Buellia bahiana
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| Buellia bahiana | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Caliciales |
| Family: | Caliciaceae |
| Genus: | Buellia |
| Species: | B. bahiana |
| Binomial name | |
| Buellia bahiana Malme | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
| |
Buellia bahiana (commonly known as bay buttons[2]) is a crustose-type lichen species that frequently grows on the bark and wood of trees found in coastal and inland forest habitats.[3][2] This lichen species exhibits a broad geographic distribution, being documented in various pantropical and subtropical regions around the world.[3] Specific areas where Buellia bahiana has been recorded include parts of Australia, Africa, North America, Central America, South America, and several Pacific Island chains.[3]
Buellia bahiana has a thin, continuous thallus that can range in texture from membranous to areolate.[3] The thallus color varies from white to grey-white or pale grey.[3][2] A prothallus, the dark border around the thallus, is typically only evident when the lichen is growing adjacent to other species.[3]
The lichen produces abundant, sessile apothecia that are 0.1-0.7 mm wide.[3] These apothecia have a black, epruinose (lacking a waxy bloom) disc that is plane to slightly convex in shape. The margin of the apothecia is also black and persistent.[3][2] Microscopically, the proper exciple, the layer beneath the disc, is dark brown to brown, black, but paler internally.[3]
The epihymenium, the uppermost layer of the hymenium, is 10-15 μm thick and ranges in color from olive to blue-green or dark olive-green. This layer turns violet when exposed to potassium hydroxide (K+ violet).[3] The hymenium, the spore-bearing layer, is 65-85 μm thick and contains numerous oil droplets dispersed throughout.[3] The hypothecium, the layer beneath the hymenium, is 35-80 μm thick and dark brown in color.[3]
The asci, the spore-producing structures, contain 8 ascospores each. The ascospores are 1-septate, meaning they have a single wall dividing them, and measure 13-20 μm long by 5.5-8.0 μm wide. They are often slightly elongated at the ends and have distinct thickenings of the subapical and septum regions of the spore wall. The outer wall of the ascospores is smooth.[3] Pycnidia, the structures that produce asexual spores, have not been observed on this species.[3][2]
Chemistry
Chemical analysis via spot test shows that the thallus of Buellia bahiana tests positive for two substances. It reacts K+ red, indicating the presence of norstictic acid as a major component. The thallus also tests P+ yellow or yellow orange, revealing the minor or trace compound connorstictic acid.[3]