Baeomyces heteromorphus

A cap lichen at Cotter River, ACT

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Identification history

Baeomyces heteromorphus	4 Oct 2016	Heino
Baeomyces heteromorphus	4 Oct 2016	Heino
Placopsis sp.	2 Oct 2016	KenT

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User's notes

A sample from one of the pink bits was placed on a microscope slide to reveal asci so I presume the pink bits are apothecia. Growing on the ground of a road cutting.

3 comments

Heino wrote:

5 Oct 2016

There is still the possibility that I have got it wrong and that this is a species of Dibaeis (a genus segregated from Baeomyces). The following information may be of use. You'll find the Baeomyces description from Vol 58A of the Flora of Australia here: http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/LOBARIACEAE/Baeomyces_hetero.html. In the printed volume there are additional comments, noting that it is a variable species, superficially similar to Dibaeis absoluta and Dibaeis arcuata.

The Flora's key to Australian Dibaeis species is here: http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/DIBAEIS%20Genus%20and%20Key.pdf
and the species' descriptions are here:
(1) http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/LOBARIACEAE/Dibaeis_absoluta.html;
(2) http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/LOBARIACEAE/Dibaeis_arcuata.html and
(3) http://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/LOBARIACEAE/Dibaeis_sorediata.html

KenT wrote:

5 Oct 2016

Thanks Heino, it was a bit dark where these were I failed to see that the pink bits are stalked, their small size and angle the photo was taken at didn't help. One of the images for this species in Kantvilas & Jarman 1999 appears to possibly show the same black dots as this image (most obvious - top left) which they ascribe to the presence of a fungal parasite. I wonder if Dibaesis species also get this parasite? If not then it could rule Dibaesis out.

Heino wrote:

5 Oct 2016

I assume that if there are parasites on Dibaeis they are much rarer, given the Flora's mention of it for Baeomyces but not for Dibaeis.Certainly, in the previous decade or two there has been a considerable increase in the number of known lichen-inhabiting parasites and also in the number of host genera. However, I don't keep track of those studies and so don't know if any have been found on Dibaeis.

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