Mating systems in representatives of Parmeliaceae, Ramalinaceae and Physciaceae ( Lecanoromycetes, lichen-forming ascomycetes)

The progeny of meiosis of eight Parmeliaceae, two Ramalinaceae and seven Physciaceae were subjected to fingerprint analysis using RAPD-PCR applied to single spore isolates. The sample set included common and widespread rarely fertile species ( Parmelia sulcata, Pseudevernia furfuracea, Physcia tenella), local to common, infrequently fertile species ( Melanelixia glabra, Parmelina tiliacea, Xanthoparmelia conspersa, X. stenophylla, Anaptychia runcinata, Diploicia canescen, Physconia distorta), local to rare, infrequently or regularly fertile species with declining distributions ( Parmelina carporrhizans, P. quercina, Ramalina fastigiata, R. fraxinea, Anaptychia ciliaris), and local to common, regularly fertile species ( Physcia aipolia, P. stellaris). All species turned out to be heterothallic, polymorphisms among RAPD markers ranging from 10–87 %. The significance of these findings for population genetics and conservation biology, and potential reasons for infrequent ascoma formation in some of the species are discussed.