The
World Botanical Associates Web Page
Prepared by Richard W. Spjut
April 2003, 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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N of Punta San Rosallilita, Canyon de San
Andrés, N 28°42.624, W 114°16.193, 1 m. |
Vicinity of Punta Catarina, south of point, on
gypsum-based badlands. |
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Vizcaíno Peninsula, road |
Bahía de Santa María |
W of Rancho San Andrés
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W of Rancho San Andrés
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N. caespitosa x N. podetiaforma? |
Punta Canoas, lower steps
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N. caespitosa x
N. marinii? Punta Canoas, lower steps
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Ridge N of Punta Rocosa,
BCN
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Mesa W of Pico Santa
Monica, Rancho San Francisco
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Santa Cruz Island |
San Clemente Island |
Geographical Distribution |
Niebla caespitosa is a lichen that is widely distributed along the Pacific Coast from the southern California Channel Islands to the Vizcaíno Peninsula region of Baja California. It is identified by the lichen substance of divaricatic acid (with triterpenes), and by the thallus divided into small tufts of flattened contorted branches. Near the thallus base the branches are usually short and blade-like; above they dilate and ± digitately divide into shorter branchlets. The dilated parts of branches generally appear fringed and contorted due to a relatively thin cortex, in contrast to the thicker cortex on the more rigid thallus of N. testudinaria with stiffly erect branchlets, often short bifurcate near apex Niebla caespitosa is most common in the southern part of the northern Baja peninsula along the coastal mountains between Punta Rocosa and Punta Rosarito, and along the eastern Vizcaíno Peninsula on the edge of the mesa escarpment, where occurring with Vermilacinia cedrosensis. On the southern part of the BCN peninsula near Rancho San Andrés, N. caespitosa often occurs with N. flabellata (salazinic acid) and N. flagelliforma (divaricatic acid). Niebla caespitosa appears to intergrade with N. flagelliforma on the rock walls of a narrow arroyo near Rancho San André in the southern part of Baja California Norte, ~100 km north Guerrero Negro. As indicated above N. flagelliforma is generally recognized by terminal digitately arranged flagelliform branchlets with a thinner cortex that develop from a wider thicker cortical lower primary branch. The cortex of N. caespitosa, in contrast, is more uniform in thickness in which the branchlets ± appear equally contorted throughout with less regularity to their shape. Niebla caespitosa may be confused with Niebla dilatata (divaricatic acid), which is distinguished by its larger thallus having rounded marginal lobes (lobulate) instead of the lacerated margins that characterizes N. caespitosa. The lobulate margins of N. dilatata are usually thickened by undeveloped apothecia and pycnidia. Niebla flabellata (salazinic acid) and N. spatulata (hypoprotocetraric acid) are similar in their flattened lacerated branches, but easily distinguished by their lichen substances. A putative hybrid with N. undulata is indicated above for Spjut 11231 that was collected on a step of an escarpment leading up to a mesa northwest of Punta Canoas. Niebla caespitosa generally has transversely oriented cortical ridging near apex, and while this putative hybrid has the apical longitudinal ridging associated with N. undulata, its branches are not particularly undulate along margins, nor do they show the flattened digitate branching of N. caespitosa. It was collected in association with N. caespitosa (11230), N. flagelliforma (11232), N. infundibula (11229), N. siphonoloba (11226), N. marinii (11227, 11236), and N. effusa (11234). The conspicuous and abundant dark pycnidia indicate affinities to N. marinii, which differs by having salazinic acid and horseshoe-like terminal branches.
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