Porina lucida

Porina aff. lucida 1, 2, & 3 R. Sant., Symb. bot. upsal. 12 (no. 1): 240. 1952. Fig. 14 F – H Type. INDONESIA • Java, Preanger, Tjibodas, Jul. 1898, Nyman 6 B (holotype: UPS). Notes. Porina aff. lucida 1 (Fig. 14 F) is represented by specimens from Mauritius and northern and southern Madagascar (20271 C, 23539 F, 23539 H, 25303 F, 25375 F, and 25411 A), whereas P. aff. lucida 2 (Fig. 14 G) and 3 (Fig. 14 H) are both represented by a single specimen from northern Madagascar (20280 H and 20276 F, respectively). All three taxa have a morphology similar to that of P. lucida, as originally reported by Santesson (1952). Their 7 - septate ascospore measure (31.5 –) 33–38 (– 41.5) × (3.3 –) 3.9–5.1 (– 5.3) µm (n = 63) in P. aff. lucida 1, (37 –) 40–48 (– 51) × (3.6 –) 3.9–4.7 (– 5.3) µm (n = 19) in P. aff. lucida 2, and (37 –) 39.5–43.5 (– 44) × 3–3.4 (– 3.5) µm (n = 10) in P. aff. lucida 3. Ascospore dimensions overlap only partially with the originally published range for P. lucida of 35–45 × 4–5 µm (Santesson 1952). The three taxa also differ in perithecial morphology. Porina aff. lucida 1 has hemispherical to conical perithecia (0.4–0.8 mm; n = 45) with a pale yellow to orange tinge, a variable spreading base, and a slightly convex to distinctly applanate, darker apex (ca. 0.1–0.35 mm wide). Porina aff. lucida 2 has conical perithecia (0.75–0.95 mm; n = 4) with a pale red to brown tinge, a strongly spreading base, and a distinctly applanate, darker apex (ca. 0.35–0.4 mm wide). Porina aff. lucida 3 has lens-shaped to hemispherical perithecia (0.5–0.7 mm; n = 19) with an orange to brown tinge, a slightly spreading base, and a convex, darker apex (ca. 0.15–0.25 mm wide). Altogether, the three taxa show only partly overlapping perithecial morphologies and generally larger perithecia than the reported lens-shaped perithecia (0.4–0.6 mm) with a pale yellowish tinge, a spreading base and a darker, sometimes applanate apex. In the ITS and mtSSU phylogenies, all three taxa are recovered within the Paleotropical P. epiphylla - P. lucida subclade of the Phylloporina clade but form three distinct lineages (Figs 2, 3). Porina aff. lucida 1 clusters with unpublished Paleotropical mtSSU accessions identified as P. karnatakensis and P. atriceps. However, those accessions are morphologically inconsistent with the published concepts of either species and are therefore interpreted with caution. A higher level of symbiont flexibility was observed in P. aff. lucida 1 and 2, with the first associating with four algal haplotypes (26: 1, 26: 2, 26: 7, and 26: 10) and the second with two haplotypes (26: 1 and 26: 7) from the same thallus (Figs 4, 5). By contrast, only one haplotype (26: 8) was found on the single specimen representing P. aff. lucida 3. Overall, the combined morphological and molecular evidence supports the recognition of three distinct lineages showing affinity to P. lucida, but none can presently be confidently referred to P. lucida s. str. They are therefore retained as P. aff. lucida 1, P. aff. lucida 2, and P. aff. lucida 3. 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 C (BR, TAN). • ibid., West of Sambava, Marojejy National Park, Camp Mantella area, trail to Cascade de Humbert, through rather dense humid evergreen lower montane forest, stream bank at waterfall of large exposed bedrock area, 14°25'58"S, 49°46'22"E, alt. ca. 480 m, 18 Oct. 2014; Ertz 20276 F (BR, TAN). • ibid., along trail from Camp Marojejia down to Camp Mantella, rather dense humid evergreen lower montane forest, 14°26'07"S, 49°46'05"E, alt. ca. 650 m, 23 Oct. 2014; Ertz 20280 H (BR, TAN). – Toliara Prov. • ca. 25 km Northwest of Fort-Dauphin (Tolagnaro), National Park of Andohahela, South part of parcel 1, ca. 5 km West of the village of Malio, 24°55'43.4"S, 46°44'37.2"E, alt. 360 m, dense humid forest at the bottom of a valley near a river bordered by large granite rocks, 27 Nov. 2019; Ertz 25303 F (BR, TAN). • ibid., 24°56'07.0"S, 46°44'08.5"E, alt. 680 m, dense humid forest, 29 Nov. 2019; Ertz 25375 F (BR, TAN). • ibid., ca. 26 km Northwest of Fort-Dauphin (Tolagnaro), National Park of Andohahela, South part of parcel 1, ca. 6.5 km West of the village of Malio, 24°56'24.1"S, 46°43'26.2"E, alt. 1000 m, dense humid forest, 01 Dec. 2019; Ertz 25411 A (BR, TAN). – MAURITIUS – Savanne District • Black River Gorges National Park, along the trail to Mt Cocotte, 20°26'30"S (ca. 200 m), 57°28'16"E (ca. 500 m), alt. 720–750 m, 01 Sep. 2019; Ertz 23539 F, 23539 H and Diederich (BR).