Dufourea Angustata

''Dufourea angustata'' is a species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichen in the family Teloschistaceae. It is widely distributed across Australia.

Taxonomy

The lichen was formally described in 2009 by the lichenologists Sergey Kondratyuk and Ingvar Kärnefelt; they initially placed it as a member of genus ''Xanthoria''. The type specimen was collected by the authors from rocky outcrops south of Batemans Bay in New South Wales. The species epithet ''angustata'', derived from the Latin ("narrow"), alludes to the shape of the thallus .

Description

''Dufourea angustata'' is a lichen that typically forms a reddish-orange to brick orange thallus, spanning 2–3 cm in width. It features narrow and distinct that often interconnect to form a net-like pattern. These lobes are usually 0.4–1 (up to 1.2) mm wide and 5–6 mm long, with frequent and irregular branching. Including the secondary , the lobes can reach up to 3.5 mm in width.

The apothecia of ''Dufourea angustata'' are small, measuring 0.5–1 mm in diameter. Initially, they appear flat and (with a ) and later become slightly convex and (without a thalline margin). The apothecia are stipitate (having a stalk-like base) and constricted at the base. The cortex of the (the outer layer of the apothecium) is composed of densely packed, palisade-like cells and is up to 15 μm thick. The (the inner tissue layer of the apothecium) has a well-developed matrix, ranging from mesodermatous to somewhat in structure. The hymenium, or spore-bearing layer, is very pale yellow and measures up to 65 μm in height. The is about 15 μm thick.

The paraphyses (filamentous structures in the hymenium) often have one or two uppermost cells containing oil droplets or oil cells and widen to about 5–6 μm in diameter. The asci (spore-bearing cells) typically contain eight spores. The ascospores are small and ellipsoid, measuring 7–12 by 5.5–6 μm, with a relatively narrow septum of about 3–4 μm.

Habitat and distribution

''Dufourea angustata'' is predominantly found in the coastal regions of Australia. It thrives on exposed and water-washed rocks such as schists, basalt, rhyolite, quartzite, and granite, particularly on outcrops and pebbles along the shoreline. Though less frequently, it can also be found on calcareous or limestone sea-cliffs and occasionally on man-made structures. It is rare for this species to grow on bark or dead wood, but such occurrences have been noted, for example, on the dead wood of ''Leptecophylla juniperina'' and the bark of dead ''Albizia lophantha''.

In its natural habitats, ''Dufourea angustata'' often coexists with other lichen species such as ''Xanthoria ligulata'', ''Filsoniana kiamae'', and various members of the Parmeliaceae, as well as other foliose lichens. This species is sometimes affected by lichenicolous fungi including '' Arthonia sytnikii'', ''Pyrenidium actinellum'', and ''Stigmidium'' species.

''Dufourea angustata'' is widely distributed across several regions in Australia, including Western Australia, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q107647594 , from2=Q59530815 , from3=Q21278145

Teloschistales
Lichen species
Lichens described in 2009
Lichens of Australia
Taxa named by Sergey Kondratyuk
Taxa named by Ingvar Kärnefelt