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Additional Resources:

Family:

Chrysothricaceae (Ascomycota)

Primary Citation:

Opusc. Philolichenum 5: 35. 2008

Accepted Name:

This name is currently accepted.

Type Specimens:

Specimen 1: Holotype -- D. M. Ladd

Description:

Description: (From Harris & Ladd 2008) - Thallus crustose, leprose, thin to moderately thick, bright yellow to yellow-green or yellow-orange, unstratified, adnate, forming small, ± round or irregular soralium-like colonies, one-few granules thick to 200 µm, often remaining discontinuous but also forming or coalescing into larger, continuous, rimose or rimose-areolate patches several cm. across and then to 500 µm thick; rhizohyphae absent; photobiont chlorococcoid, spherical, 9–14 µm across. Chemistry: K+ reddish, C–, KC + reddish, PD–, UV–; calycin (major) and leprapinic? acid (± major), unknown pulvinic acid derivative (tr.). Granules farinose, ± spherical, 20–50 µm across; hyphae 2-2.5 µm wide. Apothecia not seen. Pycnidia not seen.

Illustrations: Color illustrations: Harris & Ladd (2008; Opuscula Philolichenum 5: 32, plate 1, fig. 4).

Chemistry: (From Harris & Ladd 2008) - Chemistry: K+ reddish, C–, KC + reddish, PD–, UV–; calycin (major) and leprapinic? acid (± major), unknown pulvinic acid derivative (tr.).

Discussion: (From Harris & Ladd 2008) - The epithet "insulizans", meaning "island-forming", derives from the thallus which very often consists of separate soralium-like patches. Chrysothrix insulizans is separated from the other North American species on rock in containing calycin (K+ reddish) and the thin, often discontinuous thallus. Chrysothrix insulizans may prove identical to the Australian and Asian C. occidentalis (Elix & Kantvilas 2007) but is maintained as distinct here mainly based on geography and a minor chemical difference (calycin minor in the latter). We have not seen enough material to evaluate possible morphological differences. We initially believed that C. insulizans was strictly saxicolous but a handful of corticolous specimens have been found with identical chemistry. They fall into two groups: a southern Coastal Plain population which is ± within the geographical range of the saxicolous material (thus more likely to be C. insulizans), and a northern population (Maine & Michigan) occurring on Abies which is probably a distinct taxon requiring molecular methods for a definitive disposition. Chrysothrix insulizans typically occurs on non-calcareous rock, often shaded under overhangs but also in exposed situations. It has a S.E. U.S.-Ozark distribution. Most collections are from sandstone, but it also occurs on rhyolite, granite, and cherty dolomites.