Barubria

In 1986, Antonín Vězda established Barubria when he split an informal group he called "Lobaca", using differences in ascus (spore sac) structure. Genera with a Sporopodium-type ascus and campylidia (specialised asexual spore-producing structures) were placed in an expanded Ectolechiaceae. Within that group, Vězda recognised five new genera, including Barubria. He placed the Byssoloma-type lineage in Pilocarpaceae (since synonymized with Ectolechiaceae) as Fellhanera. Barubria was published as monospecific, meaning it contained a single species. Its type and only species is B. fuscorubra, published as a new combination (comb. nov.) based on the basionym Bacidia fuscorubra. The type collection is from Sérédou (Macenta Prefecture, Guinea).^[2]

Barubria is defined by a combination of microscopic traits: a thin, even thallus; biatorine apothecia constricted at the base, with a flat to slightly convex disc; a paraplectenchymatous exciple that lacks crystals; densely branched, anastomosing paraphyses; and clavate asci with a J+ tholus (staining blue in iodine) of the Sporopodium type. The ascospores are ellipsoid and 3-septate, meaning they are divided into four cells. The genus produces dark blue campylidia that taper to a sharp apex and release short-stalked, fusiform conidia. In overall appearance, Barubria can resemble Fellhanera, but it differs in its ascus type and in having campylidia. It also differs from Badimia (which also has 3-septate spores) by lacking crystals in the exciple and by producing a different campylidial conidial type. In Vězda's identification key to Ectolechiaceae, Barubria is identified by the combination of 3-septate spores (eight per ascus), branched and anastomosing paraphyses, and lanceolate, one-celled campylidial conidia.^[2]

The name Barubria flavescens was proposed for inclusion in Barubria in 1999,^[3] but it was later transferred to the monotypic genus Baflavia as Baflavia flavescens.^[4]

Barubria forms a thin, even thallus, a smooth, film-like crust, on leaf surfaces (foliicolous). Its apothecia are biatorine (with a pale, proper margin rather than a thalline margin). They are characteristically narrowed where they meet the thallus, and the disc is flat to slightly convex. The apothecial rim (exciple) is paraplectenchymatous (brick-wall-like tissue) and lacks crystals. The hymenial threads (paraphyses) are densely branched and often anastomose, meaning they fork and re-join. The asci are clavate (club-shaped) and have a J+ tholus, meaning the apical dome turns blue in iodine, with a Sporopodium-type structure.^[2]

Ascospores are colourless, ellipsoid and 3-septate (four-celled), typically eight per ascus. The genus also produces distinctive campylidia, specialised asexual fruit bodies. They are dark blue and taper to a sharply pointed apex, and they release short-stalked, fusiform (spindle-shaped) conidia that are one-celled and lanceolate in face view. The lichen can resemble Fellhanera in overall appearance, but it differs in having a Sporopodium-type ascus and in producing campylidia. It differs from Badimia by lacking crystals in the exciple and by having a different form of campylidia.^[2]

Barubria is foliicolous (living on leaves) and, as originally circumscribed, was known only from Africa; the genus was published as monospecific. The type and only species, B. fuscorubra, is based on material from Guinea (West Africa), from Macenta Prefecture (Sérédou), at 900 m.^[2]