GRAPHIS SCNIPTA - Universitetet i Oslo

Fellhanera subtilis found in Finland
HARRI HARMAJA
Harmajo, H.' 1995: Fellhanera subtilis found in Finland. Graphis Scripta 7:
85-86. Stockholm. ISSN 0901-7593.
Fellhanera subtilis (V6zda) Diederich & Sdrusiaux is reported from several
localities in South Finland. It is a new member of the Finnish lichen flora.
Harri Harmaja, Botanical Museum, Finnish Museum of Natural History, P.O.
Box 47, FIN-00014 University of Helsinkr, Finland-
Inspired by the informative article of Arup &
Ekman (L994), I checked during my other
activities in South Finland the stem-bases of
bilberry planti (Vaccinium mynillus) for the
presence of lichens of the genus Fellhanera
Y|zda. Every now and then I obtained a positive
result. Three specimens collected earlier
were detected as well in H. A closer examination
(e.g. the spores of some specimens were
studied microscopically) showed that of the
three Fellhanera species treated by Arup &
Ekman (L994) only F. subtilis (Vdzda) Diederich
& Sdrusiatx was present in the material.
My specimens will be deposited in H.
An the specimens except my oldest one
(with pycnidia only) were fertile; some sterile
thalli found on bilberry stems were left
unidentified. However, even sterile F. subtilis
may be recognized, as it very commonly
possesses characteristic rod-like, often somewhat
tapering, pycnidia (see Arup & Ekman
1994, Figure 4E).
Most specimens are from V. myrtillus. The
lichen prefers the basal non-green parts of the
stem and branches of the living plants. Fairly
often also the lowermost parts of the green
branches bear F. subtilis. It appears that the
plants are generally old, fairly tall, and very
often have some dead branches (which likewise
may bear some lichen). Wholly dead
plants are apparently unfavourable substrates,
but the lichen survives for at least some length
of time even on them.
Once F. subtilis was collected on stem
bases of. Vaccinium vitis-idaea, once on those
of. Calluna vulgaris, and once on dead lower
twigs of spruce (Picea abies).
I found F. subtilis in different kinds of
mossy heath forests, also in paludified ones.
However, it was only rarely found in the driest
site-types. No finds were recorded from true
rich woods. It also seemed that the species
somewhat favours fairly old, not heavily
managed coniferous woods and northern
slopes. Fairly high atmospheric humidity may
thus be important for this lichen to thrive.
However, the species does not demand true
old-growth forests. In fact, it may even be
capable of resisting some levels of air pollution.
My observations on the substrates and
biotope preferences of F. subtilis are in good
concordance with those of Arup & Ekman
(L994) made in south Sweden.
Of the three Fellhanera species in Sweden
preferring bilberry stems (Arup & Ekman
L994) I did not observe F. bouteillei (Desm.)
V6zda or F. myrtillicola (Erichsen) Hafellner.
There is in H an old collection of F. bouteillei
from spruce twigs from [,ammi, south Finland
(Vainio L934). However, the species is now