Pachypeltis
Pachypeltis is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It comprises six species.
Taxonomy
The genus was circumscribed in 2013 by the lichenologists Ulrik Søchting, Patrik Frödén, and Ulf Arup, with P. castellana assigned as the type species. The genus name means "thick shield".Description
Genus Pachypeltis includes lichens with growth forms ranging from crust-like and cracked into distinct segments to slightly bushy. These lichens are often thick and may grow on other lichens, particularly those found on rocks. However, most species in this genus are adapted to dry, continental steppe climates, where they grow on soil or soil-covered rocks, forming tightly attached, small, crusty patches called.The outer layer of the lichen, called the cortex, consists of densely packed cells or possibly a specialised type of cortex. Their fruiting bodies, known as apothecia, are typically cup-shaped and contain anthraquinone compounds, which often give the of the apothecia a darker colouration. The spores are two-celled, with a dividing wall that is short to moderately long. Structures called pycnidia, which produce asexual spores, have not been observed in this genus.
Species
- Pachypeltis castellana
- Pachypeltis cladodes
- Pachypeltis insularis
- Pachypeltis intrudens
- Pachypeltis pachythallina
- Pachypeltis phoenicopta