Niebla suffnessii
©The
World Botanical Associates Web Page
Prepared by Richard W. Spjut
April 2003, Oct. 2005, Aug 2012
May 2017, Dec 2021
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Niebla and Vermilacinia (Ramalinaceae) from California and Baja
California.
Evolutionary history of coastal species
of fog lichen genera
Spjut R, Simon A, Guissard M, Magain N, Sérusiaux E. The
fruticose genera in the Ramalinaceae (Ascomycota, Lecanoromycetes):
their diversity and evolutionary history. MycoKeys. 2020 Oct
30;74:109-110].
Evolution and diversification of Niebla
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 Vizcaíno Peninsula, W of Bahía de Tortugas, towards Punta Eugenia, N 27°43.754, W 114°55.606, 40 m, Spjut & Sérusiaux 17226, Jan 2016 |
 South of El Rosario along road to Punta Baja, on sandy, wind-swept ridgeline, 80 m, Leavitt et al. 16-999, Dec 2016
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 NW Bahía de Ascunción, near the Mesa El Elephante, N 27°19.801 W, 114°24.895, 115 m, Spjut & Sérusiaux 17164, Jan 2016. Note: TLC identified divaricatic acid in addition to sekikaic acid. |
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Vizcaíno Peninsula, slopes |
Vizcaíno Peninsula, slopes
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Mesa between Punta Canoas and Puerto
Catarina, Spjut & Marin
13118, Apr 1994, sekikaic
acid (TLC Jun 1994, |
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Mesa between Punta
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Mesa between Punta Canoas |
Mesa between Punta |
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Vizcaíno Peninsula, Arroyo
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Bahía Santa María |
Mesa between Punta Canoas and Puerto
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Niebla sinuata (Spjut ined.)
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Niebla
sinuata (Spjut ined.)
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Niebla sinuata
(Spjut ined.). Mesa between Punta Canoas and Puerto Catarina, Spjut & |
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Niebla suffnessii, map showing geographical occurrences, and another map showing greater detail for site of N. angulata, on Mesa Camacho. |
Illustration of TLC Data for Niebla spp.
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Niebla suffnessii is a species of fruticose lichen endemic to Baja California, ranging from the Vizcaíno Peninsula to near El Rosario in Baja California Norte. It most often occurs on red volcanic rocks of cones and mesas away the immediate coast. It is generally recognized by having sekikaic acid and numerous hair-like to whip-like branchlets that differ from the primary (basal) branch by the sharply reticulate cortex, although the distinction between the primary branch and the branchlet is often not sharp. Several morphs can be recognized by differences in the habit and cortical features. The typical morph from Cerro Elephante is much like the type for N. marinii (salazinic acid species) in having inflated primary branches that dichotomously divide numerous times, gradually narrowing while becoming more fringed with short to long whip-like branchlets. The cortex on the inflated portion near base is relatively smooth. A second morph has more prominent reticulate ridging and less inflated branches. It occurs infrequently on the Vizcaíno Peninsula (Arroyo San Andrés) and more frequently further north. A third morph, given an unpublished name, N. sinuata, has sharp sinuous cortical ridges; it is known only from Mesa Camacho. Niebla suffnessii was first collected in May 1986 on red lava on the Vizcaíno Peninsula at the summit of a volcanic cone, Cerro Elephante, 1,640 ft in elevation, ~ 12 mi north of Bahía Asunción; it was the only Niebla species at this location; however, upon returning to the volcanic cone in Jan 2016, it seems to have vanished, a change in climate seems the mostly logical explanation. Thalli were generally bushy in habit with a pale-yellowish-green, pruinose cortex and with numerous whip-like branchlets bearing lenticular apothecia. Further up the road, near Arroyo San Andrés, additional specimens of N. suffnessii were collected in association with other sekikaic-acid species, N. lobulata, N. siphonoloba, and N. usneoides. Niebla lobulata, as the epithet implies, is distinguished by the lobulate branchlets, and N. siphonoloba, as its epithet implies, by tubular, pipe-like branches that rarely divide. Niebla usneoides—easily recognized by its isidiate flagelliform branchlets, was noted to be abundant over large areas, but in 2016 it too seems to have vanished. Several other sekikaic acid species of Niebla with relatively long narrow branches or branchlets occur further north. Niebla fimbriata, which is found in the Northern Vizcaíno Desert, north of Punta Canoas and in the Channel Islands, differs by the primary branches producing brittle spine-like side branchlets pointing in the same direction; the branchlets detach easily as evident from bumpy (lobed) branch margins, while occasionally basal branches lack the side branchlets, or the basal branches are mostly decumbent from which many secondary branches grow upright. Its apothecia are shaped more like a cup instead of a lens, and the cortex is dark green with longitudinal creases, instead of yellowish-green and turgid. Niebla disrupta, a California endemic, differs in the dichotomously divided primary branches with a smooth glossy cortex, cracking transversely at various internals, and by apothecia that develop more near the base of the thallus. On Mesa Camacho and around Bahía María Niebla turgida (divaricatic acid) is similar to N. suffnessii where they seem to occur near each other. They are easily separated by their lichen substances. Niebla turgida has divaricatic acid and dark pigmentation (skyrin) near the base of the thallus. It also has a reticulate cortex with ±rectangular areoles (not rounded), and more conspicuous pycnidia, appearing slightly larger and more raised by the thalline margin. Phylogeny of Niebla suffnessii is supported from a specimen collected in the vicinity of the type locality, Cerro Elephante, on the Vizcaíno Peninsula (Spjut et al. 2020, Fig. 7).
Additional References: See Niebla.
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