Socotra, E of Hadibu, Djebel Hawari, in limestone clefts, c. 25 m, 12°40.1’ N, 54°3.7’ E, M. Schultz 14023a, 14024, 15.03.1997. Gloeoheppia erosa (J. Steiner) Marton An inconspicuous species on compacted soil and calcareous rock, usually associated with other blue-green species. Widespread, but not abundant at Falaj Bani Khazeer (Brown 50513, 50514, 50544). Also recorded from Kuwait (Schultz et al. 2000) and Yemen (Schultz 1998). Selected material studied: YEMEN: Al-Mukallah region, road from Riyan into Wadi Hadramaut, escarpment of the Djol Mts., shady, vertical limestone face, 500 m, 14°50.9’ N, 49°8.84’ E, M. Schultz 14010d, 13.03.1997; Aden region, Jahein, 80 km E of Aden, soil over limestone rock, 950 m, 13°34’ N, 45°49’ E, B. Mies 14753, 04.02.1998; Socotra, c. 20 km SE of Hadibu, trail to Nogeed, valley slope, in sand-filled limestone crevices, c. 200 m, 12°31.7’ N, 54°10.6’ E, M. Schultz 14029e, 16.03.1997. KUWAIT: Umm Al-Rimam, N of Kuwait Bay, soil crust over calcareous rock, M. Schultz [15012f] & G. Brown, May 1998. 179 Plate 1. – a. Buellia subalbula (Brown 50506a), thallus with numerous apothecia. b. Gloeoheppia turgida (Brown 50511), several inflated squamules. Note the finely cracked, slightly pruinose surface typical of older squamules. c. Psora spec. (Brown 50515), several squamules. d. Catapyrenium contumescens (Brown 50517), numerous squamules with several intact perithecia (above right). The remaining small, black holes are where perithecia have fallen out of the thallus. Scale-bar = 1 mm. Gloeoheppia turgida (Ach.) Gyeln. A widespread and conspicuous species that can form large populations. Old thalli are often pruinose and develop minute cracks (see Plate 1b). Found abundantly at Al-Khod (Brown 50508, 50510, 50511, 50512) and Falaj Bani Khazeer (Brown 50522), often with apothecia. Listed in Oman only for Masirah Island (Ghazanfar & Gallagher 1998), but due its abundance at the above sites in northern Oman and its widespread occurrence throughout Arabia, is probably also common in suitable locations in other parts of Oman.