Echinoplaca vezdana (Ostropales : Gomphillaceae): a new lichenised fungus

The lichenised fungus Echinoplaca vezdana from the Philippines is described and illustrated. It has a comparatively large thallus, large apothecia, an d 2-4 muriform. ascospores per ascus. The new taxon is closely related to E . diffluens, which differs in having transversely septate ascospores. The t wo species form another pair of morphologically similar taxa differing in a scospore types of which five were previously known. Echinoplaca vezdana is dedicated to Antonin Vezda, one of the outstanding lichen taxonomists of th e 20(th) century, on the occasion of his recent 80(th) birthday.