Porina subepiphylla

Porina aff. subepiphylla 1 & 2 Lücking & Vězda, Willdenowia 28 (1 / 2): 217. 1998. Fig. 15 E, F Type. COSTA RICA • Heredia, La Selva Protection Zone, 10°26'N, 84°03'W, 50 m, lowland rain forest, 9.1991, Lücking 91-5751 (holotype: CR). Notes. Porina aff. subepiphylla 1 (Fig. 15 E) is represented by specimens 20272 E and 20271 H, whereas P. aff. subepiphylla 2 (Fig. 15 F) is represented by a single specimen (20272 D), all collected from northern Madagascar. Both taxa most closely resemble P. subepiphylla as originally described by Lücking and Vězda (1998). Their 7 - septate ascospores measure (36.5 –) 37–41.5 (– 43) × (3.9 –) 4.3–4.9 (– 5.2) µm (n = 40) in P. aff. subepiphylla 1 and (28.5 –) 29.5–35 (– 36.5) × (4.1 –) 4.2–4.8 (– 5.4) µm (n = 58) in P. aff. subepiphylla 2, broadly matching the reported range for P. subepiphylla (30–43 × 4.5–6 µm). Both taxa also resemble P. subepiphylla in possessing wart-shaped perithecia with a slight reddish tinge, but differ in having larger perithecia than the reported range of 0.3–0.4 mm. Perithecia measure 0.45–0.7 mm (n = 36) in P. aff. subepiphylla 1 and 0.35–0.55 mm (n = 15) in P. aff. subepiphylla 2. Altogether, the two taxa differ from one another, showing only partial overlap in ascospore dimensions and perithecial size. In the ITS and mtSSU phylogenies, the taxa are recovered within the Phylloporina clade but form two distinct lineages (Figs 2, 3). Porina aff. subepiphylla 1 clusters with P. complanata specimens, despite their markedly different morphology. By contrast, all other available mtSSU accessions identified as P. subepiphylla, including Neotropical material from Costa Rica, the type country, are recovered within the Porina s. str. clade rather than the Phylloporina clade. Although these sequences do not originate from the type specimen or type locality, they provide stronger support for the current concept of P. subepiphylla than the specimens from Madagascar examined here (Baloch and Grube 2006, 2009). A higher level of symbiont flexibility was observed in P. aff. subepiphylla 2, associating with two haplotypes (26: 1 and 26: 6) from the same thallus (Figs 4, 5). By contrast, only one haplotype (26: 1) was found to be associated with both P. aff. subepiphylla 1 specimens. Overall, the morphological and molecular evidence supports recognition of two distinct lineages showing affinity to P. subepiphylla. However, available evidence does not justify assigning either lineage to P. subepiphylla s. str., and they are therefore retained as P. aff. subepiphylla 1 and P. aff. subepiphylla 2. Specimens examined. MADAGASCAR – Diego Suarez Prov. • Antsiranana, Region: Diana, District: Diego II, Commune: Joffreville, Forontany: Morafeu, National Park of Montagne d’Ambre, along trail from Gîte des Roussettes, across stream at small dam to dirt road, moist but not wet lower montane forest, with tall trees and tree ferns, 12°31'55"S, 49°10'33"E, alt. 1119 m, 7 Oct. 2014; Ertz 20271 H (BR, TAN). • ibid., across stream at small dam to dirt road and trail down to Lake Mahasarika, moist but not wet lower montane forest, with tall trees and tree ferns, 12°32'03"S, 49°10'28"E, alt. 1177 m, 7 Oct. 2014; Ertz 20272 D, 20272 E (BR, TAN).