Revision of Xanthomendoza (Teloschistaceae, Lecanorales) based on morphology, anatomy, secondary metabolites and molecular data.

Abstract

Species previously assigned to the Xanthoria ulophyllodes group are separated from Xanthoria based on presence of simple rhizines, long bacilliform spermatia, strongly glutinised cell walls and sphaerical lumina in paraplectenchymatous tissue of upper cortex and thalline margin, unoriented prosoplectenchymatous tissue in the exciple, and predominance of a secondary metabolite syndrome with high proportion of teloschistin. A molecular analysis based on ITS of nuclear rDNA strongly supports the monophyly of the X. ulophyllodes group including the monotypic genus Xanthomendoza. Therefore, sixteen species are combined into the formerly monotypic genus Xanthomendoza, viz.: X. alfredi, X. aphrodites, X. borealis, X. concinna, X. fallax, X. fulva, X. hasseana, X. gallowayii, X. montana, X. novozelandica, X. oregana, X. poeltii, X. pruinosa, X. soechtingii, X. subramulosa and X. ulophyllodes.