# Pyxine profallax

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Species of lichen

Pyxine profallax Scientific classification Kingdom: Fungi Division: Ascomycota Class: Lecanoromycetes Order: Caliciales Family: Caliciaceae Genus: Pyxine Species: P. profallax Binomial name Pyxine profallax Kalb (2009)

***Pyxine profallax*** is a species of [corticolous](/source/Corticolous_lichen) (bark-dwelling), [foliose lichen](/source/Foliose_lichen) in the family [Caliciaceae](/source/Caliciaceae).[1] It is found in Australia, [Papua New Guinea](/source/Papua_New_Guinea), and [Thailand](/source/Thailand).

## Taxonomy

The lichen was [formally described](/source/Species_description) as a new species in 2009 by [Klaus Kalb](/source/Klaus_Kalb). The [species epithet](/source/Botanical_name) refers to its [sorediate](/source/Glossary_of_lichen_terms#sorediate) lookalike, *[Pyxine fallax](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pyxine_fallax&action=edit&redlink=1)*. The [type specimen](/source/Type_(biology)) was collected in 1975 by [Syo Kurokawa](/source/Syo_Kurokawa) near [Woitape](/source/Woitape_Rural_LLG) ([Central Province](/source/Central_Province_(Papua_New_Guinea)), Papua New Guinea) at an elevation of about 1,600 m (5,200 ft).[2]

## Description

The loosely attached grey, whitish, or brownish-grey [thallus](/source/Thallus) of *Pyxine profallax* reaches a diameter of up to 5 cm (2 in). A mat of shiny black [rhizines](/source/Rhizine) attach the thallus to its bark [substrate](/source/Glossary_of_lichen_terms#substrate). The [lobes](/source/Glossary_of_lichen_terms#lobes) making up the thallus are up to about 1 mm wide, and divide more or less [dichotomously](/source/Glossary_of_lichen_terms#dichotomously). They have [pseudocyphellae](/source/Pseudocyphella) on the margins and a [reticulate](/source/Glossary_of_lichen_terms#reticulate) upper surface texture. Neither [soredia](/source/Soredia) nor [isidia](/source/Isidia) occur in this lichen, but it does have [ascomata](/source/Ascomata) of the *obscurens*-type, measuring 0.5–1 mm in diameter, with black [discs](/source/Glossary_of_lichen_terms#discs). The [ascospores](/source/Glossary_of_lichen_terms#ascospores), which number eight per [ascus](/source/Ascus), have a single [septum](/source/Septum) and measure 16–20 by 6.5–8 [μm](/source/Micrometre).[2]

*Pyxine profallax* contains [norstictic acid](/source/Norstictic_acid) as a major compound, [testacein](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Testacein&action=edit&redlink=1) (submajor), and [atranorin](/source/Atranorin) as a minor [secondary metabolite](/source/Secondary_metabolite). [Thin-layer chromatography](/source/Thin-layer_chromatography) shows that it also contains the same chemical array of [terpenes](/source/Terpene) that are found in its namesake, *P. fallax*.[2]

## Habitat and distribution

Originally described from Papua New Guinea, it was recorded from Thailand in 2012,[3] and from [Queensland](/source/Queensland), Australia in 2015.[4]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CoL_1-0)** ["*Pyxine profallax* Kalb"](https://www.catalogueoflife.org/data/taxon/4QYKJ). *[Catalogue of Life](/source/Catalogue_of_Life)*. [Species 2000](/source/Species_2000): Leiden, the Netherlands. Retrieved 22 December 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Kalb_et_al._2009_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Kalb_et_al._2009_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Kalb_et_al._2009_2-2) Kalb, Klaus; Archer, Alan W.; Sutjaritturakan, Jutarat; Boonpragob, Kansri (2009). "Further new species of *Xanthoparmelia* (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) from Tasmania". In Aptroot, A.; Seaward, M.R.D.; Sparrius, L.B. (eds.). *Biodiversity and Ecology of Lichens – Liber Amicorum Harrie Sipman*. Bibliotheca Lichenologica. Vol. 99. Berlin/Stuttgart: J. Cramer. pp. 225–246. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-443-58078-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-443-58078-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Mongkolsuk_et_al._2012_3-0)** Mongkolsuk, P.; Meesim, S.; Poengsungnoen, V.; Kalb, K. (2012). "The lichen family Physciaceae in Thailand - I. The genus *Pyxine*". *Phytotaxa*. **59**: 32–54.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Elix_2015_4-0)** Elix, John A. (2015). ["Additional lichen records from Australia. 80"](https://www.anbg.gov.au/abrs/lichenlist/AL_76.pdf) (PDF). *Australasian Lichenology*. **76**: 2–7.

Taxon identifiers Pyxine profallax Wikidata: Q10647727 Wikispecies: Pyxine profallax AusLichen: 30019597 CoL: 4QYKJ GBIF: 5953260 IndexFungorum: 540784 MycoBank: 540784 Open Tree of Life: 3765502 SpeciesFungorum: 540784

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pyxine profallax](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyxine_profallax) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyxine_profallax?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.