Abstract

Usnea is a cosmopolitan genus of lichen-forming Ascomycota (Parmeliaceae, Lecanorales). This hyperdiverse genus remains poorly known, especially in tropical regions, and recent efforts have been made to clarify the species concepts and describe the diversity of species. We describe five new species from tropical South America based on morphological and chemical features supported by molecular data from the ITS rDNA, nuLSU, RPB1 and Mcm7 markers. Usnea clerciana is a Galapagos endemic characterized by inflated branches holding elongated tubercles, excavate soralia and/or apothecia. Usnea aranea and U. subaranea share inflated branches with numerous papillae and a loose arachnoid medulla, but differ in the minute and irregular soralia in U. aranea, that are circular and excavate in U. subaranea. Usnea rubriglabrata and U. subglabrata are characterized by inflated branches with excavate soralia, with a reddish cortex pigmentation in U. rubriglabrata that is lacking in U. subglabrata. Usnea aranea, U. rubriglabrata, U. subaranea and U. subglabrata are so far endemic to continental South America; the three former species are closely related and cluster in a highly supported clade, characterized by species distributed in the tropical Andes. New records for the region are provided and U. moreliana is resurrected, corresponding to the valid name for U. rubricornuta.