NAT. CROAT.

VOL. 9 No 2 133138

ZAGREB June 30, 2000

ISSN 1330-0520 UDK 582.29:581.95(497.5/1-191-2)

original scientific paper / izvorni znanstveni rad

FIVE LICHEN SPECIES NEW TO THE CROATIAN FLORA

SINI[A OZIMEC
Institute of Biology, Faculty of Education, J. J. Strossmayer University, L. Jgera 9, HR 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Ozimec, S.: Five lichen species new to the Croatian flora. Nat. Croat., Vol. 9, No. 2. 133138, 2000, Zagreb. Five species of epiphytic lichens from Risnjak National Park (Candelariella reflexa, Chaenotheca brunneola, Placynthiella icmalea, Usnea diplotypus and Usnea subfloridana) are reported for the first time in the Croatian lichen flora. For each species, a short description with notes on ecology and distribution are given. Key words: biodiversity, lichens, flora, Risnjak, Croatia Ozimec, S.: Pet novih vrsta li{aja u flori Hrvatske. Nat. Croat., Vol. 9, No. 2., 133138, 2000, Zagreb. Pet vrsta epifitskih li{aja (Candelariella reflexa, Chaenotheca brunneola, Placynthiella icmalea, Usnea diplotypus i Usnea subfloridana) prvi su put zabilje`ene za floru li{aja Hrvatske u Nacionalnom parku Risnjak. Za svaku vrstu dan je kratak opis, uz bilje{ke o ekologiji i rasprostranjenosti. Klju~ne rije~i: biolo{ka raznolikost, li{aji, flora, Risnjak, Hrvatska

INTRODUCTION
The knowledge of south European and Mediterranean lichen flora is largely insufficient (NIMIS, 1996). The first records on the Croatian lichen flora date back to the second part of the 19th century. NO (1858) states fifty-six and MATKOVI] (1879) states fifty-eight species from the North Adriatic coastal area. In the beginning of the 20th century SCHULER (1902) published a good contribution to the knowledge of the lichen flora of Rijeka and Gorski kotar. In this period ZAHLBRUCKNER (1901) started with a description of the lichen material collected in Dalmatia. SERVIT (1910) also took part in the lichen studies. The main Croatian lichenologist Fran Ku{an did extensive research into the lichen flora in Croatia (KU[AN, 1928; 1930), and summarized the papers on lichens from former Yugoslavia including many references for Croatia (KU[AN, 1953). Since that compilation there have been only very few publiCroatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, Zagreb, Croatia

134

Ozimec, S.: Five lichen species new to the Croatian flora

cations referring to lichens from Croatia (CHRISTENSEN, 1987, 1988; CHRISTENSEN & HANSEN, 1994), due to the paucity of field studies in recent decades. In this paper five species, found during two lichenological surveys within Risnjak National Park in 1997 and 1998 (OZIMEC, 1999) are reported as being new to the lichen flora of Croatia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Risnjak National Park (45 26' N, 14 39' E) is located in Gorski kotar, a highland region in western Croatia (Fig. 1). It is the most densely forested part of the country, with 60 percent of its area covered by forests. The park has an area of 64 km2 and includes the source of the Kupa River and the massifs of Risnjak (1528 m a.s.l.) and Snje`nik (1506 m a.s.l.), which belong to the western parts of the Dinaric Mountains. The climate is perhumid, with a maritime precipitation regime (3500 mm average), high air humidity (85%), short vegetation period and thick snow cover; the mean annual temperature is 3.0 C. Due to the predominant limestone bedrock a typical karst relief with the characteristic morphology has developed.

Fig. 1. Map of Croatia with the position of Risnjak National Park

The area is covered by mixed beech and fir forests, subalpine beech forests, spruce forests and mountain pine (Pinus mugo) scrubs. Such communities are char-

Nat. Croat. Vol. 9(2), 2000

135

acteristic of Gorski kotar, other parts of Croatia and neighbouring Slovenia and Bosnia. The lichen specimens are deposited in the herbarium of Botanical Institute, Faculty of Sciences in Zagreb (ZA). Locality, altitude, substratum, date of collection and MTB coordinates are given for each sample. Small portions of the Usnea species thallus were analyzed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) in accordance with WHITE & JAMES (1985). For each species, a short description with brief comment on ecology and geographic distribution is given. Nomenclature of species follows NIMIS (1993), but COPPINS & JAMES (1984) for Placynthiella icmalea.

THE SPECIES
Candelariella reflexa (Nyl.) Lettau
Markov brlog, by the path to Medvje|a vrata, 940 m a.s.l., in Abieti-Fagetum dinaricum Treg., on Acer pseudoplatanus, 16. XI. 1997, MTB 0553/4. Leska valley, by the Horvatova staza path to Podi, 740 m a.s.l., in Abieti-Fagetum dinaricum Treg., on Acer pseudoplatanus, 17. XI. 1997, MTB 0554/3. Bijela Vodica valley, by the road, 680 m a.s.l., on open standing Acer pseudoplatanus, near the entrance sign, 13.VIII. 1998, MTB 0554/3. A yellow, crustose lichen with a K thallus of minute squamules. Squamules up to 1 mm diam., rounded, flattened, citrine-yellow; the margins braking down into fine-granular soredia. This southern-temperate species occurs in areas with high precipitation, on slightly nutrient-enriched habitats (WIRTH, 1995). It is frequent on the mineral-rich, subneutral bark of broad-leaved, often isolated trees. This moderately shade and pollution tolerant lichen is widespread from the Mediterranean region to southern Norway. It was reported from Sne`nik (GRUBE et al., 1995) and Trnovski gozd (PRGGER et al., 2000) in Slovenia.

Chaenotheca brunneola (Ach.) Mll. Arg.

Cajtnik, by the path ascending to Veliki Risnjak, 1380 m a.s.l., in Homogyno alpinae-Fagetum (Horv.) Borh., on a decaying Fagus trunk with moss cover, 4. X. 1997, MTB 0553/4. Thallus crustose, immersed. Apothecia 0.61.6 mm tall, stalked. Stalks shiny black, often branched, carrying 25 globose dark-brown heads. Thallus Pd + yellow. This species occurs mostly on bark and lignum of decaying conifers and deciduous trees, in shaded and humid situations of the montane and subalpine belt (WIRTH, 1995). The species is known from Herzegovina (KU[AN, 1953; MURATI, 1993), and Slovenia (MAYRHOFER et al., 1996).

136

Ozimec, S.: Five lichen species new to the Croatian flora

Placynthiella icmalea (Ach.) Coppins & P. James

Medvje|a vrata, above path to Vilje, 1300 m a.s.l., in Calamagrostio-Abietetum Horv., on Abies alba, 4.X. 1997, MTB 0553/4. Thallus crustose, of isidiate to minutely coralloid green-brown granules. Apothecia 0.20.6 mm diameter, scattered, with a distinct, paler, true exciple. Thallus K, KC + red, C + red, Pd. The small specimen was collected on lignum of the trunk of a dead fir tree, together with Cladonia fimbriata. The genus Placynthiella was resurrected by COPPINS & JAMES (1984) to accommodate the Lecidea uliginosa group. The four species of the genus occur on a wide range of acidic substrata in Europe and North America: on dead bark and lignum of fallen trees and stumps, worked timber, peaty ground and plant debris in heathland and forest clearings. Placynthiella icmalea is widespread through Europe, except in dry Mediterranean regions.

Usnea diplotypus Vainio

Bijela Vodica valley, by the road, 680 m a.s.l., on open standing Acer pseudoplatanus, near the entrance sign, 13.VIII. 1998, MTB 0554/3. Thallus 2.5 cm tall, subpendulous with anisotomic-dichotomous ramifications, minute tuberculate and richly isidiate soralia. Medulla K + yellow, C/KC + red, Pd + yellow. Chemistry: usnic and alectorialic acid. The small specimen, associated with Cladonia fimbriata, Evernia prunastri, Hypogymnia physodes, Lobaria scrobiculata, Parmelia acetabulum, P. caperata, P. pastillifera, Pertusaria albescens, Pseudevernia furfuracea and Ramalina fastigiata, was collected on an open standing sycamore growing in the valley. According to CLERC (1987), Usnea diplotypus has been wrongly considered as being exclusively saxicolous. It is frequent in more or less continental areas of Scandinavia and central Europe, but it is rare in southern and western Europe. The occurrence of this species on the eruptive rocks in Bulgaria and its central European distribution was noted by MURATI (1993). Usnea diplotypus was recently reported from Trnovski gozd in Slovenia by PRGGER et al. (2000).

Usnea subfloridana Stirton

Leska valley, near the educational trail, 700 m a.s.l., in Blechno-Abietetum Horv., on Abies alba, 13.VIII. 1998, MTB 0554/3 Thallus 5.3 cm tall, shrubby, slightly tufted, attached by a compact holdfast. Branching isotomic-dichotomous. Surface grey-green, conspicuously blackened at the base with minute transverse cracking without interconnecting longitudinal cracks. Main branches densely papillose, terminal parts and fibrils smooth with scattered papillae and pseudocyphellae, giving rise to tuberculate, irregularly rounded

Nat. Croat. Vol. 9(2), 2000

137

soralia with coarsely granular soredia. Medula K + yellow, C/KC + red, Pd + yellow. Chemistry: usnic and thamnolic acid. MURATI (1993) reported the occurrence of this lichen on the bark of various trees on high mountains in Slovenia and Macedonia. It was recently reported from Sne`nik (GRUBE et al., 1995) and Trnovski gozd (PRGGER et al., 2000) in Slovenia.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Dr B. J. Coppins (Edinburgh), and Professor Dr H. Mayrhofer (Graz), for their help with identification of lichen material and valuable comments. TLC analyses were made using equipment and facilities of the Institute of Botany in Graz (Austria). The manuscript was improved by the comments of two anonymous reviewers. Received January 26, 2000

REFERENCES
CHRISTENSEN, S. N., 1987: Contribution to the lichen flora of Yugoslavia. Acta Bot. Croat. 46, 161172. CHRISTENSEN, S. N., 1988: Contribution to the lichen flora of Istria, Yugoslavia. Acta Bot. Croat. 47, 127134. CHRISTENSEN, S. N. & E. S. HANSEN, 1994: Lichens from Croatia. Acta Bot. Croat. 53, 101113. CLERC, P., 1987: Usnea. In NIMIS, P. L. & J. POELT: The Lichens and Lichenicolous Fungi of Sardinia (Italy). Studia Geobot. 7 (suppl. 1), 479495. COPPINS, B. J. & P. W. JAMES, 1984: New or interesting British lichens V. Lichenologist 16, 241264. GRUBE, M., F. BATI^ & H. MAYRHOFER, 1995: Contributions to the Lichen Flora of Slovenia I. Epiphytic Lichens of the Sne`nik area. Herzogia 11, 189196. KU[AN, F., 1928: Predradnje za floru li{ajeva Hrvatske. I. izvje{taj. Acta Bot. Inst. Botan. Univ. Zagreb 3, 140. KU[AN, F., 1930: Neue Bietrge zur Flechtenflora des kroatischen und dalmatinischen Kstenlandes. Acta Bot. Inst. Botan. Univ. Zagreb 5, 1847. KU[AN, F., 1953: Prodromus flore li{aja Jugoslavije. JAZU Zagreb. MATKOVI], P., 1879: Sulla flora crittogamica di Fiume. Programma della regia scuola media superiore di stato in Fiume. Publicato all fine dell' anno scolastico, 3742. MAYRHOFER, H., M. KOCH & F. BATI^, 1996: Beitrge zur Flechtenflora von Slowenien II. Die Flechten des Pohorje. Herzogia 12, 111127. MURATI, M., 1993: Flora li{ajeva 2. The lichen flora 2. Unija albanske inteligencije u Makedoniji. Skopje. NIMIS, P. L., 1993: The lichens of Italy. An annotated catalogue. Monografie XII, Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali, Torino. NIMIS, P. L., 1996: Towards a checklist of Mediterranean lichens. Bocconea 6, 517. NO, W., 1858: Flora di Fiume e del suo litorale. Almanaco Fiumano per l' anno 1858., 7879.

138

Ozimec, S.: Five lichen species new to the Croatian flora

OZIMEC, S., 1999: Flora epifitskih li{aja Nacionalnog parka Risnjak. MSc Thesis, University of Zagreb. PRGGER, J., H. MAYRHOFER & F. BATI^, 2000: Beitrge zur Flechtenflora von Slowenien IV. Die Flechten des Trnovski gozd. Herzogia 14, in press. SERVIT, M., 1910: Zur Flechtenflora Nord-Dalmatien. Mag. Bot. Lap. 9, 164193. ZAHLBRUCKNER, A., 1901: Vorarbeiten zu einer Flechtenflora Dalmatiens I. st. Bot. Zeitschr. 51, 273285, 336350. WHITE, F. J. & P. W. JAMES, 1985: A new guide to microchemical techniques for the identification of lichen substances. Brit. Lich. Soc. Bull. 57 (suppl.), 141. WIRTH, V., 1995: Die Flechten Baden-Wrttembergs 12. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart.

S A @ E TA K Pet novih vrsta li{aja u flori Hrvatske

S. Ozimec Tijekom lihenolo{kih istra`ivanja Nacionalnog parka Risnjak u razdoblju 1997. 1998. godine, zabilje`eno je pet novih vrsta za floru li{aja Hrvatske. Korastim li{ajima pripadaju Candelariella reflexa, Chaenotheca brunneola i Placynthiella icmalea, dok Usnea diplotypus i Usnea subfloridana pripadaju grmastim li{ajima. Talus vrste Candelariella reflexa ~ine sitne ljuskice `u}kaste boje, rubova prekrivenih zrnatim soredijima. Naseljava listopadno drve}e blago eutrofiziranih stani{ta i ~esta je na stablima uz planinarske staze i prometnice. Chaenotheca brunneola dolazi na sjenovitim i vla`nim polo`ajima gorskih i pretplaninskih podru~ja; na|ena je na trulom deblu bukve. Apoteciji su sitni {tapi}i (do 1.6 mm visoki), s 25 tamnosme|ih glavica na vrhovima. Placynthiella icmalea zrnatog je, crveno-sme|eg talusa; raste na kiselim podlogama. Na|ena je na kori i drvu osu{enog stabla jele u sastojini kod Medvje|ih vrata. Usnea diplotypus, iz skupine bradolikih li{aja vise}eg talusa, pogre{no je smatrana isklju~ivo saksikolnom. Na|ena je na solitarnom stablu gorskog javora u uvali Bijela Vodica. Usnea subfloridana na|ena je na stablu jele uz pou~nu stazu u uvali Leska. Premda su ovi li{aji prili~no ~esti i u susjednim podru~jima, ~injenica da su do sada bili nezabilje`eni odra`ava potrebu daljih istra`ivanja u svrhu potpunijeg upoznavanja flore li{aja kao sastavnice ukupne biolo{ke raznolikosti Hrvatske.

Nat. Croat. Vol. 9(2), 2000

139

140

Ozimec, S.: Five lichen species new to the Croatian flora