Botanica Pacifica. A journal of plant science and conservation. 2017. 6(1): 31–36 DOI: 10.17581/bp.2017.06107 The lichen genus Usnea Dill. ex Adans. in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) Ludmila V. Gagarina1*, Lena N. Poryadina2, Sergey V. Chesnokov1 & Liudmila A. Konoreva1,3 Ludmila V. Gagarina 1* ABSTRACT e-mail: [email protected] The occurrence of lichens belonging to the genus Usnea was studied in Yakutia. Lena N. Poryadina 2 Eight species have been revealed: U. barbata (L.) F.H. Wigg., U. cavernosa Tuck., e-mail: [email protected] U. dasypoga (Ach.) Nyl., U. glabrescens (Nyl. ex Vain.) Vain., U. hirta (L.) W.H. Wigg., Sergey V. Chesnokov1 U. lapponica Vain., U. longissima Ach. and U. subfloridana Stirt. Distribution maps, e-mail: [email protected] an identification key and notes with diagnostic features and distribution data for Liudmila A. Konoreva1,3 each species are provided. e-mail: [email protected] Keywords: lichens, Usnea, identification key, Yakutia 1 Komarov Botanical Institute RAS, St. РЕЗЮМЕ Petersburg, Russia Гагарина Л.В., Порядина Л.Н., Чесноков С.В., Конорева Л.А. Род 2 Institute for Biological Problems of Usnea Dill. ex Adans. в республике Саха (Якутия). Изучены лишайники Cryolithozone SB RAS, Yakutsk, Russia из рода Usnea в Якутии. Выявлено восемь видов: U. barbata (L.) F.H. Wigg., 3 The Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden U. ca vernosa Tuck., U. dasypoga (Ach.) Nyl., U. glabrescens (Nyl. ex Vain.) Vain., and Institute, Kola Science Centre RAS, U. hirta (L.) W.H. Wigg., U. lapponica Vain., U. longissima Ach., и U. subfloridana Apatity, Russia Stirt. Приведены карты распространения видов. Cоставлен ключ для опре- деления видов и даны краткие видовые особенности. * corresponding author Ключевые слова: лишайники, Usnea, ключ для определения видов, Якутия Manuscript received: 16.03.2017 Review completed: 06.07.2017 Accepted for publication: 30.07.2017 Published online: 31.07.2017 Lichenological investigations have been carried out in RAS were revised in 2016. Materials collected by S.V. Ches- the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) for more than 100 years. At nokov and L.A. Konoreva from expeditions in Aldan and pre­­sent, 813 species are known (Andreev 2004, Poryadina Neryun gri Regions were also studied. Lichen identi fi cation 2005, Zhurbenko et al. 2005, Søchting & Figueras 2007, was carried out by L.V. Gagarina. M.P. Zhurbenko identi- Ver shinina et al. 2012, 2015, Zhurbenko & Vershinina 2014, fied lichenicolous fungi growing onUsnea thalli. Ahti et al. 2015, Chesnokov et al. 2015, 2016, Konoreva et Morphology and anatomy were studied using a light al. 2016). Further studies, however, are revealing additio- micro scope and a dissecting microscope. HPTLC was per- nal species for Yakutia as well as new localities, indicating formed according to standard procedures (Culberson & knowledge is far from complete. Ammann 1979, Kranner et al. 2002), using solvent system The genus Usnea (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) consists A and B. of more than 300 widely distributed species. 40 species are Samples from these expeditions were deposited in the known from Russia. The genus Usnea includes fruticose li- her baria of the Komarov Botanical Institute (LE) and the chens with a central axis consisting of a cartilaginous strand Institute for Biological Problems of Cryolithozone Siberian of longitudinal hyphae. Thallus attached by a holdfast. Branch of RAS (SASY). Bran ches cylindrical, fusiform, tapering or irregular, with or without papillae, fibrils, soralia, and pseudocyphellae. RESULTS Cor tex composed of radially or irregularly oriented hyphae. In total, 8 species belonging to the genus Usnea are here Me dulla lax, dense or compact, sometimes pink-pigmented. accepted as occurring in Yakutia: U. barbata (L.) F.H. Wigg., As co mata zeorine apothecia, rare in most species. Photo- U. cavernosa Tuck., U. dasypoga (Ach.) Nyl., U. glabrescens (Nyl. biont trebouxioid. Cortex contains usnic acid. Medulla con- ex Vain.) Vain., U. hirta (L.) W.H. Wigg., U. lapponica Vain., tains diverse secondary metabolites (Halonen et al. 1998, U. longissima Ach. and U. subfloridana Stirt. According to the Articus 2004, Randlane et al. 2009, Clerc 2011). literature, an additional species, U. articulata (L.) Hoffm., was reported from Central Yakutsk floristic region. How- MATERIAL AND METHODS ever, U. articulata is not accepted here in the list of species, Lichens in the herbarium of the Institute for Biologi- because all specimens were previously misidentified (Porya­ cal Problems of Cryolithozone of the Siberian Branch of di na 2005, Vershinina et al. 2012, 2015). The distributional ©Botanical Garden-Institute FEB RAS. 2017 31 Gagarina et al. ranges of U. hirta and U. longissima have decreased in Yaku- der with Irkutsk Region, right bank of the river Vitim tia. At the same time, U. cavernosa, U. glabrescens and U. sub flo­ (59°27′12″N, 112°55′58″E), 4 km downstream from the ri dana have expanded in range in this region. river Talaya (59°08'18"N, 112°40'52"E), mixed forest, on Distribution maps, an identification key and notes with the branches of Picea sp., 12.06.2004, leg. Poryadina L. N. principal diagnostic features and distribution data for each (SASY, Us 27). species are provided. Usnea cavernosa Tuck. Key to Usnea in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) The species is characterised by having a pendulous thal- 1. Main branches decorticate, the majority of branches lus, with parallel branches. Branches foveolate and ridged. dis tinct, with numerous perpendicular fib rils; thallus very Base pale, fibrils absent to scarce, papillae absent, soralia long, up to several meters ............................... U. longissima and isidia absent. The main diagnostic feature is the foveo- 1. Main branches persistently corticate, branches usually late and ridged branches. di vided and always persistently corticated; thallus shorter One chemotype has been recorded: medulla with sala- (never longer than 60 cm) ...................................................... 2 zinic acid, cortex with usnic acid. 2. Thallus pendent ................................................................... 3 The species is widespread in Yakutia (Fig. 1B). 2. Thallus shrubby to subpendent ........................................ 7 Specimens examined: ALDAN REGION, right bank of the river Aldan (58°49'521"N, 127°42'456"E, spruce- 3. Older parts forming sausage-like segments ....................... larch forest, on the branches of Picea sp., 21.07.2015, leg. ........................................................................... [U. articulata] Po rya dina L.N. (SASY, Us 87); left bank of the river Al- 3. Older parts not forming sausage-like segments ............. 4 dan, firth of the river Unil’ya, 78 km upper village Ugino 4. Papillae, isidia and soralia absent ...................................... 5 (58°45′36″N, 128°02′24″E), spruce­pine forest, 24.06.1980, 4. Papillae, isidia and soralia present .................................... 6 leg. Zaharova V.I. (SASY, Us 74); rock on the left bank of the river Aldan, near firth of the ri ver Timpton (58°44'11"N, 5. Branches conspicuously foveolate and ridged; fibrils ab- 127°10'31"E), 15.07.2015, leg. Ko no reva L.A. (LE); near sent to scarce ...................................................... U. cavernosa village Zarechnyi (58°46'34.4"N, 126°25'45.3"E), fir for- 5. Branches slightly or distinctly foveolate and ridged; fi- est, sp., 12.07.2015, leg. Porya di na L.N. (SASY, Us 85). brils scarce to numerous ...................................... U. barbata Picea ZHIGANSK REGION, right bank of the river Lena, water 6. Thallus not divided into regular segments by annual gap of the river Uchuge (left in flux of the river Nimingde) cracks; soralia often bearing isidia .................... U. dasypoga (67°14′18.8″N, 124°16′1.7″E), pyroloideae fir forest with 6. Thallus divided into irregular segments by annular wild rose, 20.07.1958, leg. Dobretsova L.A. (SASY). KO- cracks; isidia few or absent .................................. U. barbata BYAISK REGION, near river Undyulyung, near orifice 7. With papillae ........................................................................ 8 ri ver Byrand’ya (66°13′49″N, 126°58′36″E), fir forest, on 7. Without papillae; isidia numerous ....................... U. hirta the branches and bark of Picea sp., 12.07.1990, leg. Fes’ko N.N. (SASY, Us 61); left bank of the river Lyunkyubei 8. Soralia bearing isidia ................................ U. subfloridana (64°9′37″N, 126°58′59″E), fir forest, on the branches ofPi ­ 8. Soralia not bearing isidia .................................................... 9 cea sp., 08.07.2002, leg. Poryadina L.N. (SASY, Us 58); firth 9. Thallus mainly anisotomic­dichotomous; soralia expan­ of the river Sagandzhi (65°27′9″N, 126°58′41″E), spruce­ ded and irregular or bracelet-like .................... U. lapponica larch forest, on the branches of Picea sp., 25.05.1985, leg. 9. Thallus mainly isotomic­dichotomous; soralia puncti- Volotovskii K.А. (SASY, Us 12); SW branches of the Ver- form ................................................................... U. glabrescens choyansk Range, valley of the ri ver Yus­Yuryah (64°52′9″N, 126°40′36″E), Picea sp., 17.06.1953, leg. Gryaznuhin А.N. Species characteristics and specimens examined (SASY, Us 91). LENSK REGION, right bank of the river Peledui, near island Noochoko-aryyta, 5 km below village Usnea barbata (L.) F.H. Wigg. In’yaly (59°30′35″N, 111°17′35″E), spruce­larch forest, on The species is very polymorphic. Characterised by ha­ the branches of Larix sp., 18.08.1953, leg. Kuvaev V.B. ving a pendent thallus, divided into irregular segments by (SASY, Us 93); island in firth of river Nyuya (60°32′35″N, an nu lar cracks. Branches uneven in thickness. Base blacke- 116°18′38″E), old Picea sp., leg. Shcheludyakova V.А. (SASY, ned, fibrils few to numerous, isidia few or absent. The main Us 94); left bank of the river Lena, Talakanskoe oil and diag nostic features are its thin cortex, the strongly irregular gas field, the top of the hill (59°30′15.1″N, 110°38′58.4″E), branches and inflated segments. spruce-larch forest, on the branches of Larix sp., leg.