Miriquidica majae, a new lichen species from oldgrowth Picea abies forests in central Norway

Abstract

The new species Miriquidica majae Tønsberg is described from northern boreal forests in Central Norway where it is restricted to trunks of Picea abies, mainly in oldgrowth forests. Chemically M. majae recalls Myochroidea porphyrospoda, but is distinct by the combination of the endosubstratal or indistinct, white thallus in non-sorediate parts, the scattered, effuse soralia, and the lack of areoles that are not completely sorediate. The apothecia are rare and usually poorly developed. The sequences from the ITS2 region of the two species differ markedly.