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Introduction
This is a still provisional guide to parmelioid lichens occurring in northern Thailand, which will be tested in
the field during an excursion on the occasion of the 7th Congress of the International Association of
Lichenology. A second version is planned for March 2012.
Parmeliaceae, the largest foliose lichen family, is currently estimated to include more than 1000 species in 60
or more genera. These numbers are even greater (c. 2300 species in 85 or more genera) when the broader
concept of the family as outlined by CRESPO et al. (2001) is followed, including fruticose genera such as
Usnea
. A catalogue of the lichens of Thailand listing 554 species (WOLSELEY et al. 2002) was based on all
published studies (HOMCHANTARA 1999, 2002; SATO1962; VAINIO 1909, 1921; WOLSELEY &
AGUIRRE–HUDSON 1991, 1997 a, b) and includes 132 parmelioid species in 23 genera.
The current key is based on a study of specimens (now in the BM and partly in CMU and RAMK) collected
from the northern provinces of Thailand by Wolseley, Aguirre–Hudson and James and those collected as part
of a study into the use of lichens as environmental indicators (SAIPUNKAEW et al. 2005, 2007), plus some
important papers such as that of POOPRANG et al. (1999). We have also included some foliose 'cetrarioid'
species such as
Cetreliopsis
,
Cetrelia
, and
Nephromopsis
(the latter 2 still under study), which brings the
number of infrageneric taxa to 99.
Approximately 500 specimens of Parmeliaceae mainly from corticolous habitats in northern Thailand were
examined in terms of their morphological and chemical characters. The majority of these were collected by
W. Saipunkaew in 1998 (SAIPUNKAEW 2000) especially from Chiang Mai Province, and by P.A.
Wolseley, M.B. Aguirre–Hudson and others from Chiang Mai Province between 1990 and 1994, during a
Leverhulme research project on lichens as indicators of environmental health in northern Thailand
(WOLSELEY 1991, WOLSELEY et al. 1994, WOLSELEY & AGUIRRE–HUDSON 1997a, b). Additional
collections from provinces in northern Thailand were investigated during the project, including those from
TNS and RAMK, the latter having a checklist of specimens from Thailand without location (Lichen
Research Unit 2006). Specimens are housed in BM, CMU and BKF. Morphology and anatomy were
investigated using light microscopy. Spores and pycnoconidia were examined and measured in hand–cut
sections mounted in water, dilute KOH or Lugol’s Iodine. Spot tests, UV reactions, thin layer
chromatography (ORANGE et al. 2001) and high performance liquid chromatography (ELIX et al. 2003)
were carried out on selected specimens; only major chemical compounds detected are listed. For further
chemical details and for detailed species descriptions see DIVAKAR & UPRETI (2005), ELIX (1994a–g)
and AWASTHI (2007).
Hypotrachyna
and
Parmotrema
are the most diverse genera in northern Thailand with 18 and 36 species,
respectively. The former is especially well represented in montane tropical regions, while
Parmotrema
is
most diverse in tropical and temperate regions of the world.
In Thailand, the most common species of
Hypotrachyna
include
H. osseoalba
and
H. physcioides
, as well as
Parmotrema nilgherrense, P. sancti–angeli
and
P. tinctorum
. Species characteristic of dry dipterocarp forest
include
Bulbothrix isidiza, B. pigmentacea
and
Parmelinella wallichiana. Everniastrum
and
Hypogymnia
are
restricted to montane forest where
E. nepalense
is often abundant on twigs of evergreen trees (WOLSELEY
& AGUIRRE–HUDSON, 1997a). Four endemic species of Parmeliaceae occur in northern Thailand:
Hypotrachyna chlorobarbatica, H. ramkhamhaengiana, Parmotrema thailandicum
and
Everniastrum
scabridum
.
The key was generated at the University of Trieste using program FRIDA (see MARTELLOS 2010, NIMIS
& VIGNES-LEBBE 2010) and has two query interfaces: 1) an illustrated dichotomous interface, 2) a multi-
entry query interface. The dichotomous key is available in different versions for different media: a) internet,
b) CD-Rom, c) printable (pdf), d) for mobile devices (PDAs, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch).
The main aim of this key is to provide simple descriptions of species and key characters to enable
identification of this conspicuous group of lichens in SE Asia by both professional and non–professional
lichenologists. Chemistry that can be elucidated using spot tests is included in the keys to species.
Differences between similar and/or closely related species in the region are mentioned in the text.