Fascinating Lichens of Sri Lanka

Fo
R
SL
Leptogium austroamericanum Dixie jellyskin
Leptogium azureum Blue jellyskin
C
Fo
Collemataceae
Description Foliose. The thallus is adnate, with round lobes, and steel-grey. The
surface of the lobes is conspicuous but minutely wrinkled and covered with
cylindrical to flattened isidia which are also present on the lobe margins. The
lower surface is paler than the upper surface in colour, and is wrinkled with tufts
of hyphal hair. The specimen was sterile.
This species closely resembles Leptogium cyanescens except for the minutely
wrinkled thallus.
Status Rare. Found on bark as a corticolous species at high elevations in Sri
Lanka. Occurs in North, Central and South America and Australasia. New record
for Sri Lanka
Habitat In humid high elevation forests above 1000 m.
Description Foliose. The thallus is corticolous or saxicolous, and adnate. The
upper surface is blue grey, lead grey to dark grey with no isidia. Lobes are thin,
folded and round at the margins. Lobe surfaces are not distinctly wrinkled, but
are uneven or roughened in the older parts of the thallus. The lower surface has
scattered tufts of hyphal hair. Apothecia were not observed in the material. But
in this species usually cup-like apothecia with red-brown disks and thin cream
coloured to pale brownish margins are commonly produced on the surface
of the thallus. Asci 8-spored. Spores are muriform. Leptogium cyanescens is
about the same size and colour but has marginal and laminal isidia. Leptogium
austroamericanum and Leptogium corticola are often found in the same habitats,
and have distinctly wrinkled lobes.
Status Common on bark as corticolous species at mid to high elevations in Sri
Lanka. Widely distributed in the tropical to subtropical regions of the world.
Collemataceae
Locations Near the Matale district.
Habitat In humid mid to humid high elevation interior forests above 900 m.
Locations Matale and Nuwara Eliya.
108 Fascinating Lichens of Sri Lanka
Fascinating Lichens of Sri Lanka 109