Jejulea byssolomoides gen. et sp. nov., a Remarkable Pilocarpaceae (Lichen-Forming Ascomycetes) from Jeju Island, South Korea

Mycobiology. 2022 Jun 16;50(3):172-180. doi: 10.1080/12298093.2022.2081407. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

The new genus and species, Jejulea byssolomoides, is described from Jeju Island, Korea. This lichen is characterized by saxicolous, crustose, pale greenish-gray, partly finely filamentous, matt, smooth thallus, prominent convex brown to dark brown ascomata with a concolorous margin constricted at the dark brown base, 300-800 μm diameter, 200-250 μm high, without a distinct proper margin, adhering to the substratum ending in a minute byssoid white external part of cylindrical cells, fusiform 3-5 septate ascospores (17-23 × 4-5 μm). Phylogenetic analyses using ITS and mtSSU sequences place Jejulea in the Pilocarpaceae (Lecanorales). The new taxon is closely related to Byssoloma, a cosmopolitan group of foliicolous lichens, which is most diverse in the tropics. Like Byssoloma, Jejulea also forms a byssoid apothecial margin.

Keywords: Pilocarpaceae; biodiversity; lichens; phylogeny; taxonomy.

Grants and funding

This work was financially supported by a research promotion grant from Sunchon National University in 2022.