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Niebla suffnessii is
generally recognized by having sekikaic acid and numerous hair-like to whip-like branchlets
that gradually differ from a primary (basal) branch, although the distinction
between the primary branch and the branchlet is
often sharp at their junction. The
species was first collected in May 1986 on red lava on the Vizcaíno Peninsula
at the summit of a
volcanic cone, Cerro Elephante, 1,640 ft in elevation, ~ 12 mi north of Bahía Asunción. All thalli at this location
were characteristically bushy with a pale-yellowish-green, pruinose cortex, and
all had numerous whip-like branchlets with subterminal-lenticular apothecia, and all
were found to contain sekikaic acid and subsequently identified
N. suffnessii. Further up the road, near Arroyo San Andrés, additional specimens
of N. suffnessii were collected in association of what was decidedly other species, all of which
also were found to have sekikaic-acid; these related species were named N.
lobulata, N. siphonoloba, and N. unseoides. Niebla lobulata,
as the epithet implies, has lobulate branchlets, instead of teretiform
capillary branchlets, and N. siphonoloba, as its epithet implies, has
tubular, pipe-like branches that are mostly simple, although the primary branch
may occasionally divide into equal secondary branches that hardly differ from
the lower-main branch. The other species, Niebla usneoides, was
distinct for dense isidia, perhaps the first report (Spjut
1990 ms, unpublished) of such a species in the genus. This was contrasted
with a divaricatic-acid isidiate species, also discovered on the Vizcaíno Peninsula in 1986, provisionally named N. alectorioides (Spjut
ined.), but was finally found by Bowler et al. (1994) nearly eight years later
who quickly published it as N. isidiaescens; however, N. isidiosa,
a broad-lobed isidiate species had been collected long ago by Palmer on Isla
Guadalupe.
Niebla suffnessii
is closely related to another sekikaic-acid species, N. fimbriata, that
was not discovered until later, March 1988, from collections obtained in Baja
California Norte (BCN) above San Antonio del Mar. Niebla fimbriata
differs by the brittle thallus that produces more
spine-like branchlets, arising pectinately along a main (basal) branch. Its
branchlets are often short and spine-like, instead of long and curved like a whip, and appear
to detach easily, leaving a bumpy (lobed) margin. The apothecia of N.
fimbriata are shaped more like a cup instead of a lens, and the cortex is
dark green, depressed in places with longitudinal creases, instead of appearing pale yellowish-green
and plump (turgid).
Upon further expeditions
along the Pacific Coast (1990–1996), lichens similar to
Niebla suffnessii and N. fimbriata were found between Punta Baja and
Punta Rocosa. A Niebla population on Mesa
Camacho had both N. fimbriata and N. suffnessii with
morphological variants not found at their original (type) locations.
Indeed, another related species also recognized here was provisionally
named N. sinuata (Spjut ined.). This species has distinct wavy
cortical ridges, sharply raised from the surface, and are oriented
longitudinally, although transverse ridges are also prominent. This might be contrasted to another provisionally named species
also found on Mesa Camacho, N. angulata, a salazinic-acid species with regular
transverse
cortical ridges. In recognizing N. sinuata, consideration has to be made to circumscriptions of N. lobulata
and N. siphonoloba; for further discussion and photos see pages
under these species. Specimens that have been collected in the Channel
Islands with conspicuous nodular margins might be segregated except for
occasional specimens that seem to produce branches with smooth margins as well
as nodular margins.
Specimens from Mesa
Camacho of N. suffnessii differ from those at the type
locality in having more zigzag contorted branchlets, in contrast to all branches
curving continuously in the same direction in typical thalli. There are variants of
N. disrupta in the Channel Islands that also appear similar such as one
shown above, collected
by Charis Bratt. Additional specimens from Mesa Camacho and around Bahía María approach Niebla turgida
(divaricatic acid)
in their general appearance. Niebla turgida can also be recognized by the dark pigmentation at the thallus base, in contrast to the lack of such pigmentation in N. suffnessii. On
the other hand, one might regard the population of N. suffnessii at
Mesa Camcho
as
a distinct species, but Spjut (1996) adopted a broader species concept in which
the distinction between the two sekikaic-acid species is thus more difficult due
to the greater variation. As a result, the main difference between N.
suffnessii and N. fimbriata is seen in the development of branchlets;
N. suffnessii has a the relatively smooth branch margin between the
junction of branchlets, in contrast to crenulate to lobulate margins of N.
fimbriata—where branchlets have evidently broken off.
Niebla suffenssii is also similar to N.
marinii (salazinic acid) in the whip-like branches and lenticular apothecia,
and it is interesting that N. marinii is the closest geographical species
that has a bush-like thallus. Besides the chemical difference between the
two species, one can also see from photos on these web pages, the prominence of
pycnidia at or near apex of branchlets in N. marinii, and the lack of
pycnidial development (probably a delay in development) at the apex for N.
suffnessii. Pycnidia in both species are prominent along the cortical
ridge below the apex. The development of apical pycnidia was a key
character in Spjut (1996).
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