{{Short description|Genus of lichen-forming fungi}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Use Oxford spelling|date=June 2025}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Agonimia globulifera.jpg | image_caption = ''Agonimia globulifera'' | taxon = Agonimia | authority = Zahlbr. (1909) | type_species = ''Agonimia tristicula'' | type_species_authority = (Nyl.) Zahlbr. (1909) | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = See text | synonyms_ref = <ref name="Species Fungorum synonymy"/> | synonyms = *''Agonimiella'' {{small|H.Harada (1993)}} *''Marchandiomphalina'' {{small|Diederich, Manfr.Binder & Lawrey (2007)}} }}
'''''Agonimia''''' is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Verrucariaceae. These lichens typically form crusts made of tiny grain-like clumps or small scale-like fragments on tree bark and rocks, with some species developing delicate leaf-like structures up to 5 mm across. The genus includes about 22 species found worldwide, characterized by their black flask-shaped reproductive structures and distinctive brick-patterned ascospores.
==Taxonomy==
The genus was circumscribed by the lichenologist Alexander Zahlbruckner in 1909, with ''Agonimia tristicula'' assigned as the type species. Zahlbruckner characterized the genus by its squamulose thallus lacking rhizines, pyrenocarpic apothecia with a terminal pore, and large muriform spores that are brownish to dark brown. He noted the genus was closely related to ''Endocarpon'' but distinguished it primarily by the absence of hymenial algae and differences in the thallus structure.<ref name="Zahlbruckner 1909"/>
==Description==
Species of ''Agonimia'' grow as a crust that clings tightly to bark or rock. In most taxa this crust is built from tiny, grain-like clumps of algae and fungus ({{lichengloss|goniocysts}}), but some develop minute scale-like lobes ({{lichengloss|squamules}}) or even coral-like branches; one outlier forms delicate, leaf-like {{lichengloss|lobes}} up to 5 mm across. Where squamules are present their outer cells unite into a thin, skin-like layer (a {{lichengloss|pseudocortex}}) that may be tinged brown and often bears one or more small warts ({{lichengloss|papillae}}). In an extraordinary species these papillae stretch and fuse into stiff bristles. The thallus lacks the dead, protective {{lichengloss|epinecral}} film common in many lichens, except for a single species in which the outer cells collapse to leave a refractive crust. Squamules are usually fragile and crumble into powdery {{lichengloss|granules}} or irregular fragments that serve as asexual propagules; some species also shed {{lichengloss|blastidia}}—minute buds that break away—or produce structures resembling isidia or soredia. A distinct {{lichengloss|prothallus}} (a hyphal fringe at the margin) is absent or inconspicuous. The photosynthetic partner is a green algal cell of the {{lichengloss|chlorococcoid}} type, measuring roughly 4–13 × 3.5–7.5 μm.<ref name="Orange et al. 2023"/>
Fruiting bodies are flask-shaped perithecia that appear black, or grey-brown if overlain by a thin unpigmented film, and sit between the squamules or grains. Each perithecium is nearly spherical to barrel-shaped; the usual dark cap ({{lichengloss|involucrellum}}) is missing, so its wall ({{lichengloss|exciple}}) grades seamlessly outward. That wall is thick and stratified: a pigmented outer zone of rounded cells, a middle layer of similar but colourless tissue, and an inner layer of compressed, clear cells. The brown pigments turn grey-brown, reddish-brown, or greenish in potassium hydroxide solution. Within, the hymenial gel stains weakly with iodine—red in strong solution, blue in dilute—a property termed hemiamyloid. Only short ostiolar threads ({{lichengloss|periphyses}} and {{lichengloss|periphysoids}}) line the neck; the longer interascal filaments found in many lichens are absent. The asci open by splitting their walls ({{lichengloss|fissitunicate}}), contain either two or eight spores, and show no iodine reaction. The ascospores are colourless, divided by multiple cross-walls (septa) into a brickwork pattern ({{lichengloss|muriform}}), and may brown slightly when over-mature. Asexual reproductive bodies (pycnidial conidiomata) are rare; when present they release rod-shaped, colourless conidia. Thin-layer chromatography has so far failed to detect any secondary metabolites.<ref name="Orange et al. 2023"/>
==Species== {{As of|2025|June}}, Species Fungorum (in the Catalogue of Life) accept 22 species of ''Agonimia'':<ref name="CoL_QV3"/> *''Agonimia abscondita'' {{small|P.M.McCarthy & Elix (2018)}}<ref name="McCarthy & Elix 2018"/> – Australia *''Agonimia allobata'' {{small|(Stizenb.) P.James (1992)}} *''Agonimia ascendens'' {{small|S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2018)}}<ref name="Kondratyuk et al. 2018"/> *''Agonimia blumii'' {{small|S.Y.Kondr. (2015)}}<ref name="Kondratyuk 2015"/> *''Agonimia borysthenica'' {{small|Dymytrova, Breuss & S.Y.Kondr. (2011)}}<ref name="Dymytrova et al. 2011"/> – Ukraine *''Agonimia bryophilopsis'' {{small|(Vain.) Hafellner (2018)}} *''Agonimia cavernicola'' {{small|S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2015)}}<ref name="Kondratyuk et al. 2015"/> *''Agonimia deguchii'' {{small|H.Harada (2013)}}<ref name="Harada 2013"/> – Japan *''Agonimia flabelliformis'' {{small|J.P.Halda, Czarnota & Guzow-Krzem. (2011)}}<ref name="Guzow-Krzeminska et al. 2012"/> – Europe *''Agonimia foliacea'' {{small|(P.M.Jørg.) Lücking & B.Moncada (2017)}} *''Agonimia gelatinosa'' {{small|(Ach.) M.Brand & Diederich (1999)}} *''Agonimia globulifera'' {{small|M.Brand & Diederich (1999)}}<ref name="Sérusiaux et al. 1999"/> – Europe *''Agonimia koreana'' {{small|Kashiw. & K.H.Moon (2008)}}<ref name="Kashiwadani 2008"/> *''Agonimia loekoesii'' {{small|S.Y.Kondr., J.P.Halda & Hur (2016)}}<ref name="Kondratyuk et al. 2016"/> *''Agonimia octospora'' {{small|Coppins & P.James (1978)}}<ref name="Coppins & James 1978"/> *''Agonimia opuntiella'' {{small|(Buschardt & Poelt) Vězda (1997)}} *''Agonimia repleta'' {{small|Czarnota & Coppins (2000)}}<ref name="Czarnota & Coppins 2000"/> – Europe *''Agonimia sunchonensis'' {{small|S.Y.Kondr. & Hur (2018)}}<ref name="Kondratyuk et al. 2018"/> – South Korea *''Agonimia tenuiloba'' {{small|Aptroot & M.Cáceres (2013)}}<ref name="Aptroot & Cáceres 2013"/> – Brazil *''Agonimia tristicula'' {{small|(Nyl.) Zahlbr. (1909)}} *''Agonimia vouauxii'' {{small|(B.de Lesd.) M.Brand & Diederich (1999)}} *''Agonimia yongsangensis'' {{small|S.Y.Kondr. & Hur (2018)}}<ref name="Kondratyuk et al. 2018"/> – South Korea
==References== {{Reflist|refs=
<ref name="Aptroot & Cáceres 2013">{{cite journal |last1=Aptroot |first1=A. |last2=Cáceres |first2=M.E.S.C. |year=2013 |title=Pyrenocarpous lichens (except Trypetheliaceae) in Rondônia |journal=The Lichenologist |volume=45 |issue=6 |pages=763–785 |doi=10.1017/S0024282913000534|bibcode=2013ThLic..45..763A }}</ref>
<ref name="CoL_QV3">{{Catalogue of Life |id=QV3 |title=''Agonimia'' |access-date=16 June 2025}}</ref>
<ref name="Coppins & James 1978">{{cite journal |last1=Coppins |first1=B.J. |last2=James |first2=P. W. |title=New or Interesting British Lichens II |journal=The Lichenologist |volume=10 |issue=2 |year=1978 |doi=10.1017/s0024282978000298 |pages=179–207|bibcode=1978ThLic..10..179C }}</ref>
<ref name="Czarnota & Coppins 2000">{{cite journal |last1=Czarnota |first1=P. |last2=Coppins |first2=B.J. |year=2000 |title=A new species of ''Agonimia'' and some interesting lichens from Gorce Mts (Western Beskidy Mts) new to Poland |journal=Graphis Scripta |volume=11 |pages=56–60}}</ref>
<ref name="Dymytrova et al. 2011">{{cite journal |last1=Dymytrova |first1=L.V. |last2=Breuss |first2=O. |last3=Kondratyuk |first3=S.Y. |year=2011 |title=''Agonimia borysthenica'', a new lichen species (Verrucariales) from Ukraine |journal=Österreichische Zeitschrift für Pilzkunde |volume=20 |pages=25–28}}</ref>
<ref name="Guzow-Krzeminska et al. 2012">{{cite journal |last1=Guzow-Krzeminska |first1=B. |last2=Halda |first2=J.P. |last3=Czarnota |first3=P. |year=2012 |title=A new ''Agonimia'' with flabelliform thallus from Europe |journal=The Lichenologist |volume=44 |issue=1 |pages=55–66 |doi=10.1017/S0024282911000600}}</ref>
<ref name="Harada 2013">{{cite journal |last1=Harada |first1=H. |year=2013 |title=''Agonimia deguchii'' (lichenized Ascomycota, Verrucariaceae), a new saxicolous species from central Japan |journal=Hikobia |volume=16 |pages=307–310}}</ref>
<ref name="Kashiwadani 2008">Kashiwadani. 2008. ''Lichenes Minus Cogniti Exsiccati'', Fasc. 15. :no. 351-no. 375</ref>
<ref name="Kondratyuk 2015">{{cite journal |last=Kondratyuk |first=S.Y. |year=2015 |title=''Agonimia blumii'' sp. nov. (Verrucariales, Lichen-Forming Ascomycota), a new taxon from Eastern Asia |journal=Ukrainian Botanical Journal |volume=72 |issue=3 |pages=246–251|doi=10.15407/ukrbotj72.03.246 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
<ref name="Kondratyuk et al. 2015">{{cite journal |last1=Kondratyuk |first1=S.Y. |last2=Lőkös |first2=L. |last3=Farkas |first3=E. |last4=Oh |first4=S.-O. |last5=Hur |first5=J.-S. |title=New and noteworthy lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi 2 |journal=Acta Botanica Hungarica |volume=57 |issue=1–2 |year=2015 |doi=10.1556/abot.57.2015.1-2.10 |pages=77–141}}</ref>
<ref name="Kondratyuk et al. 2016">{{cite journal |last1=Kondratyuk |first1=S.Y. |last2=Lőkös |first2=L. |last3=Halda |first3=J.P. |last4=Haji Moniri |first4=M. |last5=Farkas |first5=E. |last6=Park |first6=J. S. |last7=Lee |first7=B.G. |last8=Oh |first8=S.-O. |last9=Hur |first9=J.-S. |title=New and noteworthy lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi 4 |journal=Acta Botanica Hungarica |volume=58 |issue=1–2 |year=2016 |doi=10.1556/034.58.2016.1-2.4 |pages=75–136|url=http://real.mtak.hu/35666/1/034.58.2016.1-2.4.pdf }}</ref>
<ref name="Kondratyuk et al. 2018">{{cite journal |last1=Kondratyuk |first1=S.Y. |last2=Lőkös |first2=L. |last3=Halda |first3=J.P. |last4=Farkas |first4=E. |last5=Upreti |first5=D.K. |last6=Thell |first6=A. |last7=Woo |first7=J.-J. |last8=Oh |first8=S.-O. |last9=Hur |first9=J.-S. |title=New and noteworthy lichen-forming and lichenicolous fungi 7 |journal=Acta Botanica Hungarica |volume=60 |issue=1–2 |year=2018 |doi=10.1556/034.60.2018.1-2.8 |pages=115–184|url=http://real.mtak.hu/79025/1/034.60.2018.1-2.8.pdf }}</ref>
<ref name="McCarthy & Elix 2018">{{cite journal |last1=McCarthy |first1=P.M. |last2=Elix |first2=J.A. |year=2018 |title=''Agonimia abscondita'' sp. nov. (lichenized Ascomycota, Verrucariaceae) from New South Wales, Australia |journal=Australasian Lichenology |volume=83 |pages=18–21}}</ref>
<ref name="Orange et al. 2023">{{cite book |last1=Orange |first1=A. |last2=Cannon |first2=P. |last3=Prieto |first3=M. |last4=Coppins |first4=B. |last5=Sanderson |first5=N. |last6=Simkin |first6=J. |year=2023 |title=Verrucariales: Verrucariaceae, including the genera ''Agonimia'', ''Atla'', ''Bagliettoa'', ''Catapyrenium'', ''Dermatocarpon'', ''Endocarpon'', ''Henrica'', ''Heteroplacidium'', ''Hydropunctaria'', ''Involucropyrenium'', ''Merismatium'', ''Nesothele'', ''Normandina'', ''Parabagliettoa'', ''Placidopsis'', ''Placidium'', ''Placopyrenium'', ''Polyblastia'', ''Psoroglaena'', ''Sporodictyon'', ''Staurothele'', ''Thelidium'', ''Trimmatothele'', ''Verrucaria'', ''Verrucula'', ''Verruculopsis'' and ''Wahlenbergiella'' |series=Revisions of British and Irish Lichens |volume=31 |page=17 |url=https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/Verrucariaceae_1.pdf |publisher=British Lichen Society}}{{Open access}}</ref>
<ref name="Sérusiaux et al. 1999">{{cite journal |last1=Sérusiaux |first1=E. |last2=Diederich |first2=P. |last3=Brand |first3=A.M. |last4=Boom |first4=P. |year=1999 |title=New or interesting lichens and lichenicolous fungi from Belgium and Luxembourg. VIII |journal=Lejeunia |volume=162 |page=8}}</ref>
<ref name="Species Fungorum synonymy">{{cite web |title=Synonymy. Current Name: ''Agonimia'' Zahlbr., Öst. bot. Z. 59(9): 350 (1909) |url=http://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/SynSpecies.asp?RecordID=86 |publisher=Species Fungorum |access-date=3 July 2022}}</ref>
<ref name="Zahlbruckner 1909">{{cite journal |last=Zahlbruckner |first=A. |year=1909 |title=Vorarbeiten zu einer Flechtenflora Dalmatiens |trans-title=Preliminary work toward a lichen flora of Dalmatia |journal=Österreichische Botanische Zeitschrift |volume=59 |issue=9 |pages=349–354 |doi=10.1007/BF01663391 |bibcode=1909PSyEv..59..349Z |language=de |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/28675833}}</ref>
}}
{{Taxonbar|from=Q4693405}}
Category:Verrucariales Category:Eurotiomycetes genera Category:Lichen genera Category:Taxa named by Alexander Zahlbruckner Category:Taxa described in 1909