The genus Placolecis (Catillariaceae, Lichenized Ascomycota) in Russia

A review of the lichen genus Placolecis in Russia is presented. Localities in the Primorye Territory of Placolecis loekoesiana, a new to Russia species, and P. opaca, a new to the Russian Far East species, are reported. For P. opaca, this is a second locality in Russia after Trans-Baikal Territory (South Siberia). Placolecis loekoesiana was previously known exclusively from the “locus classicus” in South Korea. New localities in South Korea are also reported. The description and localities of the new to Russia lichen species Placolecis loekoesiana in the Primorye Territory are reported and results of the phylogenetic analysis (nrITS/5.8S) of Placolecis species are presented, confirming the distinctness of P. loekoesiana and indicating conspecifity of Far Eastern specimens with specimens from South Korea. The studied specimens of P. loekoesiana from Russia and South Korea differ from the protologue by hyaline hymenium smaller in size, exclusively ellipsoid ascospores smaller in size and thallus bigger in size. The verified diagnostic traits of P. loekoesiana based on studied specimens from Russia and South Korea are given. Besides, the data on pycnidia and conidia for P. loekoesiana are presented for the first time. Thus, the species is characterized by its placodioid, yellow-brown or yellow-olivaceous thallus, lecideine apothecia with glossy permanent proper margin, yellow to orange-yellow medulla, hyaline hymenium, pale brownish to hyaline hypothecium, 8-spored Catillaria-type asci with simple, hyaline, ellipsoid ascospores. New data on ecology of the species are reported: so far P. loekoesiana was known occurring on calcareous rocks in habitats with periodically flowing water, while wherevers in the Russian Far East, it grows on open, dry surfaces of calcareous rocks at the elevation 290 to 480 m.