Lynge B 1930. Lichens from Novaya Zemlya. In Holtedahl O. Report of the Scientific Results of the Norwegian Expedition to Novaya Zemlya 1921. Oslo. 1-299.
Thallus inderminate, inconspicuous, crustose, dark red, indistinctly areolate, rugose.
Apothecia closely appressed, almost innate. Disc then +/- convex and then immarginate; shiny, red, epruinose, +/- rugulose. Hypothecium completely hyaline. Hymenium 60-65 µ tall, upper part dilute olive-yellow, additionally hyaline. Parphyses conglutinate, indistinct, with KOH addition distinct, strong, orbicular, undivided or furcated. Mature spores large: 24-34 X 12-13 µ, simple, hyaline, filled with oil droplets , margin thin, but margins of both apices papilliform. Asci J beautifully persistent blue, hymenium additionally soon colourless. Spore papillae J intensely coloured and very swollen with KOH.
This species is habitually quite corresponding to Pyrenopsis pulvinata and I was much astonished to find its very large spores. They originate 8 in each ascus, but it is impossible that 8 spores of this size can ripen in one ascus when the hymenium is so low. I have made several sections of my few apothecia; in each preparate I found a lot of free large spores, but I was unable to find a single ascus containing ripe spores. Immature asci contained up to 8 small young spores, which were easily removed from their asci if KOH was applied. I conclude from this that only a reduced number of spores (1?, 2?) ripen in each ascus, that they exercise a considerable pressure on the ascus wall according to their size, and that they are easily ejaculated owing to this pressure – an unusal thing with lichens.
The apical articuli of the paraphyses are easily detached and look like small spores.
I cannot quite exclude the possibility that this a Pyrenopsis pulvinata where only a reduced number of spores develop in each ascus and where they accordingly attain this extraordinary size.But the difference in the spore size is very great and I have not seen the apical papillae on the spores of Pyrenopsis pulvinata.The maturation of the spores should be studied cytologically, if sufficient material could be procured.