Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Semester of Degree Completion
1982
Thesis Director
Wesley C. Whiteside
Abstract
This study was one of comparison of chemical variant of the Cladonia pyxidata-chlorophaea complex of east-central Illinois and northern Michigan. A total of 150 collections were made from Coles, Clark, and Lawrence counties in Illinois, and a separate collection of 58 samples was taken from Cheboygan and Emmet counties in Michigan.
Collection sites in Clark county were, Rocky Branch Nature Preserve, near Clarksville, and privately owned land near Martinsville. From Coles county, collections were made at the Stone Quarry Prairie, Lakeview Park, Lincoln Log Cabin State Park, Walker’s Ford, Lakeview Park hill prairie, and a hill prairie north of the Charleston Water Works. Red Hills State Park was the only site from Lawrence county.
Of the two counties in Michigan, seven collecting sites were utilized. From Cheboygan county collections were from Reeses Bog, Carp Creek and the Cladonia Barrens. Collections were also taken from Mud Lake Bog and the University of Michigan Biological Station. In Emmet county, collections were taken from two sites from Wilderness State Park. The two sites were Waugoshance Point and the Mt. Nebo Trail.
The TLC method and microcrystal tests were utilized for identification of species. Of the Illinois collection, two combinations new to Illinois were observed. One is the combination of atranorin plus cryptochlorophaeic acid which is treated as a new variant of C. cryptochlorophaea. This has never been reported anywhere. C. cryptochlorophaea without fumarprotocetraric acid was also collected. The other combination was usnic acid and zeorin, which is characteristic of C. carneola. The range of this lichen is northern and the appearance of it in Illinois greatly extends the range southward. C. carneola was collected from the Illinois collection several times but only from the Michigan collection a few times. Another species collected from Illinois was C. grayi.
The Michigan collection yielded C. chlorophaea, C. cryptochlorophaea, with and without fumarprotocetraric acid, C. grayi also with and without fumarprotocetraric acid, C. carneola, and C. chlorophaea f. conistea. This variant of C. chlorophaea was collected only once, and contains atranorin plus fumarprotocetraric acid.
Recommended Citation
Cunningham, Cheryl A., "A Comparative Study of the Chemical Variants of the Cladonia pyxidata-chlorophaea Complex in East-Central Illinois and Northern Michigan" (1982). Masters Theses. 2899.
https://thekeep.eiu.edu/theses/2899
