Strangospora
Crust lichens having a trebouxioid alga; thallus thin, granular or immersed, usually indistinct and intermixed with other lichens; apothecia high-convex, with a thin and inconspicuous, non-algal excipular rim; hymenium formed of more or less straight paraphyses embedded in gel, upper portions colourless and lacking crystals, or pigmented and with abundant crystals visible at 1000 x in light microscopy; hypothecium colourless; asci broadly clavate, with a thick tholus that reacts IKI+ dark blue in an inner dome and outer cap; spores about 100-200 per ascus, globose, colourless.
Note: Strangospora delitescens and Strangospora monasteriense have constituted the genus Biatoridium. These are not greatly distinguished from some Strangospora species, including the type of the genus, S. pinicola, as well as S. microhaema and S. ochrophora. All of these species share the same ascus type, large number of spores per ascus, and have small, essentially rimless apothecia that are translucent in appearance, at least when wet and when any pruina are scraped off. Strangospora deplanata and S. moriformis apparently do not belong with these species, having an ascus that resembles Lecanora-type. Scoliciosporum was reported by Hafellner to have a Lecanora-type derivative ascus, but my observations of ascus stains in the type species of the genus, S. pinicola, show a stain like that illustrated for Biatoridium in Hafellner (1994).
References: Purvis et al. 1992; Hafellner 1994; Knudsen & Ryan 2007.
| 1a. | Apothecia pale tan, lacking obvious pigmentation within K- …2 |
| 2a. | Paraphysis tips swollen to 5-6 µ; spores up to 3 µ wide; found in the study area only as a terricole on detritus …[Strangospora monasteriense (J. Lahm & Körber) Björk comb. ined.] |
| 2b. | Paraphyses not much wider at the tips than at midpoint; spores 3-4 µ wide …Strangospora delitescens comb. ined. |
| 1b. | Apothecia orange, red, or dark red-brown, with obvious pigments in the upper hymenium, K- or K+ red or orange-red (LM) …3 |
| 3a. | Apothecia dark red brown when dry, brighter red when wet; hymenium lacking conspicuous granules, reddish orange-brown, K- or K+ orange or rose red; spores 1.5-2 µ wide; growing mostly on acidic bark; to be sought …[Strangospora pinicola (A. Massal.) Körber] |
| 3b. | Apothecia deep orange or scarlet red, coloured alike whether dry or wet; hymenium heavily granular, bright orange or orange red, K+ orange-red or purple-red; spores 2 µ wide or wider; growing on high-pH bark in humid areas …4 |
| 4a. | Apothecia brilliant scarlet red; upper hymenium K+ orange-red; spores 2-3 µ wide …Strangospora microhaema |
| 4b. | Apothecia deep orange; upper hymenium K+ purple-red; spores 4-4.5 µ wide …Strangospora ochrophorum |
Strangospora delitescens (Arnold) Björk comb. ined.
Thallus pale green, granular, patchy, often poorly developed and the apothecia sitting directly on other lichens or on cyanobacterial smears; apothecia essentially rimless, translucent, especially when wet, pale to medium tan, 0.2-0.4 mm wide, the margins without or rarely with a few thalline granules; hymenium 45-85 µ high, colourless, the paraphyses sparse, embedded in thick gel, not or modestly swollen at the tips; spores at least 100 per ascus, 3-4 µ wide.
Reactions: All spot tests negative.
Contents: No known lichen substances.
Habitat: On Populus trichocarpa trunks in humid forests, less often on other bark or wood surfaces, growing on cyanobacterial smears or among cyanolichens, especially Leptogium cellulosum and L. teretiusculum. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: Instantly recognizable by the translucent tan apothecia growing amidst cyanolichens on Populus trichocarpa trunks.
Specimens: Björk 12192, 14381.
Local Status: Common.
Strangospora microhaema (Norman) R. Anderson
Thallus minutely granular, pale grey-green, often not evident; apothecia brilliant scarlet-red, 0.05-0.2 (‑0.3) mm wide, high-convex to spherical, with a scarcely developed rim; hymenium 70-80 µ high, brownish orange, with abundant fine crystals, K+ bleeding orange red and the crystals dissolving; spores at least 60 per ascus, (3‑) 4-4.5 µ wide.
Reactions: Spot tests all negative, except the apothecial reaction.
Contents: No known lichen substances in the thallus, but the apothecia with pigments that appear to be anthraquinones.
Habitat: Among cyanolichens and other nutriphilic lichens and cyanobacteria, usually on Populus trichocarpa trunks, in humid forests. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: Unmistakable for the brilliant red, minute apothecia in nutrient-rich sites.
Specimens: Björk 14989.
Local Status: Rare.
Strangospora ochrophorum (Nyl.) R. Anderson
Thallus a thin film, pale grey, usually not evident; apothecia deep golden orange, 0.1-0.3
(‑0.5) mm wide, low convex to spherical, covered in abundant orange pruina, with a poorly developed, quickly fading rim; hymenium 60-70 µ high, pale red-orange or brownish orange, densely inspersed with crystals, especially in upper portions, K+ purple-red and the crystals
dissolving; spores at least 100 per ascus, (3.5‑) 4-4.5 µ wide.
Reactions: Spot tests all negative, except the apothecial K reaction
Contents: No known lichen substances in the thallus, but the apothecial pigments appear
to be anthraquinones.
Habitat: On fissured Populus trichocarpa bark, usually growing away from other lichens, especially on the sides of bark plates, humid, oldgrowth forests. Lower elevations.
Similar Species: Unmistakable for the golden colour of the apothecia and the habitat.
Specimens: Björk 14389.
Local Status: Uncommon.