A new lichenized Athelia from Florida

Several species of the genus Athelia show a close relationship with either free-living algae or algae within lichens. Although most taxa of Athelia live as saprophytes, a growing number of species is known to form basidiolichens and as such grow constantly together with algae which do not seem to be much damaged. Apart from the species which are known as parasites of algae and lichens, there are three species which live symbiotically with filamentous Cyanophyceae (Algae), viz. Athelia andina Jülich, A. epiphylla Pers., and A. phycophila Jülich. Athelia epiphylla occurs mostly as a saprophyte on a variety of substrates, whereas the other two species are only known as basidiolichens. Athelia andina and A. phycophila are devoid of clamps at every septum of the basidiocarp, but A. epiphylla shows some clamp-connexions on the basal hyphae.