The first checklist of lichens occurring in the Ujście Warty National Park and its buffer zone is presented. The list is based primarily on the research conducted in years 2022–2024, but incorporates also the earlier literature data. During the research 138 lichen taxa were recorded, including 122 within the boundaries of the national park and 81 in its buffer zone. They represent various habitat groups: epiphytes (63 species), epixyles (59 species), epigeits (31 species), epiliths (39 species, both calcicolous and silicicolous) and species found on metal (20 species). A characteristic feature of the analysed lichen biota is the dominance of taxa typical of highly eutrophic habitats.
The article presents updated information on the occurrence of Entoloma conferendum in Poland. The species has been confirmed at no fewer than 132 sites across the country, spanning a wide range of habitats, including approximately 26 forested environments (accounting for 73.5% of classified records) and 11 non-forested ones (21% of classified records). New localities are reported from the Śnieżnik Massif in southwestern Poland, discovered during mycological research conducted in semi-natural montane grasslands maintained through traditional agricultural practices such as extensive mowing and grazing. The article includes descriptions and illustrations of the morphological features of the collected basidiomata. Additionally, the delimitation of E. conferendum is briefly discussed, along with insights into the species’ ecology and distribution in Poland. Particular attention is given to the historical misapplication of the name Hyporrhodius pascuus (Pers.: Fr.) J. Schröt. and its synonyms in Polish mycological literature. Based on a detailed analysis of Schröter’s original description and the examination of specimens he identified, it is concluded that H. pascuus is a misapplied name, now correctly attributed to Entoloma conferendum (Britzelm.) Noordel.
Fungi, as living organisms, offer a vast potential for synthesizing natural compounds. Many of these compounds are highly valued as nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals due to their medicinal properties and economic significance. Fungi are known to produce a wide range of secondary metabolites with bioactive properties, including antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, which contribute significantly to human health and well-being. In an age, when microbial antibiotic resistance increases, searching for new therapies to combat bacterial infections is in demand. Due to their ubiquitous nature, fungi are often chosen as promising candidates in the search for new antimicrobial agents. Among them, the genus Xylaria stands out. Widely distributed in subtropical and temperate regions, Xylaria species occupy various ecological niches, including decaying wood, living plant tissues as endophytes, and even the guts of termites, making their isolation both challenging and intriguing. This article reviews the literature on antibacterial compounds derived from Xylaria species, with a particular focus on those with confirmed antibacterial activity and potential applications in therapeutic protocols.
Parmelia submontana is quite a rare epiphytic lichen in both Poland and central Europe. In Poland, it grows mainly in the mountains and in the northern part of the country. We found eight new localities of P. submontana, in northern and southwestern Poland. We report it here as a new species for Wigry National Park. Distribution of the species in Poland is presented on the map.
The saprotrophic fungus Phaeocalicium populneum was noted from Poland only from one confirmed locality at the end of the 19th century, from the vicinity of Żagań (SW Poland). A new locality of this species is presented, which was found in 2017 on the bark of Populus nigra, within the Puszcza Darżlubska Forest in northern Poland. The species is common in Europe, and we consider that Ph. populneum is not rare in the country,
Sarcosoma globosum (witches cauldron) is a threatened species of pezizomycete (Ascomycete) fungus primarily documented in spruce (Picea spp.) forests of northern Europe. Sporadic reports of S. globosum have been reported in eastern North America, but it has been suggested that these may have been misidentified. Importantly, the species has not been officially reported in western North America. Following reported observations of S. globosum in British Columbia, Canada, we conducted a citizen science survey to document its distribution and occurrence over four consecutive years (2021–2024). Firstly, we verified that sporocarps collected in eastern (New Brunswick) and western (British Columbia) Canada were S. globosum via the morphological, ecological, and phylogenetic (analysis of the ITS gene) species concepts. Secondly, S. globosum was documented in all four years of the survey over a wide geographical area in British Columbia. Finally, we mapped the Canadian distribution of S. globosum based on publicly available databases. The species appears to be found across Canada (British Columbia to Nova Scotia), where spruce-dominated forests are present, supporting the current Canadian national conservation status of ‘Apparently Secure/Secure’ (N4, N5). However, its habitat remains threatened by climate change, forest fires, and logging activities that may limit its future geographical distribution. This study presents the first documented occurrence of S. globosum in British Columbia, expanding the species’ known distribution to western Canada.
The paper presents the state of knowledge of the lichen biota of the “Mszar” and “Redykajny” nature reserves, located in the “Las Miejski” urban forest complex in Olsztyn (north-eastern Poland). The results of the inventory conducted in 2024 are described, which are compared with published data collected in 1999–2001. So far, a total of 118 lichenized and three non-lichenized fungi have been identified in this area. Recent studies did not confirm the occurrence of 18 species, but at the same time showed 32 species new to the study area. The article discusses possible causes of changes in the species composition of the lichen biota over almost 25 years and the effectiveness of various methods of collecting data in the field. The results prove that both reserves are still important refuges of forest lichen biodiversity on a scale larger than just the area of Olsztyn’s urban forests.
The material was collected during studies of the vegetation of Kaffiøyra in the course of „Thirteenth Toruń Polar Expedition, Spitsbergen - 1997” of N. Copernici University of Toruń. The studied areas were situated only on moraines, some mountain massif slopes, and all terraces. Samples of lichens were taken from 24 out of 61 total squares with an area of 1 km2. In the study area, 12 taxa of the genus Peltigera were noted, including nine new ones to the Kaffiøyra Plain, such as P. aphthosa, P. canina, P. didactyla, P. frippii, P. kristinssonii, P. lyngei, P. neckeri, P. polydactylon, P. ponojensis and three previously noted, such as P. leucophlebia, P. malacea, and P. rufescens. The most frequently recorded species in the study area were P. canina (9 localities), P. malacea (9), P. ponojensis (9) and P. rufescens (9). The greatest species diversity occurred on Waldemar Glacier Sander. As many as 10 species of Peltigera genus were recorded there. An average of five species per square were recorded in that region.
The presence of various crystal forms is quite often noticed in lichens from manytaxonomic groups. The crystalline deposit may be linked with the production of secondary metabolites or metal oxalates as well as to the uptake of calcium carbonate from the host substrate. Although the crystals are clearly visible under a microscope employing polarized light, their detailed determination is very difficult without the use of specialized equipment and analytical methods. On the other hand, it is not uncommon for the surface of lichen thalli to be covered with apparent pruina, which is formed by masses of calcium oxalate crystals. Regardless of their origin and distribution, crystalline products can perform an important functional role and enhance the adaptation of a given species to a specific habitat. Moreover, the presence and kind of crystals can be species-specific or characteristic of a certain group of species and, therefore, may constitute a useful diagnostic feature. We intended to examine the extent to which standard methods used in lichen taxonomy, such as solubility tests in chemical reagents, allow for the basic determination of crystals. We indicate the basic differences between various crystal deposits that can be observed inside or outside the lichen thallus. The presented results are based on examining selected specimens representing various lichen genera.
The aim of this study was to assess the ability of oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.) P. Kumm.) to absorb heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Mn, Ni, Cr, Cd, and Pb) from different plant-based substrates and to determine the bioaccumulation factor of the aforementioned heavy metals from the substrate to the oyster mushroom basidiomes. The substrate used in this study were: maize straw, beech sawdust supplemented with wheat bran at a rate of 20%, a mixture of maize straw and spent coffee grounds in a ratio of 70:30, and a mixture of maize straw and spent coffee grounds in a ratio of 50:50. Heavy metal contents in substrate and mushroom samples were analyzed by atomic absorption spectroscopy using the Shimadzu AA-7000 device, while the bioaccumulation factors of oyster mushroom for each investigated heavy metal were calculated from the heavy metal content in mushrooms divided by that found in substrates. The study showed that oyster mushrooms have a high capacity to absorb Zn and Cd from the growing medium and bioaccumulation factor values for Zn and Cd determined in this study strongly support this observation. On the other hand, bioaccumulation factor values for Ni, Fe, and Mn were less than 0.3 and ranged from 0.04 to 0.05, from 0.09 to 0.12, and from 0.10 to 0.25, respectively. In general, the results of this study lead to the conclusion that substrate chemical composition strongly affects the heavy metal accumulation in oyster mushroom basidiomes. The results of this study also showed that oyster mushrooms can be considered a promising species for Cd and Zn bioremediation.
New lichenological data of thirteen rare, protected, and noteworthy lichen species found in Central and North-Eastern Poland are presented. One species – Absconditonia rubra is new to Poland and six of them – Biatora veteranorum, Normandina pulchella, Lepraria umbricola, Micarea isidioprasina, M. soralifera, Mycoblastus sanguinarius, and Trapelia involuta are new to Central Poland. In addition, new localities of five rare and protected lichen species – Cetraria ericetorum, Chaenotheca brachypoda, Cladonia stellaris, Parmelia submontana and Peltigera malacea, are also presented.
Spring areas are specific habitats characterized by higher humidity, which favors the presence of a range of living organisms. We have studied three types of mountain forest springs (Piceo-Alnetum, Carici remotae-Fraxinetum, and Equiseto sylvatici-Piceetum abietis communities) of the Stołowe Mountains National Park (Poland), focusing on the species diversity of lichens and bryophytes. In terms of the diversity of cryptogam species, mountain forest springs exhibit a large pool of shared species. This similarity is most notable between the Piceo-Alnetum and Carici remotae-Fraxinetum associations. The highest number of species was found in Piceo-Alnetum. The results indicate that species richness of lichens and bryophytes was significantly higher in ash and alder springs. This high species richness was associated with the presence of Alnus species, Acer pseudoplatanus, and Fraxinus excelsior trees. Springs in mountainous areas serve as important hotspots for cryptogam species diversity, particularly for valuable species such as those that are protected, endangered, or relics of ancient forests. In the spring areas studied, only one invasive bryophyte species was found.
In 2024, Professor Lucyna Śliwa celebrates her sixtieth birthday and the fortieth anniversary of her scientific career. Her achievements in lichenological research, along with her professional career and the positions she has held, ensure her a place in the history of science forever.
Oleander (Nerium oleander L.) is a popular ornamental plant in Hungary and is known to be the host of many pathogens, only some of which have been studied so far. Although oleander is threatened by many fungal pathogens, only a few cause significant problems, such as Ascochyta oleander (Sacc et Speg) or Verticillium dahliae (Kleb). In 2019 and 2022, small leaf spots and brownish necrotic spots were observed on oleander leaves and branches in some plant nurseries in Hungary. Usually, these symptoms are associated with a fungal disease, but he pathogen causing this disease has not been investigated in Hungary, so the aim of the study was to identify the pathogen. Pathogen from the infected plant parts was isolated onto potato dextrose agar. The colonies were grey with aerial mycelium and produced black-colored sclerotia aer four weeks. The conidia were unicellular, hyaline to slightly brown, and elliptical, with an average size of 6.18 × 5.9 μm. Following Koch’s postulates, all isolates were pathogenic. Based on the morphological characteristics of the pathogen, all six isolates were identified as Botrytis cinerea (Pres), which was confirmed by the nucleotide sequence analysis of PCR products by amplifying the 18S-28S rRNA region. Although symptoms caused by the pathogen on oleander flowers have been widely reported, this is the first classical and molecular identification study of Botrytis cinerea causing symptoms on the stem of oleander in Hungary.
Three noteworthy epilithic lichens species, Porpidia flavocruenta, P. thomsonii and Rhizocarpon cinereovirens, and two lichenicolous fungi, Cercidospora parva and Abrothallus aff. caerulescens were recently recorded in the Polish part of the Karkonosze Mountains. Cercidospora parva is reported from Poland for the first time. Abrothallus aff. caerulescens and Porpidia thomsonii are new for the Western Sudetes. Rhizocarpon cinereovirens has been rediscovered in the Karkonosze Mountains afer over a century. Porpidia flavocruenta is known in Poland only from the Karkonosze Mountains, it is reported here from a new substrate, hornfels. Descriptions, notes on similar species, habitat preferences, and distribution of each species are provided.
The paper presents two saxicolous species of the family Megasporaceae, Aspicilia fluviatilis and Circinaria leprosescens, discovered as new to Poland. Aspicilia fluviatilis is a rare, arctic-alpine species with elongated marginal areoles, and Circinaria leprosescens, occurs only in marine and strongly nitrophilous habitats and is often found sterile with granular to isidiate upper cortex. The identity of C. leprosescens was confirmed by molecular data, BLAST searches and haplotype network analysis based on nucITS rDNA sequences. Aspicilia fluviatilis is also reported as new to Italy based on historical material from the Alps. Detailed information on morphology, chemistry, distribution and ecology are given for both species.
The paper presents the first records of Ramalina europaea in Poland and new sites of rarely recorded species, mostly microlichens. The occurrence of Lecanora flavoleprosa in northern Poland is confirmed by molecular data. The species descriptions include information on similar species, habitats, and distribution.
In 2024, Professor Lucyna Śliwa celebrates her sixtieth birthday and the fortieth anniversary of her scientific career. Her achievements in lichenological research, along with her professional career and the positions she has held, ensure her a place in the history of science forever.
This paper presents new localities of the epiphytic lichen Candelariella reflexa (Nyl.) Lettau found in NE Poland. The species has been reported in Poland for over two decades, but the progress of research on the taxonomy of this genus requires confirmation of the data by the currently accepted taxonomic approach. The paper also discusses the diagnostic features of the species that help distinguish it from other similar taxa.
The Tatra Mts are the highest mountain range in the Carpathians and are an important biodiversity region for many organisms. Plants, animals, and fungi are better studied in this region, while myxomycetes still remain understudied. This study presents the most up-to-date checklist of myxomycetes in the Polish Tatra Mts. The list is based on the published literature data and new records from the years 2000-2019. Overall, 85 species are reported, four are new to Poland ( Arcyria cf. helvetica , Cribraria macrospora , Fuligo cf. licentii , and Nannengaella cf. mellea ), and 30 taxa (species or varieties) are reported for the first time from the study area.
