Phenetic Relationship of Lichen on African Wood Trees (Maesopsis eminii Engl.) in Tea Plantation of Tangsi Baru Village, Kabawetan District, Kepahiang District

Lichens are a mutually beneficial symbiosis between fungi and algae, they’re found from lowlands to highlands. In a-highland Kepahiang Regency, lichens grown on various substrates; one of which is African wood trees (Maesopsis eminii. Engl). The study of the lichens diversity and their phenetic relationship aims to determine the diversity of lichens and to determine the phenetic relationship of lichens grown on African wood trees (Maesopsis eminii. Engl). Research was carried out in May-October 2020 at the Tea Plantation, Tangsi Baru Village, Kabawetan District, Kepahiang Regency. Sampling was carried out purposively to a height limit of 1.5 m. Sample identification, herbarium preparation, and data analysis were carried out at the Plant Biosystematics Laboratory. Lichens were analyzed based on 53 character statuses, given scores, and converted into matrix data using the MS program. Excel and the UPGMA method (Unweight Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Average) program Numerical Taxonomy System (NTSYS) version 2.02. It was determined 31 species of lichens with 3 types of thallus; 13 species of crustose thallus, 12 species of foliose thallus, and 6 species of fruticose thallus. The lichens relationship phenogram showed a similarity coefficient ranging from 0.54 to 0.98, divided into 2 main groups A and B. Main group A consisted of 22 species; 6 species of fruticose lichenes, 12 species of foliose lichenes and 4 species of crustose lichens. Main group B meanwhile, consisted of 9 species of crustose lichens. There were two species of one genus of lichens with a similarity coefficient of 0.98 which shows the similarity of almost all characters, namely Lecanora helva and Lecanora pulicaris. A distinguishing character is on the apothecia margin.