KAVAKA50: 26-33(2018) Further contributions to the documentation of lichenicolous fungi from India Yogesh Joshi1* , Manish Tripathi 1 , Kapil Bisht 1 , Shashi Upadhyay 1 , Vishal Kumar 1 ,Neha Pal 1 ,Ankita Gaira 1 , Sugandha Pant1 , Kamal S. Rawat 1 , Sunita Bisht, Rajesh Bajpai 2 and Josef P.Halda 3 1Lichenology Laboratory, Department of Botany, S.S.J. Campus, Kumaun University, Almora - 263601, Uttarakhand, India 2Lichenology laboratory, CSIR-National BotanicalResearch Institute, Rana Pratap Marg, Lucknow - 226001, Uttar Pradesh 3Muzeum a galerie Orlických hor,Jiráskova 2, 516 01 Rychnov n. Kn., Czech Republic *Corresponding author email: [email protected] (Submitted on December 21, 2017;Accepted on May 15, 2018) ABSTRACT Fifty two rarely collected or otherwise interesting species of lichenicolous fungi are presented, of which three species are described as new to science:Didymocyrtis rhizoplacae (on Rhizoplacachrysoleuca from Uttarakhand), Plectocarponparmeliarum (on Parmelia meiophora from Uttarakhand) andPyrenidium hypotrachynae (on Hypotrachyna coorgiana from Kerala), while 49 species are additions to the known lichenicolous mycobiota of India. Keywords: lichens, lichenicolous fungi, lichenicolous lichens, new records, taxonomy. INTRODUCTION after a KOH pre-treatment [K/I]. Asci and ascospore measurements were made in water and are followed by the Lichenicolous fungi have received increasing attention number of measurements (n). within the last decades, and the number of known species has grown considerably. However, the distribution and diversity TAXONOMY of these fungi in India are poorly known, and so far 115 1. Didymocyrtis rhizoplacae Y.Joshi & K. Bisht sp. nov. species are known fromthis country (Joshiet al ., 2016 a, b, c, d; Fig.1.a-d Joshiet al ., 2017 a, b; Singh et al ., 2017), excluding Opegrapha tenuior Stirt. (parasitic fungus on thelotrematoid lichens Mycobank MB 824850 according to Stirton, 1879) which is not a lichenicolous fungus DIAGNOSIS: The species is characterized by having small as it was growing on bark with conspicuous lenticles giving it asci and ascospores, uni to rarely biguttulate conidia and a thelotrematoid apperarance (Josephet al ., 2018) and some differs from other known species in having different host lichenicolous lichensviz. Arthrorhaphis alpina (Schaer.) R. preference,i.e. Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca (Sm.) Zopf. Sant.,Caloplaca insularis Poelt, Diploschistes muscorum HOLOTYPE: INDIA. Uttarakhand, Pithoragarh district, (Scop.) R. Sant.,Lecidella dimelaenophila Hertel which Munsiyari, en route to Burfu-Bilju, 30°22'345" N, 80°10'115" colonizesBaeomyces placophyllus Ach., Aspicilia species, E, alt. 3295 m, on apothecial disc ofRhizoplaca chrysoleuca , Cladoniaspecies and Dimelaena oreina (Ach.) Norman, 21 September 2017, K. Bisht, s.n. (Holotype-LWG 35496). respectively. In continuation with our studies on ETYMOLOGY: The epithet refers to the host lichen genus lichenicolous mycota of India, we hereby are reporting 3 new Rhizoplaca Zopf. on which thefungus is colonizing. speciesviz. Didymocyrtis rhizoplacae sp. nov. (on Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca, Uttarakhand), Plectocarpon parmeliarum sp. DESCRIPTION: Lichenicolous fungus growing on the nov. (onParmelia meiophora, Uttarakhand) and Pyrenidium apothecial disc ofRhizoplaca chrysoleuca, apparently hypotrachynaesp. nov. (on Hypotrachyna coorgiana , Kerala) along with 49 new records, thus raising the tally of lichenicolous fungi to 167. MATERIALSAND METHODS The present study is based on results of an inspection made by one of the authors (YJ) of lichen collections lodged at herbaria of CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (LWG) and Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI), as well as fresh collections from Banari Devi Forest (Almora district, Uttarakhand) and Munsiyari region (Pithoragarh district, Uttarakhand). Voucher specimens are deposited in the lichenological herbaria of CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute (LWG) and Kerala Forest Research Institute (KFRI). The specimens were identified using standard microscopical techniques. Macroscopical examination was carried out using a dissecting microscope (Olympus SZ2-ILST), and Fig. 1. (a-d): Didymocyrtis rhizoplacae(holotype): Perithecia of D. microscopical studies of sections were made using Olympus rhizoplacaeon apothecial disc of Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca CX21iLED microscope. Sections were prepared by hand and (Scale =1 mm).b.Magnified viewof the infected apothecial disc (Scale = 1 mm). c. Ascospores (Scale = 10μm ). examined in water, 10% KOH [K] and HNO3 (N). Amyloid D)Pycnidiaincrosssectionwithconidia (Scale =5 μm ). reactions were performed using Lugol's iodine directly [I] or 22 Yogesh Joshi, Manish Tripathi, Kapil Bisht, Shashi Upadhyay, Vishal Kumar, Neha Pal, Ankita Gaira, Sugandha Pant, Kamal S. Rawat, Sunita Bisht, Rajesh Bajpai and Josef P. Halda 27 parasitic. Ascomata in dense groups on the apothecia of the Table 1. Comparative analaysis of some closely related host, initially almost completely immersed in the apothecial Didymocyrtisspecies (Ertz et al . 2015) hymenium, finally protruding, subspherical, 90-120 (-150) Characters D. infestans D. rhizoplacae D. slaptoniensis D. xanthomendozae Parts parasitised in the hymenium on apothecial disc in the hymenium, in the host apothecia, μm diam.; wall dark brown, often somewhat paler towards the and/or thallus apothecial more rarely in the thallus margin and the thallus base, laterallyca. 10- 15 μm diam., of about 3 -4 layers of cells. Size of 250-350 90-120(-150) (150-)200-300 180-250 perithecia (μm) Paraphysoids 1-1.5 μm diam. Asci 75-80 × 7-8(- 10) μm Asci (µm) 70-95 × 75-80 × (80-)90-110 × 75-110 × (n= 25), fissitunicate, narrowly cylindrical, with a small 7-9(10) 7-8(-10) 7-10 8-9.5 Size of 10-13(-14) × 10-12 × (11-)13-15 × (10.5-)11-13(-14) × ocular chamber, ascal wall I- and K/I-, 8-spored. Ascospores ascospores (µm) 4.5-6 4-5 (5.5-)6-7 (5.5-)6-7(-7.5) ±uniseriate, pale brown, 1-septate, 10-12 × 4-5 μm (n=25), Pycnidia Absent Present Present Present Size of pycnidia - 80-100(-110) 80-120(-150) 140-160 constricted at the septum, with distinct verruculose sculpture (μm) Number of - 1(-2) guttules 2 guttules (1-)2 guttules visiblein light microscopy. guttules Size of conidia - (4-)5 × 3 (5-)6-8(-9) × 2.5-3.5 (4.5-)5.6-7.1(-8.6) × Conidiomata several per apothecial disc, scattered, (μm) (2.9-)3.3-4.3(-4.6) Host Teloschistes Rhizoplaca Xanthoria parietina (L.) Xanthomendoza completely immersed at first, later protruding, dark brown, chrysophthalmus chrysoleuca (Sm.) Th. Fr. hasseana (Räsänen) (L.) Norman ex Zopf Søchting, Kärnefelt & subspherical to pyriform to subglobose, 80-100(-110) μm in Tuck. and T. S.Y. Kondr. and flavicans (Sw.) X. montana (L. diam.; wall of conidiomata dark brown in upper part, pale Norman Lindblom) Søchting, Kärnefelt & S.Y. Kondr. brown towards the base,ca. 7- 10 μm in diam., composed of Known Africa (Canary Asia (India) Europe (Austria, Canada (Quebec and distribution Islands) and South Belgium, England, Saskatchewan) several layers of cells, outer cells dark brown, inner cells pale America France, Germany, Italy, (Argentina) Liechtenstein, brown. Conidiogenous cells short-ampulliform. Conidia Luxembourg, Portugal, single to rarely biguttulate, guttule near the apex, ellipsoid, Switzerland) (4-)5 ×3μm( n = 25). Bilju-Milam, 30°22'087" N, 80°10'807" E, alt. 3288 m, on HOST: Growing on apothecial disc of epilithic Rhizoplaca thallus of Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca, 21 September 2017, K. chrysoleuca. Since slight discoloration on the apothecial disc Bisht, s.n. (LWG 35497). Anamorphic stage: Uttarkashi of the lichen infected by the new species was noticed, this district, Gangotri, in route to Gomukh, 3 Km before fungus may be regarded as a saprophyte. Bhojwasa, 30°57'06.6" N, 79°02'58.9 " E, alt. 3818 m, on DISTRIBUTION: The species is so far reported from apothecial disc ofRhizoplaca chrysoleuca growing on rocks, subalpine regions of Uttarakhand where it is parasitizing the 05 May 2017, R. Bajpai, 17-026995 (LWG). thallus ofR. chrysoleuca along with Arthonia clemens (Tul.) 2.Plectocarpon parmeliarumY.Joshi sp. nov. Fig. 2. a-d Th. Fr.,Lichenoconium lecanorae (Jaap) D. Hawksw. and Sphaerellothecium contextum Triebel. The specimens from MycoBank MB 820853 Munsiyari region are representing the teleomorphic stage of DIAGNOSIS: Similar toPlectocarpon cladoniae R. Sant. in this new species, while that from Gangotri region represents having ±5-septate ascospores, but differs from it in several anamorphic stage. characters, such as, lack of dark brown sterile stromatic tissue REMARKS: The lichenicolous fungusDidymocyrtis Vain. which is K+ bluish-black and N-, presence of pigment 5, at present comprises of 15 species across the world (Joshi et bigger ascospores and a different host (Parmelia meiophora al., 2016 b; Lawrey and Diederich, 2018) and is represented Nyl.). by 04 species in India [D. consimilis Vain., D. epiphyscia HOLOTYPE: INDIA. Uttarakhand, Uttarkashi district, (Brackel) Hafellner,D. ramalinae (Roberge ex Desm.) Ertz, Govind Wild Life Sanctuary (GWLS), in route to Har ki Dun Diederich & Hafellner andD. thamnoliicola Y. Joshi, R. from Osla, near Khad, 31°08'22.17" N, 78°24'30.56" E, alt. Bajpai and Upreti]. 3222 m, on thallus ofParmelia meiophora , 16 June 2012, D.K. In having somewhat similar size of ascus and ascospore, the UpretiandR.Bajpai,12-016144(Holotype-LWG 35499). new species resembles to some extent with D. infestans ETYMOLOGY: The epithet refers to the host lichen genus (Speg.) Hafellner