LECANORA-VACILLANS H-MAGN, A REMARKABLE SPECIES AND ITS TAXONOMIC SIGNIFICANCE

The anatomy and chemistry of Lecanora vacillans H. Magn. has been stud ied. This saxicolous species combines key characters of both the L. su bfusca and L. subcarnea groups and indicates that the representative g roups should nor be segregated at generic level. More particularly L. vacillans resembles the L. subfusca group in its apothecial anatomy bu t contains chemical substances typical of the L. subcarnea group, wher eas the morphology is reminiscent of both groups. Lecanora vacillans f . infuscata is reduced to synonymy with L. vacillans. (C) 1997 The Bri tish Lichen Society