The
World Botanical Associates Web Page
Prepared by Richard W. Spjut
January 2004. Comments and illustrations added Oct. 2005, Sep 2012
Additions May 2017
Niebla and Vermilacinia (Ramalinaceae) from California and Baja
California.
Evolutionary history of coastal species
of fog lichen genera
Evolution and diversification of Niebla
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Morro Santo Domingo, |
Morro Santo Domingo, |
Morro Santo Domingo, |
Punta Canoas, Spjut 11334, Apr 1990 |
Punta Cono, Spjut & Marin 11511, Apr 1990 |
West of Villa Jesus Maria, along shoreline, at North of Punta Morro
Santo Domingo
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Punta Cono, Spjut & Marin 11513, Apr 1990 |
Illustration of TLC data |
Geographical Distribution
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Niebla brachyura is a rare lichen that is endemic to the Northern Vizcaíno Desert of Baja California. It is distinguished by its hemispherical thallus intricately divided into narrow to irregularly widened branches that are often shortly bifurcate near apex, and by its lichen substance of hypoprotocetraric acid. It appears intermediate between salazinic acid species, Niebla flabellata—that differs by the more strongly flattened branches arising from a central attachment point, and by the thinner yellowish-green cortex—and N. arenaria that is best distinguished by its chemistry. Niebla brachyura is one of two species in the genus that has hypoprotocetraric acid. The other, N. spatulata, which is also rare, is much like N. flabellata; it is known sporadically from near El Tomatal, on the Vizcaíno Peninsula, and on Isla Cedros. The type collection consisted of a single specimen (Spjut & Marin 9073K, holotype) pulled out of a sample of ~ 200 g collected in May 1985 for the National Cancer Institute's anticancer/antiHIV screening. The sample was later determined to include N. caespitosa (divaricatic acid) with occasional N. flabellata (salazinic acid), N. eburnea (divaricatic acid) and N. flagelliforma (divaricatic acid). The type of N. flabellata was also selected from this sample (Spjut & Marin 9073H5). It was not until five years later that Niebla brachyura was found at other sites, one near Punta Canoas where six specimens were collected in association with N. arenaria, and another at Punta Cono where two specimens were collected in an enriched mixed Niebla-Vermilacinia community. In 2016, it was independently collected from Morro Santo Domingo by two research groups. Niebla brachyura is morphologically similar to the salazinic-acid species, N. limicola and N. effusa, and they are best distinguished from N. brachyura by their lichen substances. |