Dirinaria applanata
Dirinaria applanata is a species of corticolous, foliose lichen in the family Caliciaceae. It has a wide distribution in tropical and subtropical areas of the world.
Taxonomy
The lichen was formally described as a new species, Parmelia applanata, by Antoine Laurent Apollinaire Fée in 1825. Dharani [Dhar Awasthi] transferred it to the Dirinaria in 1970.
Chemistry
Chemical analysis of Dirinaria applanata lead to the discovery of nine unique compounds. This includes a novel hopane derivative known as 1β-acetoxy-21α-hopane-3β,22-diol. Alongside this, researchers have identified six phenolic compounds: divaricatinic acid, methyl divaricatinate, methyl-β-orcinolcarboxylate, methyl haematommate, divarinol, and ramalinic acid A. Additionally, two xanthones, namely lichexanthone and 4,5-dichlorolichexanthone, were also isolated.
A fungus newly described in 2023, Cylindromonium dirinariae, was reported as a lichenicolous fungus with Dirinaria applanata as its host. This nectrioid fungus forms a pinkish colony with mainly solitary phialides producing ellipsoid, aseptate conidia in mucoid packets.