Ocellularia papillata (Leight.) Zahlbr.

Ocellularia papillata

Ocellularia papillata (Leighton) Zahlbruckner, 1923:597.

Thelotrema papillatum Leighton, 1869:169 [type-collection: Central Province, Ceylon, Thwaites C.L. 129 (BM, lectotype; H, G, P, S, UPS, W, isotypes); Figure 12d].

Thallus whitish to pale greenish ashy, smooth to more or less warty, shiny, forming colonies 3–12 cm broad; apothecia numerous, 0.6–0.8 mm in diameter, immersed to slightly emergent, the upper walls carbonized, columella present, thin to scarcely developed to absent; pore round, 0.1–0.2 mm in diameter; hymenium 50μ–70μ high; spores 8/ascus, 7–9 loculate, 6μ–10μ × 20μ–36μ, I+ blue. (Figure 12e).

CHEMISTRY.—No substance present.

HABITAT.—Saplings, prop roots, lianas, and tree bases at mid-elevation in rain forest (300–900 m).

This common species has few outstanding features. The columella is usually present, although often weakly developed and difficult to find. Some specimens, as indicated below, seem to lack it entirely. The apothecia are inconspicuous, almost immersed to slightly emergent, but the pore is always distinct. The thallus is well developed, usually quite whitish, and smooth. There are no close relatives without lichen substances, although O. perforata, which has protocetraric acid, is very close in general aspect except perhaps that the apothecia are more often emergent. Both species occupy similar base level habitats in the rain forest and were collected together at 11 of the localities. At eight other localities only one of the species was found.

SPECIMENS EXAMINED (columella present).—8 (38123, 38130, 38165, 38168), 9 (38131), 11 (37825), 16a (37795, 37991), 16b (37662, 37804, 37805, 37808), 18a (37721, 37964); 21 (38084, 38085, 38097, 38098, 38152), 22 (37645, 37837, 37842), 23 (37671, 37681, 37682), 27 (37850, 38072), 28 (35428).

SPECIMENS EXAMINED (columella absent).—7 (35227), 10 (38127, 38150), 16a (37655, 37661), 16b (37792, 38074), 16c (38045) 21 (38086, 38088), 22 (37649, 37834, 37851, 37854, 37855), 23 (37677, 38967), 24a (37746).