Eschatogonia

Eschatogonia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Ramalinaceae.^[1] It has seven species.^[2] The genus was circumscribed by the Italian lichenologist Vittore Benedetto Antonio Trevisan de Saint-Léon in 1853.^[3]

Eschatogonia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Ascomycota
Class:	Lecanoromycetes
Order:	Lecanorales
Family:	Ramalinaceae
Genus:	Eschatogonia Trevis. (1853)
Type species
Eschatogonia montagnei Trevis. (1853)

Description

The genus Eschatogonia includes lichens with a squamulose thallus, meaning the body of the lichen is composed of small, scale-like lobes known as squamules. These squamules have a single layer of cortical (outer) tissue on both their upper and lower surfaces. The lichen's photobiont, or photosynthetic partner, is a green alga.^[4]

The apothecia (fruiting bodies) are sessile (directly attached to the surface without a stalk) and lack a thalline exciple, meaning they do not have a rim of thallus-derived tissue around them. The apothecia range in colour from flesh-toned (carneous) to reddish brown. Each ascus (spore-producing sac) within the apothecia typically contains eight spores. These spores are colourless and fusiform, meaning they are spindle-shaped, tapering at both ends.^[4]

Species

• Eschatogonia angustiloba Timdal (2008)^[5] – Peru
• Eschatogonia dissecta Timdal & R.Sant. (2008)^[5] – Peru
• Eschatogonia granulosorediata M.M.E.Alves, Aptroot & M.Cáceres (2014)^[6] – Brazil
• Eschatogonia marivelensis (Vain.) Kalb (2004)^[7]
• Eschatogonia minuta Timdal & R.Sant. (2008)^[5] – Peru
• Eschatogonia prolifera (Mont.) R.Sant. (1988)^[4] – Kenya, Tanzania, West Africa and tropical America
• Eschatogonia triptophyllina (Nyl.) Kalb (2004)^[7]