Graphis inspersolongula
Graphis inspersolongula is a species of script lichen in the family Graphidaceae. It was described as new to science in 1995 from material collected in Papua New Guinea. The species is distinguished from similar members of its genus by a combination of microscopic features and its chemical composition.
Taxonomy
The species was formally described by André Aptroot in 1995. The holotype specimen was collected in the Owen Stanley Range, Central Province, [Papua New Guinea|Central Province], Papua New Guinea, at the edge of primary montane forest at an elevation of 2,100 m. The specific epithet inspersolongula refers to its similarity to Graphis longula but with a hymenium that is "inspersa" and other distinctive traits. It differs from G. longula in having an inspersed hymenium, the presence of the lichen secondary compound norstictic acid, and shorter fruiting bodies.Description
The thallus of G. inspersolongulais corticate and is smooth to uneven in texture, with a pale grey colour. The fruiting bodies are, elongated slit-like structures characteristic of many Graphis species, which in this species are, lack a, are short and sparsely branched, and measure 1–3 mm long by 0.4–0.7 mm wide. The edges of the lirellae are striate, showing fine parallel lines.Internally, the is completely . The hymenium is, meaning it contains numerous minute oil droplets or, here of "type A" form. Each ascus produces eight spores. These ascospores are hyaline, have 13–19 internal cross-walls, and measure 75–100 × 15–20 μm.
Chemically, the species produces norstictic acid, a secondary metabolite detectable with chemical spot tests or thin-layer chromatography.