Geographical Distribution

     Niebla brachyura, endemic to the Southern Vizcaíno Desert, is one of two species in Baja California recognized to have hypoprotocetraric acid.  The other, N. spatulata, is also rare, known sporadically from near El Tomatal, on Isla Cedros and nearby on the northern part of the Vizcaíno Peninsula; it is distinguished by a thinner yellowish-green cortex.

     The type collection consisted of a single specimen (Spjut & Marin 9073K, holotype) pulled out of a sample of ~ 200 g (Spjut & Marin 9073) collected for the National Cancer Institute's anticancer screening in May 1985.  The sample, as finally determined from Spjut (1996), consisted primarily of N. caespitosa (divaricatic acid) with occasional N. flabellata (salazinic acid), N. eburnea (divaricatic acid) and N. flagelliforma (divaricatic acid). The type of N. flabellata was also selected from this sample (Spjut & Marin 9073H5).  It was not until five years later that Niebla brachyura was found at other sites, one near Punta Canoas where six specimens were collected in association with N. arenaria, and another at Punta Cono, represented by two specimens in an extremely rich lichen community that included numerous species of Niebla and Vermilacinia. 

      Niebla brachyura is morphologically similar to the salazinic-acid species, N. limicola and N. effusa, but, as already indicated, distinguished from them by having hypoprotocetraric acid.