ANATOMICAL STUDY OF PELTIGERA-CANINA, PELTIGERA-MEMBRANACEA AND PELTIGERA-PRAETEXTATA (LICHENIZED ASCOMYCOTINA)

The anatomical variation of Peltigera canina (L.) Willd., P. membranac ea (Ach.) Nyl. and P. praetextata (Sommerf.) Zopf of the P. canina gro up was studied using statistical methods (PCA, DA, ANOVA). Forty four samples were analyzed in order to clarify possible taxonomic implicati ons of spore size, thallus thickness, and of width and height of veins . The thallus thickness between veins and the vein height are the main characters to separate the three species. The relationships in the an atomical characters are closest between P. canina and P. praetextata.