Lichens of South Africa

The Lichen species of South Africa as per
Alan M. Fryday 2015. A new checklist of lichenised, lichenicolous and allied fungi reported from South Africa Bothalia; Vol 45. doi: 10.4102/abc.v45i1.148
has been added to https://www.inaturalist.org/check_lists/1666357-Lichens-of-South-Africa

The current list includes 1750 taxa in 260 genera from mainland South Africa, with an additional 100 species and 23 genera from the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands, which are treated separately. ... It is estimated that, when fully explored, the lichen biota of South Africa will consist of somewhere between 2500 and 3000 taxa.

The following species not found in dictionary and thus not added:
Amandinea natalensis
Anaptychia obesa
Bacidia subluteola
Bactrospora africana
Blastenia imponens, Blastenia psorothecioides, Blastenia punicae, Blastenia sedutrix
Buellia discolorella, Buellia italica (=Buellia spuria), Buellia protothallia
Caloplaca ferrogineovirens, Caloplaca hampeana, Caloplaca subcerina, Caloplaca sympageella, Caloplaca subsoluta, Caloplaca phlogina
Canoparmelia crozalsiana
Collema coccophorum, Collema crispum, Collema polycarpon, Collema tenax
Diploschistes diacapis
Echinoplaca strigulacea
Graphina bylii
Gyalideopsis athallinoides
Heppia guepini
Heteroderma diademata, Heterodermai microphylla, Hetreodermia obscurata, Heterodemia spathulifera, Hetrodermia tremulans
Lasallia capensis, Lasallia dilacerata
Lecanora thiocheila, Lecanora vanderbylii
Lecidea aeneola, Lecidea geina, Lecidea squamifera
Lopadium woodii
Megalospora stellenboschiana, Megalospora tuberculosa
Nephroma tropicum (=Nephroma helveticum)
Ochrolechia capensis
Parmotrema natalensis
Peltigera sorediifera
Pertusaria wawreanoides
Phaeophyscia adiostola
Physcia tribacea
Placidium kaernefeltii
Pleurotrema trichosporum
Pterygiopsis melanophthalma
Ramalina lanceolata
Rinodina confragulosa
Siphula dregei, Siphula flavofvirens, Siphula incrustans
Sporopodium xanthleucum
Sterocaulon delisei, Sterocaulon esterhuyseniae
Sticta hornemanni
Tapellaria epiphlla
Usnea flaccidoangulata, Usnea gonioides
Xanthoparmelia brevilobulata, Xanthoparmelia disitifolia, Xanthoparmelia exornata
Xanthoparmelia ganymedea, Xanthoparmelia leptoplaca, Xanthoparmelia lyrigera
Xanthoparmelia microscopica, Xanthoparmelia mucinae, Xanthoparmelia perspersa, Xanthoparmelia perspersa
Xanthoparmelia salazinica, Xanthoparmelia schenkiana, Xanthoparmelia subchalybaeizans, Xanthoparmelia vernicosa
Xanthoria dissectula
Zwackhia bonplandii

High Altitude Lichens

From http://nhm2.uio.no/botanisk/lav/RLL/PDF1/R456.pdf
Lichens at high altitudes in Southern Africa O. Almborn 1987
Abstract:
It is still premature to present a detailed survey of the lichen biogeography of southern Africa but some patterns may be distinguished. The montane species (more or less corresponding to the alpine species of the Northern Hemisphere) form a fairly large group. They occur mainly at high altitudes; usually about 1000 m and are saxicolous or terricolous. A number of the montane species are endemics. Others also occur in the central African mountains. Species known from high mountains in southern Africa and also from southern America or Australia/New Zealand are of special interest to the phytogeographer; and may be relicts from the ancient Gondwana
This deals with the species listed below; with maps.

Some key points:
South Africa has a few cosmopolitan lichen species; for instance;

• Candelaria concolor * Lobaria pulmonaria * Peltigera canina * Xanthoria parietina On the other hand; many species well known from the Northern Hemisphere are absent:
  Cetraria islandica; Cladina rangiferina; Evernia prunastri; Pseudevernia furfuracee; Parmelia saxatilis and Parmelia sulcata
  There are also many endemic species; such as

• Combea mollusca * Roccella hypomecha * Roccellina capensis (Dirina capensis)
• Teloschistes capensis * Xanthodactylon flammeum (Xanthoria flammeum)

• Xanthomaculina hottentotta (Omphalodium hottentotta Or Parmelia hottentotta)
  It must be emphasized; however; that the lichens; like other groups of cryptogams; have few equivalents to the high number of endemic families; genera and species known from the phanerogamic flora.
  Species mentioned are posted here:

Note posted: Lasallia capensis, Lasallia dilacerata, oelocaulon epiphorellum

Posted on February 11, 2019 11:00 PM by tonyrebelo