Peltigera polydactylon subsp. udeghe Magain, Miadl. & Serus.

Peltigera polydactylon subsp. udeghe Magain, Miądl. & Sérus. in Magain, Sérusiaux, Zhurbenko, Lutzoni & Miadlikowska, Herzogia 29 (2 / 1): 518 (2016) Fig. 7 Description. Thallus foliose, lobate, rhizinate, up to 6 cm across, esorediate. Lobes: separate to imbricate, adnate, crisped and rounded at margin. Color: dark black to greenish when wet and dark brown when dry. Upper surface: smooth and shiny. Lower surface: pale brown with reticulate veins, rhizinate. Rhizines: abundant, dark brown to black, scattered, fasciculate or bushy. Upper cortex: hyaline to brown, 40–60 µm thick. Algal layer: dark greyish to blackish, 100–120 µm thick, Photobiont Nostoc, 10–15 µm. Medulla: hyphae white, 250–300 µm thick, loosely interwoven. Lower cortex: hyaline to brown, 60–70 µm thick. Apothecia: rare, saddle-shaped, 6–7 mm in length. Disc: smooth, reddish to dark brown. Margin: crenulate to smooth, creamy to pale brown. Epihymenium: dark brown, 12–18 µm. Hymenium: light brown to hyaline, 90–130 µm. Hypothecium: creamy to light brown, 30–50 µm. Asci: hyaline, clavate, 8 - spored, 70–105 × 9–14 µm. Ascospores: hyaline, filiform, rarely curved, 3–5 septa, 45–60 × 3–4 µm. Paraphyses: hyaline, simple, swollen with brown pigmented apex, 5–8 µm wide at apex. Chemical study. K-ve, C-ve, KC-ve. Zeorin was detected through TLC. Phylogenetic analysis. For phylogenetic analysis, sequences of the genus Peltigera were retrieved from GenBank based on their similarity to our sequences and those used in a study on the phylogeny of Peltigera by Juriado et al. (2017). A total of 35 ITS nrDNA sequences were analyzed during this study, including three newly generated sequences. The final aligned file was comprised of 709 nucleotides, among which 302 were conserved, 407 were variable, 406 were parsimony-informative, and one was singleton variant. Solorina saccata (L.) Ach. (MK 503159 and MK 503160) was chosen as an outgroup. In our analysis, the newly generated sequence of Peltigera polydactylon subsp. udeghe (FM- 15) is positioned within the polydactyloid clade of section Polydactylon. The Pakistani collection of Peltigera polydactylon (FM- 15) clusters with sequences of the same species from China (MH 976694 and OR 178744) and the USA (KX 365469). Similarly, the sequence of the Pakistani collection of Peltigera praetextata (KUM- 10) groups with sequences from Norway (MH 758516) and Russia (MH 758518), forming a highly supported clade alongside Peltigera canina (L.) Willd. within section Peltigera (Fig. 8). Notes. Peltigera polydactylon subsp. udeghe is characterized by non-tomentose upper surface, crisped, undulated, and usually phyllidiated thallus margins (Magain et al. 2016). It shares morphological and chemical similarities with Peltigera polydactylon subsp. polydactylon and P. seneca Magain, Miądl. & Sérus., but its thallus consistently exhibits phyllidia at the margins of lobes (Magain et al. 2016). From Pakistan, it is previously reported as Peltigera polydactyla (Neck). Hoffm. from Sharan (Kaghan) and Bahrain (Swat) (Aptroot and Iqbal 2012). Habitat and ecology. Found at a high altitude on damp and detritus soil, not completely exposed to sunlight. This area, dominated by a mix of coniferous and deciduous forest trees, exhibits annual precipitation of 437 mm, and the temperature is 16 ° C. Distribution. This species is widespread in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.S.A and eastern Northern Asia (Magain et al. 2016). Material examined. Pakistan ∙ Gilgit-Baltistan, District Diamer, Fairy Meadows; 35°23'12.67"N, 74°35'02.98"E; alt. 3,300 m a. s. l.; 05 Aug. 2023; N. S. Afshan & A. R. Niazi leg.; on soil; FM- 15, ITS GenBank accession number PQ 469041.