THREE LICHEN TAXA NEW FOR TURKEY

Three lichen taxa viz. – Aspicilia asiatica (H. Magn.) Yoshim., Lecanora subcarnea (Sw.) Ach. var. soralifera H. Magn., and Thelidium minutulum Körb. were identified as new to Turkey as a result of a lichenological survey in the Bitlis and Muş regions Turkey. In addition, Lecanora subcarnea var. soralifera is also new to Asia. A detail taxonomic account, notes on known distribution, substrates, and chemistry under each taxon and comparisons with morphologically similar taxa are furnished under each taxon. Introduction Recently, a lot of lichen taxa have been recorded for Turkey since the surveys about lichen flora are poor (Aptroot and Yazici, 2012; Arslan et al., 2011; Yazici et al., 2010a, b, c, 2011a, b, 2012, 2013; Karagöz and Aslan, 2012; Karagöz et al,. 2011; Kinalioğlu and Aptroo, 2011; Osyczka et al., 2011) but more surveys are still needed of unexplored regions in the country. Aspicilia A. Massal (Hymeneliaceae) contains approximately 230 species (Nordin et al., 2010). Lecanora Ach. (Lecanoraceae) comprises about than 600 species (McCarth and Mallett, 2004), while Thelidium A. Massal (Verrucaraceae) has about 100 lichen taxa (Orange, 1991). From Turkey 42 taxa of Aspicilia, 105 taxa of Lecanora, and 4 taxa of Thelidium have thus far been reported. Of approximately 1650 lichen taxa that have been recorded for the country only 6 lichenized fungi have been reported from Muş Province (Yazici and Aslan, 2016a,b). On the other hand, 31 lichen species were noted from Bitlis region (Çobanoğlu, 2005; Çobanoğlu and Yavuz, 2007; Vondrak et al., 2012). The present study aims at exploring the lichens in the regions of Muş and Bitlis, eastern Turkey. We report here three lichen taxa which are new records for Turkey and Asia. Materials and Methods The present study is based on collections from the Bitlis and Muş regions made in 2015-2016. Air-dried samples were examined with a Nikon SMZ1500 stereomicroscope and a Nikon Eclipse 80i compound light microscope. Relevant keys were consulted (Dickhäuser et al., 1995; Ceynowa-Giełdon and Adamska, 2014; Orange, 2008; Thüs and Nascimbene, 2008; Poelt and Wirth, 1968; Poelt and Vězda, 1981) for the identifications. Vouchers are stored in the Herbarium of the Biology Department, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey (KTUB). The diagnosis are based on Turkish specimens. Study area Muş: Center, mostly formed by vast areas of meadow and steppe, and high mountains, are mountainous by Quercus L. communities locally and Salix L. trees are rarely seen in some areas in this region (Baytop and Denizci, 1963). Muş region has a climate characterized by very cold and Corresponding author. Email: kcagri_1997@yahoo.com ABL Herbarium G.v.d.Veenstraat 107 NL-3762 XK Soest, The Netherlands. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjpt.v24i1.33035 84 YAZICI AND APTROOT very snowy winters, and hot, dry and short summers, with temperatures ranging from –29 to 41.6°C. Annual rainfall ranges from 350–1000 mm and the average humidity is 60.3% (Akman, 1999). Bitlis region (Tatvan: Nemrut mountain and Adilcevaz) are mountainous with vast open areas, large plain and sometimes Quercus, Populus and Salix trees are seen in some places. Nemrut mountain is a second large extinct crater of the World. There is a lake, many rocks and trees such as Quercus and Populus (Baytop and Denizci, 1963). Thence crustose and foliose lichens are predominantly seen. Collecting localities are well-lit, windswept, treeless areas with gently sloping terrain containing streams, grass, and calcareous and siliceous rocks. The climate is characterized by very cold snowy winters and short hot dry short summers, with a temperature range of -21.3°C to 37°C, a mean annual rainfall is around 822.9 mm, and mean annual humidity of 61% (Akman, 1999). Results Aspicilia asiatica (H. Magn.) Yoshim., Nov.Sist. Niz. Rast. 9: 286 (1972). (Fig. 1). Thallus crustose, up to 5 cm diam, ± cycloid or ± elliptic, gray, gray-beige, with deep cracked, and areolate; areoles uneven, blistered, corrugated, areolae up to 800 μm diam; lobes thin and narrow towards the ends, ± contiguous, or with light space, sometimes ± partly overlapping, rarely dichotomic, about 165 μm, bulky, lobe tips black-brown as if burned. Apothecia up to 1.25 mm diam, regular or sometimes irregular and with depressed proper margin, aggregated mostly in the middle, scarce towards the lobes, constricted at the base, one per even fertile areol; thallin exciple more or less distinct, thick, 125 μm diam, gray, concolorous with the thallus, large; disc concav, pruinose, dark red or dark brown-black, to 900 μm diam; epihymenium yellow-brown; hypothecium 50-60 μm, yellow brown-gray; hymenium 90-100 μm; paraphyses contiguous, apices subglobe, upper part filiform. asci 8-spored, clavate, 65-75 × 18-20 μm; ascospores 17 × 10 μm, more or less ellipsoid Thallus and medulla K-, C-, KC-, P-, under upper cortex K more or less yellow-orange. A detailed description is provided by Oxner (1972). Aspicilia asiatica grows on calcareous rocks. Previously known from Austria, Afghanistan, Altai-Sayan, China, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan (Poelt and Wirth, 1968; Abbas et al., 2001; Bredkina and Makarova, 2005; Sedelnikova, 2013). New to Turkey. Specimen examined: Turkey. Muş: Center, between Üçevler and Muş mainroad, roadside, 38°40′49.85′′N 41°25′30.87′′E, 2585 m, on calcareous rock, 29.05.2015, leg. K.Yazici. (KTUB– 2452). Accompanying species were: Aspicilia cinerea (L. Körb.), Acarospora fuscat (Nyl.) Th. Fr., Acarospora impressula Th. Fr. var. hospitans (H. Magn.) Clauzade & Cl. Roux, Candelariella vitelline (Hoffm.) Müll..Arg., Immersaria athroocarpa (Ach.) Rambold & Pietschm., Protoparmeliopsis muralis (Schreb.) M. Choisy, Rhizocarpon geographicum (L.) DC., Rhizoplaca melanophthalma (DC.) Räsänen, Rinodina milvina (Wahlenb.) Th. Fr. and Xanthoria elegans (Link) Th. Fr. Lecanora subcarnea (Sw.) Ach. var. soralifera H. Magn., Bot. Notiser: 433 (1932). (Fig. 2). Thallus crustose up to 5 cm diam, thick, more or less gray, grayish or yellowish white, epruinose, deeply cracked, areolate; areola blistered, more or less verrucose, surface uneven, margins indistinct. Apothecia up to 1.25 mm diam.; disc light red-brown, light brown or redbrown, slightly pruinose, slightly concave, P+ orange-red, C-; soralia 0.5-0.7 mm, blue-grey, ± NEW ASPICILIA, LECANORA AND THELIDIUM SPECIES 85 hemisphaerical, occurring on areola, side of apothecia, also on exciple and disc hymenium 90-95 μm high, yellow, yellow-gray, hyaline, clear; paraphyses with thickened upper cells; epihymenium greenish gray-brown; hypothecium hyaline, 150-190 μm, not oil droplets thallin exciple concolous with the thallus, smooth, entire, prominent (Fig. 2a); asci clavate, 8-spored, 40-45 × 8-10 μm; ascospores simple, hyaline, ellipsoid, 9-15 × 6-8 μm (Fig. 2c).Thallus Kor slightly yellowbrown, C-, KC-, P + orange-red. Medulla K-, C-, KC, P-. Disc P+ orange-red. Soralia spot tests are negative. Fig. 1. Aspicilia asiatica, a). Thallus with lobes. Scale = 1 mm, b). Apothecia with pruinose disc. Scale = 1 mm, c). Section through apothecium with hymenium, epihymenium, hypothecium, ascus and ascospores. Scale = 50 μm, d). Section of apothecium with hymeniıum, ascus and ascospores. Scale = 50 μm. Lecanora subcarnea var. soralifera is a mild-temperate to Mediterranean species, mostly growing on calcareous rock, sometimes on walls. Previously known from Austria, Germany, Sweden, Norway, North America (Berger and Priemetzhofer, 2014; Dickhäuser et al.,1995; Eichler et al., 2010). New to Turkey and Asia. A detailed descriptions are provided by Dickhäuser et al., (1995), Poelt and Vězda, (1981). Specimen examined: Turkey, Bitlis: Tatvan, Nemrut mountain, 38°36′08.60′′N 42°15′ 35.18′′E, 2360 m, on calcareous rock, 29.06.2016, leg. K.Yazici. (KTUB–2458). Thelidium minutulum Körb., Parerga lichenol. (Breslau) 4: 351 (1863). (Fig. 3). Thallus crustose, epilithic, thin to moderately thick 50-100 μm, continuous, grey, partly greybrown, margin indistinct, up to 5 cm diam, lightly cracked, uneven, rough, corrugated, granular or 86 YAZICI AND APTROOT rimose, also cracked surroundig perithecia; perithecia small, about 150-325 μm diam., 320 μm immersed in the thallus, 160 μm on the thallus, or 0.5 mm immersed 0.35 mm on the thallus, more or less globose to ovate, basal part bounded by algae layer; periphyses present; involucrellum absent or very thin; exciple dark-brown to black, about 100-180 μm diam; asci 8-spored, more or less clavate, 85-90 × 21-23 μm; ascospores colourless, ellipsoid, 17−21 × 6−8 μm, 2-celled (Fig. 3d). All spot tests are negative. Fig. 2. Lecanora subcarnea var. soralifera, a). Thallus with apothecia and blue-gray soralia. Scale = 1 mm, b). Cross-section of apothecium with hymenium, epihymenium, hypothecium. Scale = 500 μm, c). Section of apothecium with hymenium, ascus and ascospores. Scale = 500 μm. A detailed description is provided by Orange (2008). Thelidium minutulum is a widespread, cool-temperate to arctic-alpine, circumpolar lichen, occuring on calcareous or siliceous rocks, metal-rich, old walls, often vertical faces, limestones, rarely on soil, sterile and grows on steeply inclined faces (Ceynowa-Giełdon and Adamska, 2014; Adamska, 2010; 2012; Ceynowa-Giełdon, 2001). It is known from throughout the Europe. Asia (Taiwan) and North America, (Freire et al., 1999; Thüs and Nascimbene, 2008; Redchenko et al., 2010; Vondrák et al., 2010; Coste ,2011; Pykälä et. al., 2012; Toetenel et al., 2012; CeynowaGiełdon and Adamska, 2014). New to Turkey. Specimen examined: Turkey, Bitlis: Adilcevaz, Karşıyaka village, surrounding Sodalı Lake, 38°49′26.29′′N 42°57′16.60′′E, 1712 m, on calcareous rock, 17.07.2016, leg. K.Yazici (KTUB– 2460). Notes: Some members of Thelidium minutulum can be confused with Thelidium rehmii Zschacke, but the thallus in T. minutulum is more granular than that of T. rehmii. The photobionts NEW ASPICILIA, LECANORA

Aspicilia A. Massal (Hymeneliaceae) contains approximately 230 species (Nordin et al., 2010).Lecanora Ach.(Lecanoraceae) comprises about than 600 species (McCarth and Mallett, 2004), while Thelidium A. Massal (Verrucaraceae) has about 100 lichen taxa (Orange, 1991).From Turkey 42 taxa of Aspicilia, 105 taxa of Lecanora, and 4 taxa of Thelidium have thus far been reported.Of approximately 1650 lichen taxa that have been recorded for the country only 6 lichenized fungi have been reported from Muş Province (Yazici and Aslan, 2016a,b).On the other hand, 31 lichen species were noted from Bitlis region (Çobanoğlu, 2005;Çobanoğlu and Yavuz, 2007;Vondrak et al., 2012).The present study aims at exploring the lichens in the regions of Muş and Bitlis, eastern Turkey.We report here three lichen taxa which are new records for Turkey and Asia.

Materials and Methods
The present study is based on collections from the Bitlis and Muş regions made in 2015-2016.Air-dried samples were examined with a Nikon SMZ1500 stereomicroscope and a Nikon Eclipse 80i compound light microscope.Relevant keys were consulted (Dickhäuser et al., 1995;Ceynowa-Giełdon and Adamska, 2014;Orange, 2008;Thüs and Nascimbene, 2008;Poelt and Wirth, 1968;Poelt and Vězda, 1981) for the identifications.Vouchers are stored in the Herbarium of the Biology Department, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey (KTUB).The diagnosis are based on Turkish specimens.

Study area
Muş: Center, mostly formed by vast areas of meadow and steppe, and high mountains, are mountainous by Quercus L. communities locally and Salix L. trees are rarely seen in some areas in this region (Baytop and Denizci, 1963).Muş region has a climate characterized by very cold and very snowy winters, and hot, dry and short summers, with temperatures ranging from -29 to 41.6°C.Annual rainfall ranges from 350-1000 mm and the average humidity is 60.3% (Akman, 1999).
Bitlis region (Tatvan: Nemrut mountain and Adilcevaz) are mountainous with vast open areas, large plain and sometimes Quercus, Populus and Salix trees are seen in some places.Nemrut mountain is a second large extinct crater of the World.There is a lake, many rocks and trees such as Quercus and Populus (Baytop and Denizci, 1963).Thence crustose and foliose lichens are predominantly seen.Collecting localities are well-lit, windswept, treeless areas with gently sloping terrain containing streams, grass, and calcareous and siliceous rocks.The climate is characterized by very cold snowy winters and short hot dry short summers, with a temperature range of -21.3°C to 37°C, a mean annual rainfall is around 822.9 mm, and mean annual humidity of 61% (Akman, 1999).
A detailed description is provided by Oxner (1972).