Dirinaria confluens

Dirinaria confluens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Caliciales
Family: Caliciaceae
Genus: Dirinaria
Species:
D. confluens
Binomial name
Dirinaria confluens
D.D.Awasthi
Synonyms[1]
  • Dimelaena confluens (Fr.) Trevis.
  • Parmelia confluens Fr.
  • Physcia confluens (Fr.) Nyl.

Dirinaria confluens is a species of foliose lichen belonging to the genus Dirinaria within the family Caliciaceae. It was originally described by D.D.Awasthi in 1975.[2]

Morphology

Dirinaria confluens exhibits a foliose thallus that ranges from loosely appressed to firmly agglutinated. The lobes are pinnately or subpinnately lobate, radiating, and sometimes confluent. They are typically flat or convex but may be concave towards the tips. The upper surface varies in color from gray, lead-gray, bluish-gray, yellowish gray, to almost white, often with a punctiform or powdery white pruina. Pseudocyphellae are often distinct, marginal, and laminal, while the medulla is white, sometimes with an orange hue towards the tips. The lower surface is black in the center and paler towards the tips, lacking rhizines. Apothecia are common, laminal on the thallus, with jet-black discs. Ascospores are brown, 1-septate, narrowly ellipsoid, measuring 15-19 x 6-7 μm. Pycnidia are immersed in warts, producing bacilliform conidia.[3][4]

Chemistry

Spot tests conducted on the upper cortex exhibit a positive reaction to K+ yellow, while showing negative reactions to C-, KC-, and a positive reaction to P+ yellow. Conversely, the medulla demonstrates negative reactions to K-, C-, KC-, and P-. Secondary metabolites present include atranorin in the upper cortex, and divaricatic acid along with a few terpenes in low concentration in the medulla.[3][4]

Substrate and ecology

Dirinaria confluens inhabits various substrates, including bark, wood, and rocks, spanning from sea level to the boundaries of montane rain forests.[3]

Distribution

The species is distributed across all tropical regions of both hemispheres, with occasional collections noted from subtropical areas of Japan.[3] Dirinaria confluens is predominantly found in thorn forests and areas transitioning from desert environments in Baja California, Baja California Sur, Sinaloa, and Sonora.[3][4]

References

  1. ^ "Dirinaria confluens (Fr.) D.D. Awasthi". Catalogue of Life. Species 2000: Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 16 March 2024.
  2. ^ "Index Fungorum - Names Record". www.indexfungorum.org. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Consortium of Lichen Herbaria - Dirinaria confluens". lichenportal.org. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  4. ^ a b c Nash, T.H., Ryan, B.D., Gries, C., Bungartz, F., (eds.) 2004. Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region. Vol 2.

Further reading

  • Awasthi, D.D. 1975. A Monograph of the Lichen Genus Dirinaria. - Bibliotheca Lichenologica No. 2, J. Cramer, Lehre. 108 pp.   (RLL List # 93-3 / Rec. # 1294 - Recent Literature on Lichens) Reference page. : (Illustrations of Dirinaria confluens: figs. 20, 27 & 29)
  • Kalb, K. (2004). "Dirinaria". In Nash III, T.H.; Ryan, B.D.; Diederich, P.; Gries, C.; Bungartz, F. (eds.). Lichen Flora of the Greater Sonoran Desert Region, Vol. 2. Tempe, Arizona: Lichens Unlimited. pp. 98–103. ISBN 0971675910.
  • Thomson, J.W. (1963) The Lichen Genus Physcia in North America. - Beihefte zur Nova Hedwigia, Heft 7. J. Cramer. viii + 172 pp.   (RLL List # 46 / Rec. # 18472 - Recent Literature on Lichens) (Illustration of Dirinaria confluens: plate 43 [as Physcia aegialita])