Pseudohepatica duidensis, a new lichen from the venezuelan Amazonas

Abstract

The species Pseudohepatica duidensis Marcano, Palacios & Morales is described from the Venezuelan Amazonas. Special attention has been paid to the morphology and the chemistry (e.g. polysaccharides and secondary compounds), using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thin-layer chromatography (TLC, HPTLC) and iodine reagent tests. Pseudohepatica duidensis is characterized by a very small (to 1 mm long), yellowish-green thallus, non-pored epicortex, yellowish lower surface with soredial protuberances, paraplectenchymatous upper cortex consisting of strongly sclerotic cells, cell walls with iodine reactions characteristic of lichenan and gyrophoric acid as relevant chemical constituent.