• Source: Herpothallon

Herpothallon is a genus of crustose lichens in the family Arthoniaceae. It has about 50 species.




Taxonomy


The genus was circumscribed in 1930 by German lichenologist Friedrich Tobler, with Herpothallon sanguineum assigned as the type species. Tobler erroneously believed that the fungus was a member of the Basidiomycota. After it was recognized as an ascolichen, it was referred to either Chiodecton (family Roccellaceae) or Cryptothecia (family Arthoniaceae).
In 2009, Herpothallon was resurrected following a publication by André Aptroot, Göran Thor, Robert Lücking, and John Elix, in which they recognized 29 species worldwide. The type species is now known as Herpothallon rubrocinctum, or in the vernacular as the "Christmas lichen".




Description


Herpothallon is characterized by the byssoid (a wispy or cottony texture) prothallus (i.e., the first purely fungal layer upon which an algae-containing thallus develops) and hypothallus (i.e., a growth of undifferentiated purely fungal mycelium present as a distinct layer on the underside of the thallus). The texture of the thallus is somewhat felt-like, and its form is heteromerous, meaning that more or less distinct tissues are present, in particular, the mycobiont and photobiont components occur in well-marked layers, with the photobiont in a more or less distinct zone between the upper cortex and the medulla. Another thallus feature common to all species is the felty pseudoisidia; these are isidia-like outgrowths that, unlike true isidia, lack internal differentiation and have no distinct cortex. The thallus also has pustules (blister-like elevations), and granules ranging in form and size from soredia-like to minute. The photobiont partner of the Herpothallon lichen is from Trentepohlia, a genus of green algae. In Herpothallon, the asci do not develop in true ascomata. Only two members of the genus, H. fertile and H. inopinatum, are known to be fertile.




Species



As of July 2024, Species Fungorum accepts 49 species of Herpothallon.

Herpothallon adnatum G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon alae Sipman (2018) – Vanuatu
Herpothallon aurantiacoflavum (B.de Lesd.) Aptroot, Lücking & G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon australasicum (Elix) Elix & G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon biacidum Frisch, Elix & G.Thor (2010) – Australia
Herpothallon brialmonticum Aptroot & Elix (2009)
Herpothallon capilliferum P.F.Chen & L.L.Zhang (2022) – China
Herpothallon cinereum G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon confluenticum Aptroot & Lücking (2009)
Herpothallon confusum G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon corallinum G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon coralloides Jagad.Ram (2014) – Andaman Islands
Herpothallon echinatum Aptroot, Lücking & Will-Wolf (2009)
Herpothallon elegans G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon fertile Aptroot & Lücking (2009)
Herpothallon flavominutum Jagad.Ram, G.P.Sinha & Elix (2009) – India
Herpothallon furfuraceum G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon glaucescens L.L.Liu & Lu L.Zhang (2023) – China
Herpothallon globosum G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon globuliferum Jagad.Ram (2014) – Andaman Islands
Herpothallon granulare (Sipman) Aptroot & Lücking (2009)
Herpothallon granulosum Jagad.Ram & G.P.Sinha (2009) – India
Herpothallon himalayanum Jagad.Ram & G.P.Sinha (2009) – India
Herpothallon hypoprotocetraricum G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon hyposticticum Bungartz & Elix (2013) – Galápagos Islands
Herpothallon inopinatum Frisch & G.Thor (2014) – Mexico
Herpothallon isidiatum Jagad.Ram & G.P.Sinha (2009) – India
Herpothallon japonicum (Zahlbr.) G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon kigeziense Frisch & G.Thor (2013) – Uganda
Herpothallon lilacinum L.L.Liu & Lu L.Zhang (2023) – China
Herpothallon lutescens Jagad.Ram (2014) – Andaman Islands
Herpothallon minimum Aptroot & Lücking (2009)
Herpothallon minutum Jagad.Ram (2014) – Andaman Islands
Herpothallon nigroisidiatum G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon philippinum (Vain.) Aptroot & Lücking (2009)
Herpothallon polyisidiatum P.F.Chen & L.L.Zhang (2022) – China
Herpothallon psorpseudisidiatum Aptroot, L.A.Santos & M.Cáceres (2024) – Brazil
Herpothallon purpureum Aptroot & M.F.Souza (2021) – Brazil
Herpothallon pustulatum G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon queenslandicum (Elix) Elix (2009)
Herpothallon roseocinctum (Fr.) Aptroot, Lücking & G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon rubrocinctoides (G.Thor) Aptroot, Lücking & G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon rubrocinctum (Ehrenb.) Aptroot, Lücking & G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon rubroechinatum Frisch & G.Thor (2010)
Herpothallon rubromaculatum G.Thor (2009)
Herpothallon saxorum Bungartz & Elix (2013) – Galápagos Islands
Herpothallon subglobosum P.F.Chen & L.L.Zhang (2022) – China
Herpothallon tomentosum L.L.Liu & Lu L.Zhang (2023) – China
Herpothallon tricolor Aptroot & M.Cáceres (2017)
Herpothallon viridi-isidiatum P.F.Chen & L.L.Zhang (2022) – China
Herpothallon weii Y.L.Cheng & H.Y.Wang (2012) – China




References






= Cited literature

=
Aptroot, André; Thor, Göran; Lücking, Robert; Elix, John A.; Chaves, J.L. (2009). "The lichen genus Herpothallon reinstated". In Aptroot, André; Seaward, Mark R.D.; Sparrius, Laurens B. (eds.). Biodiversity and Ecology of Lichens: Liber Amicorum Harrie Sipman. Bibliotheca Lichenologica. Vol. 99. J. Cramer. pp. 19–66. ISBN 978-3-443-58078-0.

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Herpothallon
• Herpothallon hypoprotocetraricum
• Herpothallon capilliferum
• Herpothallon echinatum
• Herpothallon nigroisidiatum
• Herpothallon elegans
• Herpothallon cinereum
• Herpothallon brialmonticum
• Herpothallon corallinum
• Herpothallon adnatum