Badimiella Explained

Badimiella is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Pilocarpaceae. It has two species of foliicolous (leaf-dwelling) lichens.

Taxonomy

The genus was circumscribed in 1994 by lichenologists William McLagan Malcolm and Antonín Vězda. The genus name refers to the superficial resemblance of the apothecia to those to genus Badimia. Initially a monotypic genus, another species was transferred to Badimiella (from Cyphella) in 2001.

Description

Badimiella lichens grow as a thin layer on the surface of plants. The apothecia, or fruiting bodies, of this genus are somewhat in nature, meaning they have a soft, light-coloured (not blackened) margin. These are sessile (attached directly without a stalk) and are tightly constricted at their base. The is made up of tissue which appear clear or hyaline. This layer contains a lot of crystals which can dissolve when treated with a solution of potassium hydroxide. The, another layer atop the apothecium, is free from algae, or crystals.

Both the (supporting layer beneath the hymenium) and the hymenium (fertile layer where spore development takes place) are clear in colour. The, structures found within the hymenium, are mostly with few branches, and their tips are slightly swollen and clear.

The asci (sac-like structures) of Badimiella are of the Byssoloma-type and can range from club-shaped to cylinder-club shaped. They usually contain eight spores. The are generally narrow and ellipse-shaped with cross-walls. Rarely, they might also have a longitudinal division. These spores lack a distinct around them.

, the asexual fruiting bodies of this lichen, are -like in nature (a helmet-shaped structure found in some genera of foliicolous lichens). They stand upright, are membranous even when soaked, and do not contain algae. Initially, they resemble a helmet shape but open up as they mature. The inside layer of these structures is concave. The campylospores (asexual spores) can vary from ellipse-shaped to rod-shaped, are split into two by a septum, and are clear.

Species