The lichen genus Opegrapha s. l. in Poland: morphological variability, ecology, and distribution

Abstract

This monograph presents the results of research on the morphological and anatomical variability, ecology, and distribution of Opegrapha s. l. in Poland. The study is based on roughly 1,400 specimens from Polish and some European herbaria. Out of the 18 species of the genus Opegrapha s. l. recorded from Poland, seven species belong to the genus Opegrapha Ach., four species now belong to the genus Alyxoria Ach. ex Gray, two species each are found in the genera Arthonia Ach. and Zwackhia Körb, and one species belongs to each of the genera Gyrographa Ertz & Tehler, Phacographa Hafellner, and Pseudoschismatomma Ertz & Tehler. One of the species, Zwackhia sorediifera, has been reported from Poland for the first time. Among the 18 species of the genus Opegrapha s. l., 10 are epiphytic, five epilithic, and two lichenicolous. The first modern identification key for the species of Opegrapha s. l. in Poland is presented. Numerous new regional records are provided that complement our knowledge of the geographic distribution of some poorly known taxa, such as Alyxoria culmigena, A. mougeotii, A. ochrocheila, Arthonia calcarea, Opegrapha dolomitica, O. geographicola, O. lithyrga, and Phacographa glaucomaria. All species are characterized and discussed, and their diagnostic characters illustrated. Geographic ranges of each species in Poland are presented on maps based on revised herbarium materials.