Flora of New Zealand Series

Type : Gyalidea lecideopsis (A.Massal.) Lettau ex Vězda [=Gyalecta lecideopsis A.Massal.]

Description : Flora (1985: 176).

Gyalidea a widespread genus of c. 30 described taxa (Kirk et al. 2001), from temperate and tropical regions and from Antarctica (Lettau 1937; Vězda 1966b, 1979; Hafellner 1984; Vězda & Poelt 1988, 1990, 1991; Vězda et al. 1990; Harada & Vězda 1991, 1996, 1999; James & Woods 1992b; Etayo & Vězda 1994; Malcolm & Vězda 1995e) is included in the family Solorinellaceae (Eriksson et al. 2004). Species have gyalectoid apothecia, an I− hymenium, simple paraphyses and septate to submuriform or muriform ascospores. They grow on very humid substrata, on both acid and basic rocks periodically wetted by waterfall spray, or on streamside rocks or near water seepage channels, and on dead bryophytes and soil in alpine regions of the Northern Hemisphere (Nimis 1993). Species are common on exposed soil and rocks on roadside banks. The particular adaptations to this rather dynamic habitat are discussed by Aptroot & Lücking (2003: 67). The fruits when moist are distinctly translucent, resembling a half-sucked winegum (Brian Coppins's excellent and apt description!), and are very characteristic. Asci are 1–8 spored, although two species have polysporous asci (Vězda & Poelt 1991). Ascospores are transversely (1–)3-septate to muriform, the septa ±constricted. Gyalidea was proposed for conservation over the older genus Aglaothecium Groenhart by Lumbsch et al. (1991) and against Solorinella by Aptroot & Lücking (2002). A synopsis of the genus and a key to the 24 taxa then known worldwide was published by Vězda & Poelt (1991), and a recent phylogenetic analysis (Aptroot & Lücking 2003) does not support generic separation of Gyalidea and Solorinella. Four species are known from New Zealand, all from rock substrata, at least two commonly co–occurring with species of Placopsis. No species in New Zealand are known from corticolous substrata, in spite of the claims of Malcolm & Vězda (1995e: 457) to the contrary. The genus is still very poorly collected and understood in New Zealand.