GRAPHIS ScnIPTA - Universitetet i Oslo

Caloplaca soropelta (8. S. Hansen, Poelt & Sgchting) Sgchting
comb. nov.
ULRIK SOcHTING
Sochting, U. L992: Caloplacq soropelta (E. S. Hansen, Poelt & SOchting)
Sochting comb. nov. Graphis Scipta 4: 35-36. Stockholm. ISSN 0901-7 Sg{'
Caloplaca citina var. soropelta was described by Hansen, Poelt & SOchting
(1987) from Greenland. Subsequent finds from Svalbard has proved th;
ta:ron to be well delimited from C. ci.trina and it is accordingly heie raised to
species level. New material, which is partly fertile, allows 1o make a more
comprehensive description, and thus to establish a better understanding of
the species.
UMk Sochting, _In1tltut for Sporeplanter, University of Copenhagen, O.
Faimagsgade 2D, DK-1353 Copenhagen K.
Caloplaca soropelta €. S. Hansen, poelt
& Sgchting) SOchting comb. nov.
Basionym: Caloplaca citrina var. soropelta E.
S. Hansen, Poelt & Sochting. l9g7; Meddr.
Gr^nland Biosc. 25: 26.
Morphology
Thallus up to 2 cm in diameter, consisting of
centrally crowded, laterally dispersed, irregular,
but hardly incised squamules, which are up
to about I mm, bright orange yellow to bright
golden yellow and often slightly pruinose. fhe
squamules are peltate in the centre, but
smaller, more convex and more appressed to
the substratum towards the periphery of the
thallus. Older squamules are concave, with
often greyish cortex, and most often golden
yellow soralia developing from the under surfgce
of the periphery. soralia never develop at
the surface of the squamules, which remain
covered by a strongly concave cortex. Soredia
20-30pcm diam.
Apothecia lecanorine to zeorine, very rare
and unripe in the material. They are sessile
centrally on the squamules, at the material
studied about 0.6 mm diam. Disc initially concave,
orange. The margin is about 0.1 mm
thick, concolorous with disc. The outer surface
of the margin is sorediate.
Anatomy
Cortex thin, little differentiated. Algal layer
about 300 pm thick, diffuse. A fine epipsamma
of anthraquinones is very abundant at the
soralia, less so on the cortex.
Thalline margin with many algae producing
soredia laterally. Hymenium immature, but
paraphyses seem to be little branched and
hardly inflated apically.
Ecologr
Caloplaca soropelta is a species of highly
eutrophicated, calcareous rock. It prefers
cracked surfaces. on rocks with soil accumulated
in the cracks it may form peltate
squamules with rhizinae penetrating the soil.
c. soropelta is often associated with xanthoria
elegans, X. sorediata, X. candelaria, Caloplaca
sacicola and C. decipiens.