ABSTRACT
The newly described species, Lecidella iqbalii sp. nov., is so far only known from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. A comparative morpho-anatomical study combined with a phylogenetic analysis based on the marker ITS placed this species together with two accessions from southern South America in a distinct and highly supported group at the base of the Lecidella stigmatea clade. The taxon is characterized by a shiny thallus, strongly convex apothecia, a thin excipulum, a dark brown epihymenium and relatively small ascospores (10-) 11-12 (-13) × (6-) 6.5-8(-9) µm.
Keywords:
crustose lichen; Ganga choti; Garhi dupatta; saxicolous; lichenized ascomycetes