Pseudoparmelia
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| Pseudoparmelia | |
|---|---|
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| Pseudoparmelia uleana | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Ascomycota |
| Class: | Lecanoromycetes |
| Order: | Lecanorales |
| Family: | Parmeliaceae |
| Genus: | Pseudoparmelia Lynge (1914) |
| Type species | |
| Pseudoparmelia cyphellata Lynge (1914) | |
Pseudoparmelia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Parmeliaceae. The genus has a pantropical distribution.
It was circumscribed by Bernt Arne Lynge in 1914, who distinguished the genus from Parmelia by the presence of pseudocyphellae on the underside of the lichen thallus.[1] However, this distinguishing characteristic was later shown to be an artifact caused by torn rhizines.[2]
The genus was not widely accepted until it was redefined by Mason Hale in the 1970s to include parmelioid lichens with a pored epicortex and narrow, non-ciliate lobes. Further research revealed that this broader definition included a heterogeneous group of species, leading to a more restricted circumscription with most species being transferred to other genera.[2]
Molecular phylogenetics studies have shown that Pseudoparmelia forms a distinct lineage within the Parmeliaceae, closely related to the genera Relicina and Relicinopsis. These three genera share features including a pored epicortex, isolichenan as cell wall polysaccharide, and relatively small ascospores. The genus has its centres of distribution in the Neotropics and southern Africa.[2]