Morphology, chemistry, and phylogeny reveal three new species of Lecidea (Lecideaceae) from China

Three new species, Lecidea flavothallia, L. sublaboriosa, and L. tibetica, are reported from China based on morphological, chemical, and molecular characters. Lecidea flavothallia is characterized by an orange thallus and the presence of schizopeltic acid. Lecidea sublaboriosa is characterized by a sparsely developed thallus, brown hypothecium, and the presence of 4 - O-demethylplanaic acid in the apothecia.

Lecidea tibetica is characterized by a well-developed thallus, I + violet medulla, hyaline to pale straw-colored hypothecium, and the presence of 2 ′ - O-methyperlatolic acid as the major secondary metabolite. All of the new species were collected from the Qinghai – Tibetan Plateau in Southwest China. Detailed descriptions, discussions, and figures are provided for each species, along with a key for all known Chinese Lecidea s. str. species.