Rinodina
Crustose lichens containing Trebouxioid algae; thallus immersed, smooth, areolate, cracked, granular, verrucose, sorediate, isidiate, or squamulose; apothecia in almost all species with an algal rim that is more like the thallus than the disc in colour and texture, some species with a non-algal rim, but even then the rim is different in appearance compared to the disc; rim formed of rounded cells, pigmented in outermost portions; hymenium of straight, rather thick, seldom branching paraphyses embedded in gel, upper portions usually medium orangish brown, rarely grey, sometimes with crystals; hypothecium colourless; asci clavate, with a well developed tholus that reacts IKI+ blue with a pale axial mass reaching through the entire height of the hymenium (similar to Lecanora type); spores 4-16 per ascus, medium grey-brown at maturity, turning pure brown at overmaturity, with a single septum or, in some species, 3 septae or submuriform, usually with unevenly thickened septae and outer walls.
Note: Similarly to Buellia, this genus appears to be a paraphyletic hodgepodge of lineages each with their own spinoff macrolichen genera. Thus, much of the diversity of the Physciaceae is locked up in this genus, united only by crustose habit. A traditional concept of the genus is retained here for lack of an alternate taxonomic model that provides segregate genera to all these lineages.
References: Tønsberg 1992; Sheard & Tønsberg 1995; Mayrhofer & Moberg 2002; Helms et al. 2003; Sheard 2004; Spribille 2006.
| 1a. | Thallus with vegetative propagules: soredia or isidia-like blastidia …2 |
| 2a. | Vegetative propagules isidia-like 50-450 × 50-150 µ, either of columnar consoredia, or of corticate areoles that are higher than wide, seldom breaking into smaller fragments, but not characteristically sorediate; commonly fertile …Rinodina disjuncta |
| 2b. | Vegetative propagules soredia, 15-40 µ wide, sometimes in consoredia up to 50 µ along their longest axis; rarely fertile …3 |
| 3a. | Thallus of discrete, solitary to clustered, flat, lobed areoles or squamules 0.25-0.7 mm wide, these lined with soredia along one or two edges; soredia distinctly paler than the light grey or whitish green areoles; K+ yellow, PD+ pale yellow …Rinodina degeliana |
| 3b. | Thallus of mostly confluent, smaller, non-lobed areoles, or continuous, or granular, sometimes immersed, areoles various; soredia mostly not limited to areole edges; colour various; spot tests various …4 |
| 4a. | Soredia PD- or PD+ pale yellow, K+ yellow; soralia bluish grey …Rinodina griseosoralifera |
| 4b. | Soredia PD+ distinctly orange-red, K- or + yellow …5 |
| 5a. | Soredia K+ yellow; pannarin absent, PD reaction not yielding red needles (LM), soredia pale grey or bluish grey …Rinodina stictica |
| 5b. | Soredia K-; pannarin present, PD reaction give red needles (LM), also with zeorin and unknown substances; soredia brownish creamy yellow; to be sought …[Rinodina efflorescens Malme] |
| 1b. | Thallus lacking soredia and blastidia, reproducing sexually …6 |
| 6a. | Apothecial rim lacking algae, at maturity, the young apothecia with the rim appearing more like the thallus, but becoming more like the disc with age, a few algae usually present in the exciple, at least in young apothecia; spores Physcia-type, 14-16 × 7-8 µ …Rinodina anomaloides ined. |
| 6b. | Apothecial rim with a distinct algal layer visible in section, coloured more like the crust than the disc; spores various …7 |
| 7a. | Spores 12-16 per ascus …Rinodina polyspora |
| 7b. | Spores always 8 per ascus …8 |
| 8a. | Spores with (1‑) 3 septate when mature, 18-35 × 8.5-15 µ …Rinodina conradii |
| 8b. | Spores with 1 septum at maturity, mostly smaller …9 |
| 9a. | Thallus mostly white or light grey or sometimes darker, K+ yellow …10 |
| 10a. | Upper hymenium containing POL+ orangish crystals (pannarin), PD+ red with red crystals (LM); true exciple not visible between the disc and thalline rim as seen from above; upper hymenium yellow-brown or light red-brown; spores (16.5‑) 19-20 (‑23) × (8‑) 9.5-10 (‑11.5) µ …Rinodina aurantiaca |
| 10b. | Upper hymenium lacking pannarin, POL-, PD-; apothecial disc not at all pruinose; true exciple often visible between the thalline rim and the disc; upper hymenium dark red-brown; spores (17‑) 19-21.5 (‑25) × (8.5‑) 9-0 (‑11) µ …Rinodina capensis |
| 9b. | Thallus brown, green, grey or pale grey, not distinctly whitish, K- …11 |
| 11a. | Almost all spores 21 µ long or longer …12 |
| 12a. | Thallus of low- to high-convex areoles, matte greenish grey; apothecia 0.3-0.9 mm wide, with a thick, persistent rim; spores (21‑) 28.5-31 (‑38) × (9‑) 13.5-15.5 (‑20) µ …Rinodina oregana |
| 12b. | Thallus continuous, waxy, pale green or with low-convex areoles; apothecia 0.2-0.4 mm wide, with a thin, receding rim; spores (19‑) 20-24 (‑26.5) × 10.5-13 µ; to be sought …[Rinodina pseudoventricosa Sheard ined.] |
| 11b. | All or almost all spores shorter than 21 µ …13 |
| 13a. | Spores swollen on the exterior wall surface at the septum in at least one stage of development, swelling increased in K, sometimes with nipple-like extensions on the spore end walls, (13.5‑) 17.5-19 (‑23) × (6.5‑) 8-9 (‑10.5) µ; apothecia with a thin, receding rim; mostly in boreal forest …Rinodina metaboliza |
| 13b. | Spore exterior walls surface lacking swellings at the septum and lacking nipple-like ends, size various; apothecia various …14 |
| 14a. | Spores Physcia-type, having end walls thickened and bulging into the lumina when young and retaining this feature into full maturity (walls thin at overmaturity), (12‑) 14-18 (‑21) × 6-8 (‑9) µ; to be sought …[Rinodina septentrionalis Malme] |
| 14b. | Spores Dirinaria- or Physconia-type, end walls bulging into the lumina, but only when young, losing this feature by full maturity, or walls more or less thin throughout in each stage of development, size various, but those of most species larger than in 14a …15 |
| 15a. | Spores rather small, (10.5‑) 12.5-13.5 (‑15.5) × (5‑) 5.5-6 (‑7) µ, walls thin even in early developmental stages; apothecial disc convex at maturity; thallus light to dark grey …Rinodina pyrina |
| 15b. | Spores larger, almost always over 13.5 µ long and 6 µ wide; apothecia mostly flat at maturity; thallus dark grey to dark brown …16 |
| 16a. | Spores rather broad, (15.5‑) 18-19 (‑22) × (8.5‑) 10-10.5 (‑12) µ, with walls thin even in early developmental stages; apothecia 0.3-0.8 mm wide …Rinodina grandilocularis |
| 16b. | Spores narrower, mostly less than 9.5 µ wide, with distinct wall thickenings at least in early stages of development; apothecial width various …17 |
| 17a. | Most spores 17 × 8 µ or smaller (14-18 × 6.5-9 µ); apothecia 0.15-0.4 (‑0.8) mm wide, with a prominent persistent rim …Rinodina orculata |
| 17b. | Most spores 17.5 × 8.5 or larger; apothecia 0.35 mm wide or wider, sometimes with a thin, receding rim …18 |
| 18a. | Apothecia crowded, 0.5-0.9 mm wide, often irregularly shaped due to compression, with a prominent, persistent rim, the disc remaining flat; thallus of areoles 0.3-1 mm wide, sometimes verrucose, comparatively thick and matte; spores (16‑) 19-20.5 (‑23.5) × (7.5‑) 9-9.5 (‑11) µ …Rinodina archaea |
| 18b. | Apothecia 0.35-0.5 mm wide, usually solitary, round, with a thin, receding rim, the disc becoming convex with age; thallus continuous or rimose, comparatively thin and waxy; spores (15‑) 17.5-18 (‑22) × (7.5‑) 8.5-9 (‑10) µ …Rinodina trevisanii |
Rinodina anomaloides Björk ined.
Thallus smooth or in part verruculose, waxy, medium greyish brown; apothecia solitary, 0.2-0.35 mm wide, when young with a rim that resembles the thallus in colour and texture, but with age becoming more like the disc; exciple interior usually with scattered algal clusters, at least when young; hypothecium colourless; hymenium 40-50 µ high, medium red-brown in upper portions, POL-; spores 8 per ascus, 14-16 × 7-8 µ, Physcia-type, with the end walls bulging into the lumina when young and at maturity.
Reactions: All spot tests negative.
Contents: Unknown.
Habitat: On smooth bark of Alnus on a lake shore at lower elevation.
Similar Species: Rinodina anomala lacks algae in the exciple and has a pale, K+ yellow thallus. It is known in inland BC and may eventually be found in the study area.
Specimens: Goward 78-457A.
Local Status: Rare.
Notes: Known only from the study area.
Rinodina archaea (Ach.) Arnold
Thallus areolate, cracked or verrucose, dark brownish grey or chocolate brown, matte; apothecia 0.5-0.9 mm wide, crowded, with a prominent and persistent rim having the colour and texture of the thallus, the disc flat or low-convex; hymenium 70-100 µ high, medium to dark red-brown in upper portions; spores 1-septate, 8 per ascus, (16‑) 19-20.5 × (7.5‑) 9-9.5 (‑11) µ, elliptical and slightly constricted at the septum, with walls that are unevenly thickened, bulging into the blocky-shaped lumina early in development, but the outer walls become thin by spore maturation.
Reactions: Spot tests all negative.
Contents: Zeorin and ± an unidentified substance.
Habitat: On bark of conifers and deciduous trees and shrubs, mostly in dry forests. Lower to middle elevations.
Similar Species: Rinodina grandilocularis, R. orculata, R. pyrina, and R. septentrionalis all may appear similar. The first of these has wider spores that lack any distinct wall thickenings even early in development. The latter three have smaller apothecia and differ in various technical characters.
Specimens: Björk 10872, 12397.
Local Status: Uncommon.
Rinodina aurantiaca Sheard
Thallus matte or waxy, greenish white, of flat areoles 0.1-0.3 mm wide that are smaller and more isolated at the thallus margin; apothecia individually scattered, 0.2-0.6 mm wide, the rim coloured like the thallus, thin or thick, prominent and persistent, the disc dark brownish grey, low-convex, matte; rim algal, formed of hyphae with rounded lumina rather loosely wrapping the algae; hymenium 70-85 µ high, light to medium brown, with POL+ gold crystals that recrystallize into larger, red needles in PD; hypothecium colourless, the layer below densely packed with algae; spores darkish brown-gray, 1-septate, 8 per ascus, with unevenly thickened, walls such that the ends bulge into the lumina, and the inward face of the lumina bulging into the crosswall, 17.5-21 × 8.5-10 µ.
Reactions: Thallus K+ yellow.
Contents: Atranorin, plus small amounts of pannarin in the upper hymenium.
Habitat: Nutrient-rich bark, and conifer twigs and branches in dripzones, lower to middle elevaiton forests.
Similar Species: Rinodina capensis has smaller spores and lacks pannarin.
Specimens: Björk 10770, 12358; Goward 94-860.
Local Status: Common.
Rinodina capensis Hampe
Thallus areolate, matte or somewhat waxy, pale grey or creamy whitish; apothecia 0.5-0.8 mm wide, mostly individually scattered, a few clustered, with a prominent, persistent rim with the colour and texture of the thallus, the disc flat or low-convex; hymenium 80-100 µ high, dark red brown in upper portions; spores (15.5‑) 17.5-18.5 (‑20.5) × (8.5‑) 9.5-10.5 (‑12) µ, 8 per ascus, 1-septate, with the outer walls thin at maturity, but unevenly thickened and bulging deeply into the lumina when young, sometimes swollen outward at the septum at maturity, especially so in K.
Reactions: K+ yellow, PD- or + pale yellow.
Contents: Atranorin.
Habitat: On moderately nutrient-rich bark in humid habitats. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: See comment under R. aurantiaca.
Specimens: Björk 10765, 12425.
Local Status: Occasional.
Rinodina conradii Körber
Thallus thin, smooth or warty, or cracked areolate, greyish brown; apothecia mostly crowded, 0.1-0.5 mm wide, the rim coloured like the thallus, the disc blackish brown, flat to low-convex; rim algal, formed of hyphae with broadly elliptical hyphae, loosely wrapping the algae; hymenium 85-130 µ high, colourless; upper hymenium medium red-brown; hypothecium colourless, the layer below densely packed with algae; spores 3-septate, 8 per ascus, the cells elliptical to diamond shaped, dark greyish brown, 18-35 × 8.5-15 µ.
Reactions: All spot tests negative.
Contents: No known lichen substances.
Habitat: Bases of large Pseudotsuga trunks and on wood of conifer logs, mostly in dripzones or on limestone slopes, lower to middle elevations.
Similar Species: No other Rinodina in the study area has 4-celled spores.
Specimens: Björk 8603.
Local Status: Rare.
Rinodina degeliana Coppins
Thallus green-gray or whitish green, areolate to subsquamulose, rarely thin or immersed, the areoles flat, 0.4-0.7 mm wide, often lifting at the margin, producing linear to crescent-shaped soralia on the edge, or on the underside of lifted margins; soredia greenish white, paler than the areoles; apothecia rare, 0.3-0.6 mm wide, the rim coloured like the thallus, and often producing soredia, the disc low-convex; rim algal, formed of hyphae with broadly elliptical cells, loosely wrapping the algae; hymenium 70-85 µ high, colourless; upper hymenium medium reddish brown; hypothecium colourless, the layer below densely packed with algae; spores 2-celled, darkish brown-gray 19-25 × 10-14 µ, 8 per ascus.
Reactions: Thallus K+ yellow, PD+ yellow.
Contents: Atranorin, chloratranorin, zeorin.
Habitat: Bases of large Pseudotsuga and Betula papyrifera trunks and branches, sometimes in Populus tremuloides dripzones, lower to middle elevations.
Similar Species: See notes under Pycnora leucococca.
Specimens: Björk 14235.
Local Status: Common.
Rinodina disjuncta Sheard & Tønsberg
Thallus areolate or verrucose, matte, pale grey, grey-green, or brownish green, the upper surface of the areoles or verrucae growing upward into isidia-like soredia that are individually up to 120 × 60 µ; apothecia uncommon, 0.4-0.8 (‑2) mm wide, the thick, persistent rim more like the thallus than the disc in colour and texture, beaded or sometimes sorediate, the disc flat to low-convex; hymenium 100-170 µ high, dark brown in upper portions; spores 19-31 × 10-15 µ, 8 per ascus, 1-septate, with unevenly thickened walls that bulge into the lumina, even at maturity (Physcia-type).
Reactions: UV+ white.
Contents: Sphaerophorin and ±isosphaerin
Habitat: On decaying bark of Alnus, Salix and other broadleaf shrubs in humid habitats. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: This species is easily recognized by its soft isidia and sombre colours.
Specimens: Björk 17855.
Local Status: Rare.
Rinodina grandilocularis Sheard
Thallus areolate, thick, dark grey to greyish brown, somewhat shiny; apothecia 0.6-0.8 mm wide, scattered or a few in small clusters, with a smooth, prominent, persistent rim that is like the thallus in colour and texture; hymenium 85-110 µ high, dark brown in upper portions; spores (15.5‑) 18-19 (‑22) × (8.5‑) 10-10.5 (‑12) µ, 8 per ascus, 1-septate, broadly elliptical, distinctly constricted at the septum, the septum moderately thickened at the sides, but the outer walls rather thin through all stages of development.
Reactions: All spot tests negative.
Contents: No known lichen substances.
Habitat: On nutrient-rich bark or wood in humid sites.
Similar Species: Similar to Rinodina archaea, which has narrower spores.
Specimens: Björk 15142.
Local Status: Rare.
Notes: The habitat is unusual for this species, which is normally found in shrub-steppe and semi arid pine forest. Ours is possibly a separate taxon. More work is needed.
Rinodina griseosoralifera Coppins
Thallus areolate, often with a pale grey hypothallus, producing soralia 0.2-0.4 mm wide, the soredia blue-gray, 12-25 µ wide, with blue-gray, K+ brown pigments where exposed to air; apothecia rare, 0.3-0.4 mm wide, the rim coloured like the thallus, the disc often narrower than the rim, or with maturity opening up to 0.15 mm wide; rim algal, formed of hyphae with widely elliptical cells, loosely wrapping the algae; hymenium 80-125 µ high, colourless; upper hymenium medium reddish brown; hypothecium colourless, the layer below densely packed with algae; spores medium brown-gray, 2-celled, with the walls and crosswall of nearly even width throughout, not much bulging into the lumina, 24-28.5 × 12-16.5 µ, 8 per ascus.
Reactions: K- or K+ yellow, PD- or PD+ yellow.
Contents: Atranorin, zeorin.
Habitat: On Betula papyrifera trunks in lower to middle elevation forests.
Similar Species: See notes under Rinodina disjuncta. Schaereria corticola is C+ red.
Local Status: Common.
Rinodina metaboliza Vainio
Thallus areolate or cracked, thin, matte, light to medium grey or brownish grey; apothecia individually scattered or in small clusters, 0.25-0.8 mm wide, the rim rather thin, smooth or beaded, receding with maturity, like the thallus in colour and texture, the disc flat to high-convex; hymenium 65-95 µ high, dark brown in upper portions; spores (13.5‑) 17.5-19 (‑23) × (6.5‑) 8-9 (‑10.5) µ, 1-septate, 8 per ascus, the walls unevenly thickened early in development, and the septum remaining so while the outer wall becomes evenly thick so that the lumina are rounded along their outer edge, swelling at the septum, especially in K, sometimes also with nipple-like ends.
Reactions: All spot tests negative.
Contents: No known lichen substances.
Habitat: On nutrient-rich bark in cool, humid forest. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: This species, along with R. pseudoventricosa, is distinctive among local K- Rinodina in having a thin, receding rim and convex disc. R. pseudoventricosa can be distinguished based on its larger spores.
Specimens: Björk 9812.
Local Status: Rare.
Rinodina orculata Poelt & M. Steiner
Thallus darkish chocolate brown, thin, with a few small areoles or granules, or immersed; apothecia isolated, clustered or sometimes crowded, 0.15-0.3 mm wide, the rim coloured like the thallus, thin or thick, prominent and persistent, the disc flat or low-convex, matte; rim algal, the hyphae of broadly elliptical cells, loosely wrapping the algae; hymenium 50-60 µ high, colourless; upper hymenium light to darkish brown; hypothecium colourless, the layer below densely packed with algae; spores elliptical, 2-celled, the walls unevenly thickened, the ends bulging into the cells, 14-17 × 6-9 µ, 8 per ascus.
Reactions: All spot tests negative.
Contents: No known lichen substances.
Habitat: Young bark of conifers and Betula papyrifera, rarer in Populus tremuloides dripzones, lower to middle elevations (rarely upper forested elevations).
Similar Species: Rinodina pyrina usually has crowded apothecia, a greyer brown thallus and spore walls more evenly thickened, not bulging into the cells.
Specimens: Björk 9437, 10764, 12849.
Local Status: Common.
Rinodina oregana H. Magn.
Thallus of areoles, these scattered or a few clustered, thick, matte, often notched, sometimes merging into a cracked crust; apothecia 0.6-0.8 (‑1) mm wide, with a thick, smooth, persistent rim that is like the thallus in colour and texture, the disc flat to slightly concave; hymenium 120-150 µ high, medium reddish brown in upper portions; spores (21‑) 28.5-30.5 (‑38) × (9‑) 13.5-15 (‑20) µ, 1-septate, 8 per ascus, elliptical, constricted at the rim, the walls unevenly thickened early in development, and the septum remaining so while the outer wall becomes evenly thick so that the lumina are rounded along their outer edge, swelling at the septum, especially in K.
Reactions: All spot tests negative.
Contents: No known lichen substances.
Habitat: On rough, mossy twigs and branches in very humid, cool, well lit forests. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: Rinodina riparia, a boreal species, appears similar but has smaller spores and grows in warmer habitats.
Specimens: Björk 17856.
Local Status: Occasional.
Rinodina polyspora Th. Fr.
Thallus thin, smooth, patchy or continuous, pale grey-brown; apothecia individually scattered, 0.2-0.5 mm wide, with a thin, smooth algal rim that recedes with maturity; hymenium 80-110 µ high, reddish brown in upper portions; spores 1-septate, 12-16 per ascus, 12-16 × 6-7.5 µ, Physcia-type, with unevenly thickened walls that bulge into the lumina, giving them a blocky shape, the bulges persistent in to maturity, but shrinking at overmaturity.
Reactions: All spot tests negative.
Contents: One unidentified substance (7, 7, 7), lilac in UV350 before charring.
Habitat: On smooth, decaying bark of old broad-leaf shrubs. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: Appears macroscopically similar to Rinodina trevisanii, but the polysporous asci of R. polyspora are easily observed, making identification easy. Some local collections of this species having a thin but persistent, brown rim and flat apothecia may be a distinct species.
Specimens: Björk s.n. (30 August, 2006), hb. Björk.
Local Status: Rare.
Rinodina pyrina (Ach.) Arnold
Thallus cracked-areolate or warty, medium to dark grey-brown, often mixed with other crust lichens and cyanobacterial smears; apothecia mostly crowded, 0.2-0.4 mm wide, the rim coloured like the thallus, thin or thick, prominent and persistent, the disc dark grey-brown, matte, flat and usually flush with the rim; rim algal, the hyphae of broadly elliptical cells, loosely wrapping the algae; hymenium 60-70 µ high, colourless; upper hymenium medium to dark brown; hypothecium colourless, the layer below densely packed with algae; spores elliptical, often curved, with a single crosswall, 13-15 × 6-7 µ, the walls of roughly even width, not bulging into the lumina.
Reactions: All spot tests negative.
Contents: No known lichen substances.
Habitat: Various bark and wood substrates, especially where nutrient-rich, lower to middle elevations.
Similar Species: See notes under Rinodina orculata.
Specimens: Björk 15149.
Local Status: Common.
Rinodina stictica Sheard & Tønsberg
Thallus mostly immersed, with a few areoles, with soralia 0.4-0.5 (‑0.8) mm wide, emerging directly from the immersed crust, the soredia 15-20 µ wide, mostly clustered into consoredia up to 50 µ wide, pale greyish or bluish grey; apothecia rare, 0.6-1.1 mm wide, with an irregular, persistent, algal rim that is like the thallus in colour and texture, the disc remaining flat or low-convex; hymenium 80-110 µ high, reddish brown in upper portions; spores 1-septate, 8 per ascus, early in development with unevenly thickened walls that bulge into the lumina, but at maturity, with more or less evenly thickened walls and a distinct dark brown band around the septum, (19.5‑) 23.5-25.5 (‑29.5) × (10.5‑) 12.5-13.5 (‑16) µ.
Reactions: K+ yellow, PD+ orange-red.
Contents: atranorin, zeorin, stictic acid, and ± chloratranorin (often in higher concentrations than atranorin) and minor satellites of these substances.
Habitat: On decaying bark of broadleaf shrubs in humid forest. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: Rinodina griseosoralifera may appear similar and is ecologically similar, but has smaller soralia, and is PD- or + pale yellow.
Local Status: Uncommon.
Rinodina trevisanii (Hepp) Körb.
Thallus thin, smooth, cracked, or with a few scattered areoles; apothecia individually scattered, 0.35-0.5 mm wide, with a thin, smooth, algal rim that recedes with maturity, or sometimes lacking algae and resembles the disc in colour and texture, the disc becoming low- to high-convex; hymenium 65-90 µ high, light to dark red-brown in upper portions; spores 1-septate, 8 per ascus, (15‑) 17.5-18 (‑21) × (7.5‑) 8.5-9 (‑10) µ, Physconia-type, with the walls early in development bulging irregularly into the lumina, but these thinning with maturity.
Reactions: Spot tests all negative.
Contents: Zeorin.
Habitat: On smooth bark of conifer branches and broadleaf shrubs, where moderately nutrified under Populus trichocarpa dripzones, or on decaying bark. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: See notes under Rinodina polyspora.
Specimens: Björk 10753, 12428.
Local Status: Uncommon.