{{Short description|Species of lichen}} {{Speciesbox | image = | image_caption = | taxon = Punctelia microsticta | authority = (Müll.Arg.) Krog (1982) | synonyms_ref = <ref name="Krog 1982"/> | synonyms = *''Parmelia microsticta'' {{small|Müll.Arg. (1879)}} }}

'''''Punctelia microsticta''''' is a species of foliose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae. It occurs in Brazil and Argentina, where it grows on bark.

==Taxonomy== The lichen was first described to science in 1879 by Swiss botanist Johannes Müller Argoviensis as ''Parmelia microsticta''. The type specimen was collected from Apiaí (São Paulo, Brazil), by botanist Juan Ignacio Puiggari. He found it growing on the trunk of lemon tree (''Citrus limon''). The original description noted its similarity to ''Punctelia rudecta'', with differences in the grey colour of the thallus, the pale apothecia, and the much larger spores.<ref name="Müller 1879"/> Hildur Krog transferred it to the newly circumscribed genus ''Punctelia'' in 1982.<ref name="Krog 1982"/>

''Punctelia'' species with a black lower thallus surface and lacking vegetative propagules (like isidia or soredia) are called the ''Punctelia microsticta'' group. This complex of morphologically similar species includes ''P.&nbsp;borrerina'', ''P.&nbsp;riograndensis'', ''P.&nbsp;jujensis'', and ''P.&nbsp;subpraesignis''; all occur in South America.<ref name="Canêz & Marcelli 2010"/>

==Description== ''Punctelia microsticta'' has ascospores that are greater than 20&nbsp;μm long (those of the type are most typically in the range 22–26 by 14–18&nbsp;μm), hook-like (unciform) conidia, and has negative medullary chemical reactions for C and KC. This combination of features distinguishes it from other species of the ''P.&nbsp;microsticta'' species complex.<ref name="Canêz & Marcelli 2010"/>

==Habitat and distribution== In addition to Brazil, ''Punctelia microsticta'' has been recorded from Argentina.<ref name="Estrabou 2014"/> In an assessment of the potential use of local lichens as air quality biomonitors in central Argentina, ''Punctelia microsticta'' was determined to be a pollution-tolerant species. Although the lichen typically occurs on the bark of trees and shrubs,<ref name="Estrabou et al. 2011"/> one report from Argentina noted its growth on the painted metal bars of the "La Postrera", an iron bridge on Provincial Route 2.<ref name="Rosato 2003"/>

==Chemistry== Secondary compounds that have been found in ''Punctelia microsticta'' include isomuronic acid, gyrophoric acid and dihydropertusaric acid.<ref name="Maier et al. 1999"/>

==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em|refs=

<ref name="Canêz & Marcelli 2010">{{cite journal |last1=Canêz |first1=Luciana |last2=Marcelli |first2=Marcelo |title=The ''Punctelia microsticta''-group (Parmeliaceae) |journal=The Bryologist |volume=113 |issue=4 |year=2010 |pages=728–738 |doi=10.1639/0007-2745-113.4.728}}</ref>

<ref name="Estrabou 2014">{{cite journal |last1=Estraboua |first1=Cecilia |last2=Quiroga |first2=Carolina |last3=Rodríguez |first3=Juan Manuel |year=2014 |title=Lichen community diversity on a remnant forest in south of Chaco region (Cordoba, Argentina) |journal=Bosque |volume=35 |issue=1 |pages=49–55 |doi=10.4067/S0717-92002014000100005|hdl=11336/32371 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name="Estrabou et al. 2011">{{cite journal |last1=Estrabou |first1=Cecilia |last2=Filippini |first2=Edith |last3=Soria |first3=Juan Pablo |last4=Schelotto |first4=Gabriel |last5=Rodriguez |first5=Juan Manuel |title=Air quality monitoring system using lichens as bioindicators in Central Argentina |journal=Environmental Monitoring and Assessment |volume=182 |pages=375–383 |doi=10.1007/s10661-011-1882-4|hdl=11336/44134 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

<ref name="Krog 1982">{{cite journal |last1=Krog |first1=Hildur |year=1982 |title=''Punctelia'', a new lichen genus in the Parmeliaceae |journal=Nordic Journal of Botany |volume=2 |issue=3 |pages=287–292 |doi=10.1111/j.1756-1051.1982.tb01191.x}}</ref>

<ref name="Maier et al. 1999">{{cite journal |last1=Maier |first1=Marta S |last2=González Marimon |first2=Diego I. |last3=Stortz |first3=Carlos A. |last4=Adler |first4=Mónica T. |year=1999 |title=A revised structure for (−)-dihydropertusaric acid, a γ-butyrolactone acid from the lichen ''Punctelia microsticta'' |journal=Journal of Natural Products |volume=62 |issue=11 |pages=1565–1567 |doi=10.1021/np990110n}}</ref>

<ref name="Müller 1879">{{cite journal |last1=Müller |first1=J. |year=1879 |title=Lichenologische Beiträge. VIII |journal=Flora (Regensburg) |volume=62 |issue=11 |pages=161–169 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/65035 |language=la}}</ref>

<ref name="Rosato 2003">{{cite book |last1=Rosato |first1=V.G. |year=2003 |chapter=Lichens found on the bridge "La Postrera" across the Salado river, Cháscomús (Buenos Aires Province, Argentina) |title=RILEM International Conference on Microbial Impact on Building Materials |editor-last1=Silva |editor-first1=M. Ribas |pages=77–83 |doi=10.1617/2351580184.008 |isbn=2-912143-43-8}}</ref>

}}

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microsticta Category:Lichen species Category:Lichens of Argentina Category:Lichens of Brazil Category:Lichens described in 1879 Category:Taxa named by Johannes Müller Argoviensis