Niebla palmeri

Niebla palmeri was described by Richard Spjut as a result of undertaking at taxonomic revision of the genus Niebla in regard to developing a lichen flora of Baja California.^[1] Only five specimens of N. palmeri were reported to have been collected, all at the United States National Herbarium (Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany),^[3] which includes one of his collections obtained from a mesa above Punta Baja;^[1] however, Phillip Rundel and Peter Bowler recognized a “sekikaic acid race” of Niebla homalea at Colina del Sudoeste, Bahía de San Quintín “limited to shrubs growing on sand dunes and to lava surfaces on lower slopes”.^[4] A specimen cited by Spjut^[1] was collected on sand at Bahía de San Quintín by Velva E. Rudd (3340A) in late January 1972 in regard to the Edward Palmer Project.^[5]

Niebla palmeri has been included under a very broad species concept, (Niebla homalea);^[6] one that essentially recognizes only three species in the genus Niebla as defined by a two-layered cortex, by isolated chondroid strands in the medulla, and by the lichen substances lacking the terpenes found in Vermilacinia.^[7] Under the broad species concept, the morphological differences are seen as environmentally induced variation, and the chemical differences as chemo-syndrome variation^[6] however, no data were presented to support this view other than reference to studies of other genera in which the species differences mentioned are not applicable.^[8]

• World Botanical Associates, Niebla palmeri, retrieved 31 Dec 2014, http://www.worldbotanical.com/niebla_palmeri.htm#palmeri