Carboneae vorticosae similis sed hypothecio K+ purpureo, thallo acida confluentica et 2'-O-methylperlatolica continenti.
Typus: Falkland Islands, West Falkland, Port Howard, outcrops on pass SW of Mt. Maria summit, UTM 21F UC 2078 [51°6105’S, 59°5985’W], 2000 ft [610 m], 28 January 1968, H. A. Imshaug (41294) & R. C. Harris (MSC-0136484—holotypus; BCRU—isotypus).
Description
Thallus effuse, widespreading up to 5 cm across, with black prothallus when adjacent to other lichens; areolate, areoles c. 0.2–0.5 mm across; pale grey, flat to slightly convex, cortex absent but with thin epinecral layer (c. 5 mm); medulla I–. Photobiont chlorococcoid, cells 10–15 mm diam.
Apothecia frequent to scattered, lecideine, black, ±orbicular becoming angular, 0.4– 0.6 mm diam., flat with an indistinct proper margin when young but soon becoming immarginate, margine white pruinose when emerging from thallus but soon concolorous with disc, 0.05 mm wide, disc rough. In section: proper exciple poorly developed, blue-black pigmented. Hymenium 60–70 mm tall; paraphyses unbranched, rarely with a short side branch, not anastomosing, non-septate, lax in K, c. 1.5 mm wide, slightly swollen to 3 mm at apex with upper 5–10 mm with blue-black pigment; epihymenium not granular, with blue-black pigment (N+ red: cinereorufa-green) often in clumps. Hypothecium brown, K+ purple. Asci ±cylindrical when young, becoming slightly clavate, Lecanora-type, 45–50 × 15–17 µm; ascospores hyaline, simple, oblong with rounded ends becoming slightly ellipsoid, (12–)15–17(–19) × 5–6(–7) µm.
Conidiomata not observed.
Chemistry. Confluentic and 2’-O-methylperlatolic acids by TLC.
Distribution and ecology.Carbonea hypopurpurea is currently known only from the mountains of West Falkland. The only associated species on the three collections are Pertusaria spegazzinii and Poeltidea perusta.