Emodomelanelia

Emodomelanelia is a lichen genus in the family Parmeliaceae. It is monotypic, containing the single foliose Himalayan species Emodomelanelia masonii.

Taxonomy

Emodomelanelia masonii was first described in 1991 as Parmelia masonii by lichenologists Theodore Esslinger and Josef Poelt. It was named in honour of Mason Hale, the "preeminent student of the Parmeliaceae". The genus was circumscribed in 2010 by Pradeep Kumar Divakar and Ana Crespo. Emodomelanelia is in the "Melanohalea" clade along with the genera Melanelixia and Melanohalea. The genus name combines emodo and melanelia.

Description

Characteristics of the genus Emodomelanelia include an olive brown to brown thallus, narrow to moderately broad lobes, a non-pored epicortex, the presence of effigurate pseudocyphellae, and bifusiform conidia. The cortex stains green with HNO₃⁺.

Habitat and distribution

Emodomelanelia masonii is endemic to the Himalayas, where it grows on rocks in alpine and subalpine habitats. It has been recorded from mainland China, India, Nepal and Taiwan.