Zahlbrucknerella
Introduction '''''Zahlbrucknerella''''' is a genus of filamentous, rock-dwelling lichens in the family Lichinaceae.
Taxonomy The genus was circumscribed by Albert William Herre in 1912.He had originally published the genus in 1910 as ''Zahlbrucknera'', but later discovered that this name had already been used for a genus of flowering plants, and was thus not available for use. The genus is named for Alexander Zahlbruckner, "the eminent lichenologist, curator of the botanical section of the Imperial Natural History Museum, at Vienna, Austria". Aino Henssen emended the genus in 1977, adding five newly described species in the process.
Description All species of ''Zahlbrucknerella'' have filamentous thallus that form olive, brown, or black tufts on rocks that are periodically inundated with water, like those in seepage channels or on the side of lakes and rivers. The  partner is from the genus ''Scytonema''. Unlike other genera in the Lichinaceae, the ascocarp of ''Zahlbrucknerella'' is not in the form of , but rather is a mass of generative tissue. Most species have 24 ascospores in their asci, while one has 8.Other Lichinaceae genera with a similar appearance, and with which ''Zahlbrucknerella'' has historically been confused, include ''Ephebe'', ''Placynthium'', and ''Spilonema''.
Species Most species in the genus have a limited range, although the type species has a world-wide distribution. * ''Zahlbrucknerella africana''  – South Africa* ''Zahlbrucknerella calcarea''  – Asia; Europe; Iceland; South Africa; North America* ''Zahlbrucknerella californica''  – California* ''Zahlbrucknerella compacta''  – New Zealand* ''Zahlbrucknerella fabispora''  – Colorado; Iceland; Karelia* ''Zahlbrucknerella granitica'' * ''Zahlbrucknerella indica''  – India* ''Zahlbrucknerella marionensis''  – Marion Island, Indian Ocean* ''Zahlbrucknerella maritima''  – Patagonia; Tierra del Fuego* ''Zahlbrucknerella maxima''  – Venezuela* ''Zahlbrucknerella patagonica''  – Patagonia; Antarctica
Species interactions Lichenicolous fungi that have been recorded on ''Zahlbrucknerella'' lichens include ''Stigmidium parvum'', ''Didymella parvispora'', and ''Endococcus zahlbrucknerellae''.
References