Note

The lichenicolous genus Polycoccum Saut. ex Körb. from India

Yogesh Joshi, Sunita Bisht, Pooja Bansal, Shimmi Meena

Published on: 14 July 2025

Page: 474 - 479

DOI: 10.6165/tai.2025.70.474

Abstract

Polycoccum rinodinae var. galligenum, the third taxon associated with the lichen genus Rinodina is described as a new variety to science from alpine regions of Uttarakhand, India. The new variety is primarily characterised by small, gall-like deformations on the thallus of its host, 8-spored asci, with 1-septate, hyaline to brown, uniseriately or irregularly arranged verruculose ascospores. Additionally, three other Polycoccum species are reported for the first time in India, expanding their known geographical distributions. These are: Polycoccum nigrosporum colonizing thallus of Buellia aethalea, P. rubellianae colonising thallus of Neobrownliella cinnabarina and P. rinodinae var. rinodinae colonising thallus of saxicolous species of Rinodina.

Keyword: galls, Himalaya, new record, perithecioid ascomycetes, Polycoccum rinodinae var. galligenum, Rinodina

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