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

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 lm diameter, 200–250 lm 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.

Two New Lichen Species, Thelopsis ullungdoensis and Phylloblastia gyeongsangbukensis from Korea

Two new species, Thelopsis ullungdoensis and Phylloblastia gyeongsangbukensis are described from Ullung-Do (Island), South Korea. The closest relatives from Europe and Korea are epiphytic Thelopsis flaveola which differs by their immersed or semi-immersed yellow ascomata, ascospores without halo and their habitat of smooth bark (mainly Fagus) in humid and cold climates. Thelopsis gangwondoensis differs by its bigger semi-immersed ascomata (600–700 µm in diam.), oblong halonate ascospores (8–12 × 6–8 µm) and its habitat of smooth bark of deciduous trees. P. gyeongsangbukensis differs from its relatives within the genus in having 5-septate ascospores (22–26 × 6–8 µm), semi-immersed, subglobose ascomata with a flattened top (250–400 µm) and a thin, matt, uneven gray-brown to gray-green continuous thallus without isidia.

Two New Lichen Species, Thelopsis ullungdoensis and Phylloblastia gyeongsangbukensis from Korea

Two new species, Thelopsis ullungdoensis and Phylloblastia gyeongsangbukensis are described from Ullung-Do (Island), South Korea. The closest relatives from Europe and Korea are epiphytic Thelopsis flaveola which differs by their immersed or semi-immersed yellow ascomata, ascospores without halo and their habitat of smooth bark (mainly Fagus) in humid and cold climates. Thelopsis gangwondoensis differs by its bigger semi-immersed ascomata (600–700 µm in diam.), oblong halonate ascospores (8–12 × 6–8 µm) and its habitat of smooth bark of deciduous trees. P. gyeongsangbukensis differs from its relatives within the genus in having 5-septate ascospores (22–26 × 6–8 µm), semi-immersed, subglobose ascomata with a flattened top (250–400 µm) and a thin, matt, uneven gray-brown to gray-green continuous thallus without isidia.

Two New Corticolous Buellioid Species from South Korea

Several buellioid specimens were collected from South Korea during field surveys and two new species are described based on morphology, chemistry, and molecular phylogeny. Buellia boseongensis sp. nov. is similar to B. polyspora but differs in having a UV + orange thallus and cryptolecanorine apothecia. Sculptolumina coreana sp. nov., resembles S. japonica, but differs in having a smooth entire continuous thallus, which reacts K–, a narrower excipulum, thicker epihymenium, narrower subhymenium, and in containing secondary metabolites other than flavo-obscurin and myeloconone. A key to the buellioid lichens reported from Korea is also presented.

Cryptothecia austrocoreana (Arthoniales, Arthoniaceae), a New Species from South Korea

Cryptothecia austrocoreana is a new lichen species from South Korea. The species is characterized by the presence of a heteromerous thallus and faveolate ascigerous area (ascomata) immersed in a slightly raised thallus. The species has muriform ascospores, (4)6–8–spored 8–11 × 3–4 septate, (34)36–48(51) × (17)19–23(25) μm. Atranorin, chloroatranorin, and barbatic acid are present. In the phylogenetic tree, C. austrocoreana belongs to the arthonioid clade in Arthoniaceae.