Taxonomy and nomenclature of a much misunderstood Mediterranean lichen, Caloplaca subochracea auct. (Lichenized Ascomycota, Teloschistaceae)
Taxonomy and nomenclature of a much misunderstood Mediterranean lichen, Caloplaca subochracea auct. (Lichenized Ascomycota, Teloschistaceae)
This paper clarifies the taxonomy and nomenclature of a characteristic calcicolous lichen, formerly called Caloplaca subochracea auct., which is widespread in coastal areas of the Mediterranean region. In spite of being easily recognizable, this lichen was often misunderstood, and has a very complicated nomenclatural history. The analysis of the type material of Callopisma marmoratum Bagl., described from Sardinia in 1879, revealed that it is identical to Caloplaca subochracea auct., and has nothing to do with the lichen currently called Xanthocarpia marmorata (Bagl.) Frödén, Arup & Søchting. The results of molecular analysis showed that Caloplaca subochracea auct. belongs to Gyalolechia, and that two closely related species can be recognized; formerly these were treated as varieties with differently pigmented thalli, and are recombined here as Gyalolechia marmorata (Bagl.) Nimis & Arup, and G. luteococcinea (Clauzade & Cl. Roux) Cl. Roux, M. Bertrand & Arup. Finally, the name Xanthocarpia fulva (Harm.) Nav.-Ros. & Cl. Roux, is introduced to replace Xanthocarpia marmorata.