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in upper parts. Lower surface pale yellow-white or buff at margins, darkening centrally, wrinkled-undulate, tomentose,
the tomentum thick and woolly. Pseudocyphellae yellow, common, scattered, rounded, minute, 0.2 mm diam. or less,
rarely 0.5 mm diam., conical-verruciform. Apothecia not always present, marginal and laminal, 0.5-3 mm diam., sessile
to subpedicellate, the margin prominent, persistent, coarsely corrugate-scabrid. Spores red-brown, ellipsoid, 2-celled.
Photobiont cyanobacterial. Spot tests: medulla K+ yellow, C- or C+ pink, P+ orange. Only locally common in high-
elevation forest areas, also found in fragmented forest patches above 1200 m, on trunks and dead bark, in well lit
situations (Horton Plains, Kikiliyamana, Ambewela, Pattipola, Seethaeliya, Hakgala Reserve, and Kandapola in the
Nuwara Eliya District).
Pseudocyphellaria intricata
(Delise) Vain.
Thallus foliose, forming a rosette and spreading irregularly, loosely attached,
dark greenish brown to chestnut brown when dry, bluish black to dark dirty
green when wet. Lobes irregularly sublinear, the margins sorediate, whith white
to grey soredia. Medulla white. Lower surface pale chocolate brown, with grey
to brown hairs. Pseudocyphellae white, scattered on the lower surface.
Apothecia very rare (not seen in Sri Lankan material). Photobiont:
cyanobacterial. Spot-tests: medulla K-, C- or C+ pink, P-. - Widespread, mostly
restricted to humid forest areas, on dead wood and bark in sheltered sites,
occasionally saxicolous. (Horton Plains, Pattipola, Hakgala Reserve,
Pidurutalagala peak in the Nuwara Eliya District, Laxapana waterfall,
Hiniduama Kanda, and Kitulgala forest).
Pyrenula
spp.
Thallus crustose, corticate or not, with or without whitish pseudocyphellae,
usually surrounded by a black hypothallus. Perithecia solitary or with fused
walls and/or ostioles. Ascomatal wall usually completely carbonised, with a
distinct clypeus, with or without crystals. Hamathecium inspersed with oil
droplets or not, IKI– or IKI+ blue or orange. Asci without an ocular chamber.
Ascospores 2–8 per ascus, pale to dark brown or grey, with at least 3 transverse
septa, with or without longitudinal septa. Microconidia filiform, usually straight,
occasionally curved. Photobiont:
Trentepohlia
. - This genus of corticolous
lichens is represented by many species in Sri Lanka.
Ramalina conduplicans
Vain.
Thallus fruticose, corticolous (rarely saxicolous), 2-10 cm long, erect, growing
from a narrow holdfast. Branches solid, 1-5 mm wide, the surface greenish,
angular or flat. Soredia and isidia absent. Pseudocyphellae common, marginal
or/and superficial. Apothecia common, terminal or subterminal, lecanorine,
often with spurs. Spores colourless, ellipsoid, 2-celled or often 4-celled.
Photobiont: chlorococcoid. Spot tests: cortex K -, C -, KC + yellow, medulla K-
or + yellow to orange, C-, P-, UV-, Three chemical strains are present: 1) Usnic
and salazinic acid, 2) Usnic, sekikaic acid aggregate and salazinic acid, 3) Usnic
acid and sekikaic acid aggregate. - Very common in humid high elevation
forests above 1400 m. Also collected at low elevations in sun-lit habitats
(Horton Plains and Nuwara Eliya; low elevation areas such as in Divulapitiya-
Gampaha, and Negombo).
Ramalina usnea
(L.) R. Howe
Thallus fruticose, pendulous, up to 30 cm long, with subparallel, irregular or
dichotomous branches, growing from a narrow holdfast. Branches solid, mostly
flat in basal branches, two-edged in distal ones, 1-3 mm wide, often twisted.
Surface: yellowish green, smooth or with conspicuous striation by
pseudocyphellae, shiny, without soredia or isidia. Pseudocyphellae common,
laminal or rarely marginal, narrowly linear. Apothecia (not seen in Sri Lankan
material) lecanorine, stipitate; disc flat to concave; margin concolorous with
thallus Spores colourless, 1-septate, narrowly fusiform. Photobiont:
chlorococcoid. Spot tests: cortex K-, C-, KC+ yellow, P-; medulla K-, C-, KC-,
P-, UV+ white (divaricatic acid and sekikaic acid aggregate). - Very common in humid high elevation forest above
1400 m (Horton Plains and Nuwara Eliya).
