{{Short description|Genus of lichen-forming fungi}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use Oxford spelling|date=February 2026}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = Fuscidea cyathoides Jymm.jpg | image_caption = ''Fuscidea cyathoides'' | taxon = Fuscidea | authority = V.Wirth & Vèzda (1972) | type_species = ''Fuscidea aggregatilis'' | type_species_authority = (Grummann) V.Wirth & Vězda (1972) | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = | synonyms_ref = <ref name="Species Fungorum synonymy"/> | synonyms = *''Biatorinella'' {{au|Deschâtres & Werner (1974)}} *''Fuscidea'' {{au|V.Wirth & Vězda (1972)}} }}
'''''Fuscidea''''' is a genus of crustose lichens in the family Fuscideaceae. It has about 40 species.<ref name="Wijayawardene et al. 2020"/> The genus was established in 1972 by Volkmar Wirth and Antonín Vězda, with its name derived from the Latin for 'brown', referring to the typical colouration of these lichens. Species of ''Fuscidea'' grow almost exclusively on acidic, silica-rich rocks, favouring steep faces in humid, high-rainfall regions such as Atlantic coastlines and mountain ranges. They form cracked or patchy crusts that spread over a characteristically dark underlying margin, often creating mosaic-like patterns where neighbouring colonies meet.
==Taxonomy==
''Fuscidea'' was circumscribed in 1972 by the lichenologists Volkmar Wirth and Antonín Vězda as part of their revision of the ''Lecidea'' ''cyathoides'' (= ''rivulosa'') group, which they regarded as an isolated and coherent assemblage within the then broadly defined genus ''Lecidea''. They argued that some species of this group had been misplaced in ''Microlecia'', because Choisy's concept of that genus also included unrelated ''Catillaria'' species, and they therefore restricted ''Microlecia'' to the ''Catillaria''-like taxa with ''Microlecia lenticularis'' as its type. To accommodate the ''Lecidea cyathoides'' group they established ''Fuscidea'', designating ''Fuscidea aggregata'' (based on ''Lecidea contigua'' var. ''rivulosa'' β ''aggregata'' Flotow) as the type species, and they provided new combinations for fifteen species previously placed in ''Lecidea''. Wirth had already introduced the name earlier the same year in a study of siliceous rock lichen communities, but without designating a type species, so the {{lichengloss|diagnosis}} and combinations were republished in their joint paper.<ref name="Wirth & Vězda 1972"/>
In the protologue Wirth and Vězda characterised ''Fuscidea'' as a group of crustose lichens with brown to dark brown apothecia, a pale hymenium and {{lichengloss|hypothecium}}, a brown {{lichengloss|proper exciple}}, paraphyses with pigmented apices, and spores that may become brownish and sometimes 1-septate with age. They also stressed the presence of brown, {{lichengloss|crateriform}} pycnidia with very short conidia, and a dark marginal line to the thallus, and regarded ''Fuscidea'' as closely related to ''Buellia'' species with thin-walled spores. The species were described as strongly acidophilous lichens of siliceous rock, avoiding calcareous and other base-rich substrates, and occurring mainly on steep rock faces in humid, high-rainfall regions, particularly in Atlantic areas and mountain ranges; only a single species was known from bark. The generic name is derived from the Latin {{lang|la|fuscus}} ({{gloss|brown}}), referring to the frequent brownish coloration of the thallus and apothecia.<ref name="Wirth & Vězda 1972"/>
==Description==
Species of the genus ''Fuscidea'' are crustose lichens with a thallus that is cracked or divided into small {{lichengloss|areoles}}, usually spreading over a dark, often conspicuous {{lichengloss|prothallus}} so that neighbouring thalli form mosaic-like patches. The upper surface has an undifferentiated {{lichengloss|cortex}}, sometimes with a thin layer of brownish surface cells, while a true lower cortex is lacking. The {{lichengloss|photobiont}} is a {{lichengloss|chlorococcoid}} green alga, identified as ''Apatococcus'', whose cells tend to occur in small clusters of two to four and are often slightly irregular in shape, with one flattened side. The medulla only rarely gives a blue staining reaction with iodine-based reagents.<ref name="Cannon et al. 2024"/>
Fruiting bodies are apothecia that range from immersed in the thallus to clearly {{lichengloss|sessile}}. Their {{lichengloss|discs}} are red-brown to blackish brown and always appear brownish when wet rather than truly black. They lack a {{lichengloss|thalline margin}}, although a weak pseudothalline margin may be present in some species. The {{lichengloss|proper exciple}} is usually distinct, but may become occluded in older apothecia; it is the same colour as or paler than the disc, with a colourless to pale inner portion and a darker brown outer zone. The {{lichengloss|epithecium}} is brown, and the hymenium is colourless to faintly brownish and does not stain in iodine. The {{lichengloss|hypothecium}} is colourless or pale straw-coloured, with erect hyphae. The hymenial gel contains unbranched to richly branched paraphyses that are only weakly glued together in water but become more clearly separate in potassium hydroxide solution; their upper cells carry a brown pigment cap. Asci are 8-spored and somewhat cylindrical to clavate; they belong to the ''Fuscidea''-type, with a distinctive amyloid apical cap structure in iodine preparations. Ascospores are colourless (sometimes browning with age), mostly ellipsoidal but ranging from almost spherical to somewhat elongated, straight to curved or bean-shaped, and are usually lack septa, only rarely 1-septate.<ref name="Cannon et al. 2024"/>
Asexual reproduction takes place through pycnidia, which are immersed in small {{lichengloss|thalline warts}} or become slightly emergent; their walls are brown and do not react in common lichen spot tests. They produce simple conidia that are either cylindrical with blunt ends or ellipsoidal. Chemically, ''Fuscidea'' species contain orcinol para-depsides and tridepsides, together with other compounds such as fumarprotocetraric and alectorialic acids and various fatty acids.<ref name="Cannon et al. 2024"/>
==Species== thumb|right|''Fuscidea appalachensis'' thumb|right|''Fuscidea pusilla'' {{As of|2026|March}}, Species Fungorum (in the Catalogue of Life) accepts 42 species of ''Fuscidea''.<ref name="CoL_4LHL"/> *''Fuscidea aleutica'' {{au|(Degel.) Fryday (2008)}}<ref name="Fryday 2008"/> *''Fuscidea appalachensis'' {{au|Fryday (2008)}}<ref name="Fryday 2008"/> – Appalachian Mountains of Northeastern North America *''Fuscidea arboricola'' {{au|Coppins & Tønsberg (1992)}}<ref name="Tønsberg 1992"/> *''Fuscidea asbolodes'' {{au|(Nyl.) Hertel & V.Wirth (1984)}}<ref name="Hertel 1984"/> *''Fuscidea austera'' {{au|(Nyl.) P.James (1980)}}<ref name="Hawksworth et al. 1980"/> *''Fuscidea australis'' {{au|Kantvilas (2001)}}<ref name="Kantvilas 2001"/> *''Fuscidea coreana'' {{au|S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2015)}}<ref name="Kondratyuk et al. 2015"/> *''Fuscidea cyathoides'' {{au|(Ach.) V.Wirth & Vězda (1972)}}<ref name="Wirth & Vězda 1972"/> *''Fuscidea elixii'' {{au|Kantvilas (2004)}}<ref name="Kantvilas 2004"/> *''Fuscidea extremorientalis'' {{au|S.Y.Kondr., Lőkös & Hur (2015)}}<ref name="Kondratyuk et al. 2015"/> *''Fuscidea fagicola'' {{au|(Zschacke) Hafellner & Türk (2001)}}<ref name="Hafellner & Türk 2001"/> *''Fuscidea gothoburgensis'' {{au|(H.Magn.) V.Wirth & Vězda (1972)}}<ref name="Wirth & Vězda 1972"/> *''Fuscidea intercincta'' {{au|(Nyl.) Poelt (1978)}}<ref name="Poelt & Buschardt 1978"/> *''Fuscidea kochiana'' {{au|(Hepp) V.Wirth & Vězda (1972)}}<ref name="Wirth & Vězda 1972"/> *''Fuscidea lightfootii'' {{au|(Sm.) Coppins & P.James (1978)}}<ref name="Coppins & James 1978"/> *''Fuscidea lygaea'' {{au|(W.Mann) V.Wirth & Vězda (1972)}}<ref name="Wirth & Vězda 1972"/> *''Fuscidea maccarthyi'' {{au|Kantvilas (2004)}}<ref name="Kantvilas 2004"/> *''Fuscidea mayrhoferi'' {{au|Kantvilas (2004)}}<ref name="Kantvilas 2004"/> *''Fuscidea mollis'' {{au|(Wahlenb.) V.Wirth & Vězda (1972)}}<ref name="Wirth & Vězda 1972"/> *''Fuscidea multispora'' {{au|Flakus, Kukwa & Rodr. Flakus (2019)}}<ref name="Guzow-Krzemińska et al. 2019"/> – Bolivia *''Fuscidea muskeg'' {{au|Tønsb. & M.Zahradn. (2020)}}<ref name="Spribille et al. 2020"/> – Alaska *''Fuscidea oceanica'' {{au|Fryday & Coppins (2012)}}<ref name="Fryday & Coppins 2012"/> *''Fuscidea praeruptorum'' {{au|(Du Rietz & H.Magn.) V.Wirth & Vězda (1972)}}<ref name="Wirth & Vězda 1972"/> *''Fuscidea pusilla'' {{au|Tønsberg (1992)}}<ref name="Tønsberg 1992"/> *''Fuscidea ramboldioides'' {{au|Kantvilas (2001)}}<ref name="Kantvilas 2001"/> *''Fuscidea recensa'' {{au|(Stirt.) Hertel, V.Wirth & Vězda (1972)}}<ref name="Wirth & Vězda 1972"/> *''Fuscidea scrupulosa'' {{au|(Eckfeldt) Fryday (2008)}}<ref name="Fryday 2008"/> *''Fuscidea stiriaca'' {{au|(A.Massal.) Hafellner (2002)}}<ref name="Hafellner 2002"/> *''Fuscidea subasbolodes'' {{au|Kantvilas (2001)}}<ref name="Kantvilas 2001"/> *''Fuscidea texana'' {{au|Fryday (2008)}}<ref name="Fryday 2008"/> – Texas *''Fuscidea tropica'' {{au|van den Boom & Kalb (2014)}}<ref name="van den Boom et al. 2014"/>
==References== <references>
<ref name="Cannon et al. 2024">{{cite book |last1=Cannon |first1=Paul |last2=Fryday |first2=Alan |last3=Coppins |first3=Brian |last4=Aptroot |first4=André |last5=Sanderson |first5=Neil |last6=Simkin |first6=Janet |year=2024 |title=Umbilicariales, including Elixia (Elixiaceae), Fuscidea (Fuscideaceae), Hypocenomyce and Ophioparma (Ophioparmaceae), Ropalospora (Ropalosporaceae) and Lasallia, Umbilicaria and Xylopsora (Umbilicariaceae) |series=Revisions of British and Irish Lichens |volume=39 |pages=3–4 |url=https://britishlichensociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/Umbilicariales.pdf}} {{Open access}}</ref>
<ref name="CoL_4LHL">{{Catalogue of Life |id=4LHL |title=''Fuscidea'' |access-date=19 February 2026}}</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 [201]}}</ref>
<ref name="Fryday & Coppins 2012">{{cite journal |last1=Fryday |first1=Alan M. |last2=Coppins |first2=Brian J. |title=New taxa, reports, and names of lichenized and lichenicolous fungi, mainly from the Scottish Highlands |journal=The Lichenologist |volume=44 |issue=6 |year=2012 |doi=10.1017/S0024282912000369 |pages=723–737}}</ref>
<ref name="Fryday 2008">{{cite journal |last=Fryday |first=Alan M. |title=The genus ''Fuscidea'' (Fuscideaceae, lichenized Ascomycota) in North America |journal=The Lichenologist |volume=40 |issue=4 |year=2008 |doi=10.1017/s0024282908007755 |pages=295–328}}</ref>
<ref name="Guzow-Krzemińska et al. 2019">{{cite journal |last1=Guzow-Krzemińska |first1=Beata |last2=Flakus |first2=Adam |last3=Kosecka |first3=Magdalena |last4=Jabłońska |first4=Agnieska |last5=Rodriguez-Flakus |first5=Pamela |last6=Kukwa |first6=Martin |year=2019 |title=New species and records of lichens from Bolivia |journal=Phytotaxa |volume=397 |issue=4 |pages=257–279 |doi=10.11646/phytotaxa.397.4.1 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
<ref name="Hafellner & Türk 2001">{{cite journal |last1=Hafellner |first1=J. |last2=Türk |first2=R. |year=2001 |title=Die liechenisierten Pilze Österreichs – eine Checkliste der bisher nachgewiesenen Arten mit Verbreitungsangaben |trans-title=The Lichenized Fungi of Austria – A Checklist of Species Recorded to Date with Distribution Data |journal=Stapfia |volume=76 |pages=3–167 [152] |language=de}}</ref>
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<ref name="Hertel 1984">{{cite book |last=Hertel |first=H. |title=Über saxicole, lecideoide Flechten der Subantarktis |trans-title=On saxicolous, lecideoid lichens of the Subantarctic |language=de |publisher=J. Cramer |series=Beihefte zur Nova Hedwigia |year=1984 |volume=79 |pages=399–499 [454] |isbn=978-3-768-25479-3}}</ref>
<ref name="Kantvilas 2001">{{cite book |last=Kantvilas |first=Gintaras |year=2001 |chapter=The lichen family Fuscidaceae in Tasmania |title=Lichenological Contributions in Honour of Jack Elix |editor-last1=McCarthy |editor-first1=P.M. |editor-last2=Kantvilas |editor-first2=G. |editor-last3=Louwhoff |editor-first3=S.H.J.J. |series=Bibliotheca Lichenologica |volume=78 |publisher=J. Cramer |location=Berlin/Stuttgart |pages=169–192}}</ref>
<ref name="Kantvilas 2004">{{cite book |last=Kantvilas |first=Gintaras |year=2004 |title=Lichens 4 |series=Flora of Australia |volume=56A |pages=209–210 |publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study/CSIRO Publishing |isbn=978-0-643-09056-9}}</ref>
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<ref name="Poelt & Buschardt 1978">{{cite journal |last=Poelt |first=J. |last2=Buschardt |first2=A. |year=1978 |title=On some notable lichens from Norway |journal=Norwegian Journal of Botany |volume=25 |issue=2 |pages=123–136}}</ref>
<ref name="Species Fungorum synonymy">{{cite web |title=Synonymy: ''Fuscidea'' V. Wirth & Vězda, Beitr. Naturk. Forsch. Südwestdeutschl. 31: 92 (1972) |url=http://www.speciesfungorum.org/Names/SynSpecies.asp?RecordID=2022 |publisher=Species Fungorum |access-date=11 June 2021}}</ref>
<ref name="Spribille et al. 2020">{{cite journal |last1=Spribille |first1=Toby |last2=Fryday |first2=Alan M. |last3=Pérez-Ortega |first3=Sergio |last4=Svensson |first4=Måns |last5=Tønsberg |first5=Tor |last6=Ekman |first6=Stefan |last7=Holien |first7=Håkon |last8=Resl |first8=Philipp |last9=Schneider |first9=Kevin |last10=Stabentheiner |first10=Edith |last11=Thüs |first11=Holger |last12=Vondrák |first12=Jan |last13=Sharman |first13=Lewis |year=2020 |title=Lichens and associated fungi from Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska |journal=The Lichenologist |volume=52 |issue=2 |pages=61–181 |doi=10.1017/S0024282920000079 |pmid=32788812 |pmc=7398404 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
<ref name="Tønsberg 1992">{{cite book |last=Tønsberg |first=T. |year=1992 |title=The sorediate and isidiate, corticolous, crustose lichens in Norway |series=Sommerfeltia |volume=14 |page=134 |isbn=82-7420-015-2 |doi=10.2478/som-1992-0002 |doi-access=free}}</ref>
<ref name="van den Boom et al. 2014">{{cite journal |last1=van den Boom |first1=P.P.G. |last2=Kalb |first2=K. |last3=Elix |first3=J.A. |year=2014 |title=''Fuscidea tropica'', a new lichen species from Brazil, Guatemala and Venezuela |journal=Glalia |volume=6 |issue=4 |pages=1–7}}</ref>
<ref name="Wijayawardene et al. 2020">{{cite journal |display-authors=6 |last1=Wijayawardene |first1=Nalin |last2=Hyde |first2=Kevin |first3=Laith Khalil Tawfeeq |last3=Al-Ani |last4=Somayeh |first4=Dolatabadi |last5=Stadler |first5=Marc |last6=Haelewaters |first6=Danny |last7=Tsurykau |first7=Andrei |last8=Mesic |first8=Armin |last9=Navathe |first9=Sudhir |last10=Papp |first10=Viktor |last11=Oliveira Fiuza |first11=Patrícia |last12=Vázquez |first12=Víctor |last13=Gautam |first13=Ajay |last14=Becerra |first14=Alejandra G. |last15=Ekanayaka |first15=Anusha |last16=K. C. |first16=Rajeshkumar |last17=Bezerra |first17=Jadson |last18=Matočec |first18=Neven |last19=Maharachchikumbura |first19=Sajeewa |last20=Suetrong |first20=Satinee |year=2020 |title=Outline of Fungi and fungus-like taxa |journal=Mycosphere |volume=11 |pages=1060–1456 |doi=10.5943/mycosphere/11/1/8 |doi-access=free |hdl=10481/61998 |hdl-access=free}}</ref>
<ref name="Wirth & Vězda 1972">{{cite journal |last1=Wirth |first1=V. |last2=Vězda |first2=A. |year=1972 |title=Zur Systematik der ''Lecidea cyathoides''-Gruppe |trans-title=On the taxonomy of the ''Lecidea cyathoides'' group |journal=Beiträge zur Naturkundlichen Forschung in Südwestdeutschland |volume=31 |pages=91–92 |language=de |url=https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/Beitr-natukdl-Forsch-Suedwestdtschl_31_0091-0092.pdf}}</ref>
</references>
{{Taxonbar|from=Q5509957}}
Category:Umbilicariales Category:Lichen genera Category:Umbilicariales genera Category:Taxa described in 1972 Category:Taxa named by Antonín Vězda Category:Taxa named by Volkmar Wirth