Lobariella

Lobariella pallida (Hook.) Moncada & Lücking

First published in Phytotaxa, 18: 82 (2011)
This species is accepted
This species is found in South America and Mexico. It is used as an antioxidant and for environmental monitoring.

Descriptions

General Description
Lobariella pallida in a broad sense includes several species, some not yet formally recognized. In a strict sense, the species is recognized by the features listed above. Taxa traditionally included in a broad concept of L. pallida have less dense maculae and/or differ in secondary chemistry. Lobariella pallida is among the lichens first collected by Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland during their travels through northern South America (Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador), gathered near the Tungurahua volcano in Ecuador. It was described nearly 200 years ago in 1822, originally as Sticta pallida, by the British botanist William Jackson Hooker, in Kunth's Synopsis Plantarum Aequinoctialium Orbis Novi.
Morphology
Lichenized. Forming medium-sized to large, conspicuous thalli associated with chlorococcoid green algae and cyanobacteria in small, internal cephalodia. Thalli very loosely attached, with truncate, 10–20 mm wide lobes. Upper surface hypermaculate, pale green to almost whitish. Lower surface pale, white-tomentose. Apothecia common, with orange-brown disc and prominent, lobulate thalline margins. Cortex K+ yellow (pseudocyphellarin A); medulla C+ pale pink-red (gyrophoric acid, methyl-gyrophorate, traces of lecanoric acid).
summary
This species forms conspicuous macrolichens in association with green algae. It is found in the Neotropics (Central and South America and the Caribbean) and in Colombia occurs in montane to subandine forests and paramos, between 1500 and 4000 m. It is an indicator of well-preserved to little disturbed ecosystems. There are no known uses, but experimental studies indicate a strong antioxidative effect of its methanolic extracts and isolated substances, in particular lobariellin.
Distribution
Neotropics. Biogeographic region: Andes. Native to Colombia. Altitude: 1800 – 3900 m a.s.l. Colombian departments: Caldas, Cauca, Cundinamarca, Nariño, Norte de Santander, Risaralda.
Ecology
Symbiotroph. - Lichenized. Habitat/ecology: epiphytic on branches, stems and trunks of shrubs and trees in montane to subandine forests and paramo.
[CFC]

Uses

Use Environmental Environmental Monitoring
Part used: Thallus. This lichen is an indicator of well-preserved to little disturbed montane to subandine forest and paramo ecosystems.
Use Medicines Antioxidant
Part used: Thallus. No direct uses have been reported for this species, but the antioxidative potential of methanolic extracts and isolated substances have been tested. The thallus contains pseudocyphellarin A (cortex), gyrophoric acid, methyl-gyrophorate, and traces of lecanoric acid (medulla), as well as the unknown substance US1 or Lobariella unknown 1, which may correspond to lobariellin. The latter has been shown to be highly effective in preventing oxidative and neurogenerative cell damages and damages to DNA.
[CFC]

Sources

  • Catalogue of Fungi of Colombia

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    • © Copyright 2021 Index Fungorum Partnership. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
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