A lichen, or lichenized fungus, is actually dual organisms functioning as a single, stable unit. Lichens comprise a fungus living in a symbiotic relationship with an alga or cyanobacterium (or both in some instances). The fungal component of a lichen is known as the “mycobiont,” which absorbs water from the atmosphere and forms lichens. While, the algal or cyanobacterial component is known as the “photobiont,” the photosynthetic partner in a lichen.
The composite body of a lichen is called a thallus (plural thalli), which is made up of only layers of fungi and algae. While lichens’ thallus absorbs water from the atmosphere to accumulate it for photosynthesis, it absorbs pollutants mixed in the atmosphere along with water. When some pollutants accumulate in the lichen thallus, it interferes with the algae, causing the rate of photosynthesis to be so low that it may not be able to photosynthesis. It causes lichens to stop their growth or may even lead to death. For this reason, lichens are more susceptible to the increasing presence of air pollution. We therefore consider lichens a basic indicator of air quality. This is because of lichens like clean air. Unless the plants find lichens, it is assumed that the air is not fresh.
In 2016, researchers discovered 3 of the world’s new species of foliaceous lichen, a specific habitat and limited space for thallus growth. The paper has been published in the international journal named Phytotaxa 400 (2): 051-063 (2019).
Foliicolous material of the lichenized genus Porina was collected in different types of forest in Thailand. Three new species were discovered: P. subatriceps Naksuwankul & Lücking, characterized by a yellowish-brown, K+ reddish involucrellum and oblong, 7–11–septate ascospores, P. lumbschii Naksuwankul & Lücking, with large, muriform ascospores, and P. thailandica Naksuwankul & Lücking, having, small, oblong, 3–septate ascospores and a dark brown to black, K–involucrellum, morphologically close to P. homala and P. subhomala which differ by having 7–septate ascospores. An artificial key to species for a total of 55 taxa found in Thailand is provided and 20 new records are listed for the country.
In 2016, five types of corticolous lichens were discovered. The researchers published their findings in the international academic journal named MycoKeys 17: 47-63, 2016. One of the five species was named in honour of a Thai lichen sampler who is a fungi expert, Mr Winai Klinhom, Natural Medicinal Mushroom Museum, Faculty of Science, Mahasarakham University under the name of Ocellularia klinhomii Papong & Lumbsch. This new lichen was discovered in the dry evergreen forest at Saeng Chan waterfall, Ubon Ratchathani Province.
An artificial key to species for a total of 55 taxa found in Thailand is provided and 20 new records are listed for the country. Twenty new records such as Porina alba (R. Sant.) Lücking, Porina cupreola var. nipponica G. Thor, Lücking & Tat. Matsumoto, Porina curtula Malme, Porina deremensis F. Schill., Porina foliicola (Vězda) Lücking & Vězda, Porina fusca Lücking, Porina imitatrix Müll. Arg., Porina leptosperma Müll. Arg., Porina limbulata (Kremp.) Vain., Porina mazosioides Lücking & Vězda, Porina minuta Bat., J.L. Bezerra & Cavalc., Porina monocarpa (Kremp.) F. Schill., Porina pallescens R. Sant., Porina pilifera G. Neuwirth, Porina rubella (Malcolm & Vězda) Lücking, Porina rubrosphaera R. Sant., Porina subepiphylla Lücking & Vězda, Porina subpallescens Vězda, Porina vanuatuensis Lücking, and Porina virescens f. multiseptata (Müll. Arg.) Lücking.
Through more than 10 years of ongoing research, from 2007 to 2019, the researchers have newly discovered 47 species and a genus of lichens, with funding from internal and external funding sources including:
– Research funding from the Division of Research and Academic Service Promotion, Mahasarakham University, 2009-2010
– TRF Research Career Development Grant, RSA, 2009-2011
– TRF Research Career Development Grant, RSA in collaboration with Mahasarakham University, 2012-2015
– TRF Research Career Development Grant, RSA in collaboration with Mahasarakham University, 2015-2018
NAKSUWANKUL, KHWANYURUAN & Lücking, Robert. (2019). Three new species and new records of foliicolous lichen genus Porina (Porinaceae, Ostropales) and artificial key to species from Thailand. Phytotaxa. 400. 51. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.400.2.1
