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Artificial Re-Establishment of Lichens IV. Comparison between Natural and Synthetic Thalli of Usnea Strigosa*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2007

V. Ahmadjian  and
J. B. Jacobs
V. Ahmadjian
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, Clark University, Worcester, Massachusetts 01610, U.S.A.
J. B. Jacobs
Affiliation:
St Vincent Hospital and University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts 01605, U.S.A.
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Abstract

Synthetic thalli of Usnea strigosa produced the same fibril morphology and secondary compounds as natural thalli. The outer cortex of synthetic lichens was covered with crystals of usnic acid and compounds related to norstictic acids. The common presence on the fibrils of lichen acids suggests that these compounds have a functional role in the symbiosis. During alcohol dehydration, crystals of usnic acid dissolved and left impressions in the mucilage around the symbionts. The impressions were valuable indicators of the position of crystals in the lichen thallus. Crystal impressions of usnic acid were common on the cortical hyphae and were seen also on the surface of algal cells. The crystal impressions were larger in the synthetic lichen than in natural thalli. Impressions of norstictic acid and related compounds were not seen.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Lichenologist , Volume 17 , Issue 2 , June 1985 , pp. 149 - 165
Copyright
Copyright © British Lichen Society 1985

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Footnotes

*

In J. Hattori bot. Lab. 52: 393–399 (1982).

References

* In J. Hattori bot. Lab. 52: 393–399 (1982).