©The
World Botanical Associates Web Page
Prepared by Richard W. Spjut
April 2003, Oct. 2005
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Niebla and Vermilacinia (Ramalinaceae) from California and Baja
California. |
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Arroyo Sauces, between
Punta Canoas and Punta Blanco, W of Rancho San José |
Punta Cono, Spjut & Marin 11534, Apr 1990
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El Marrón, ridge S of Punta
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El Marrón, ridge S of Punta Negra, Spjut 9963B, May 1986 |
El Marrón, ridge S of Punta
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Geographical Distribution |
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Niebla homaleoides is best identified by its lack of key lichen acid substances. Unfortunately, its identification cannot be confidently determined without TLC or other chromatographic techniques. Its chemical relationships are clearly allied to the salazinic-acid species subgroup (Spjut 1996) by the presence of an unidentified pigment, and it is further linked to the Depsidone Species Group of Niebla by the absence of terpenes (Spjut 1996). Bowler and Marsh (2004) failed to account for these relationships while erroneously placing this species in synonymy with N. homalea (divaricatic acid), with which it bears no relationship to at all. From a practical application, a negative p-phenylenediamine test (PD-) does not mean that a species is related to others that are PD-, and such tests should not be relied upon for making nomenclatural decisions. Niebla homaleoides is known only from four locations in the Southern Vizcaíno Desert—two locations were piles of rock outcroppings on ridges south of Punta Prieta—Punta Rocosa (1 specimen) and along a ridge south of El Marrón (11 specimens), and two others were on rocks near sea level, one at Arroyo Sauces (1 specimen) and the other at Punta Cono (3 specimens). With exception to the latter location, these sites all had a rich assemblage of lichen species. It was not found on Mesa Camacho, another site with an unusually rich lichen flora. Morphologically, Niebla homaleoides is most similar to Niebla josecuervoi, N. infundibula and N. sorocarpia (divaricatic acid), and has been collected with these species. It differs from N. josecuervoi in having apical dilated lobes. For the remaining divaricatic-acid species, N. sorocarpia is identified by the aborted development of apothecia in aggregates on apical lobes, while N. infundibula can be distinguished by having less contorted branches.
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