''Syncesia madagascariensis'' is a rare species of
crustose lichen in the family
Roccellaceae. Found in
Madagascar, it was
formally described as a new species in 2010 by Damien Ertz, Dorothee Killmann, Tahina Razafindrahaja,
Emmanuël Sérusiaux
Emmanuël Sérusiaux (born 3 October 1953) is a Belgian lichenologist. His career, spanning more than four decades, has combined both lichenology research and political aspects of nature conservation. He spent several periods working as a res ...
, and Eberhard Fischer. The
type specimen was collected south of
Ambositra in
Ankazomivady (
Ambalamanakana) at an altitude of . It is only known to occur at the
type locality, where it grows on tree trunks in a
montane forest of mostly
Myrtaceae
Myrtaceae, the myrtle family, is a family of dicotyledonous plants placed within the order Myrtales. Myrtle, pōhutukawa, bay rum tree, clove, guava, acca (feijoa), allspice, and eucalyptus are some notable members of this group. All speci ...
and ''
Syzygium''.
The lichen has a crustose, water-repellent
thallus that is creamy with a greenish tinge and measures up to in diameter. The
photobiont partner is
green alga
The green algae (singular: green alga) are a group consisting of the Prasinodermophyta and its unnamed sister which contains the Chlorophyta and Charophyta/Streptophyta. The land plants (Embryophytes) have emerged deep in the Charophyte alga as ...
e from genus ''
Trentepohlia''; their cells are 7–14 by 6–10
μm
The micrometre ( international spelling as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American spelling), also commonly known as a micron, is a unit of length in the International System of Unit ...
. The
ascospores have 5
septa, which distinguishes this species from others in genus ''
Syncesia
''Syncesia'' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Roccellaceae.
Species
*'' Syncesia afromontana'' – Africa
*'' Syncesia byssolomoides'' – Brazil
*'' Syncesia farinacea''
*'' Syncesia indica'' – India
*'' Syncesia madagasc ...
'', whose spores typically have 3 septa. ''Syncesia madagascariensis'' contains
protocetraric acid as a major
metabolite
In biochemistry, a metabolite is an intermediate or end product of metabolism.
The term is usually used for small molecules. Metabolites have various functions, including fuel, structure, signaling, stimulatory and inhibitory effects on enzymes, c ...
, and trace amounts of what is probably
roccellic acid.
References
Roccellaceae
Lichen species
Lichens described in 2010
Lichens of Madagascar
Taxa named by Emmanuël Sérusiaux
{{Arthoniomycetes-stub