Seven new species of Graphidaceae (Lichenized Ascomycetes) from the Coastal Plain of southeastern North America

Abstract

Seven new species of Graphidaceae are described from the Coastal Plain of southeastern North America: Acanthothecis floridana (Florida, USA), A. leucoxanthoides (North Carolina, USA), A. paucispora (North Carolina, USA), Fissurina alligatorensis (Florida and North Carolina, USA), F. americana (Florida and Georgia, USA), F. ilicicola (Florida and Georgia, USA), and Phaeographis oricola (North Carolina, USA). The ecology and distribution of each species is discussed in the broader context of the imminent need for effective conservation and management strategies to maintain the lichen biodiversity in the region. Color illustrations of all species are provided, as are keys to the genera Acanthothecis and Fissurina in North America north of Mexico.