Taxonomic delimitation of the genera Bryoria and Sulcaria, with a new combination Sulcaria spiralifera introduced

Bryoria pseudocapillaris and B. spiralifera are currently treated as members of Bryoria section Implexae although conspicuous, long and depressed pseudocyphellae characterizing both species resemble those found in the genus Sulcaria. Both genera belong in Parmeliaceae and form an alectorioid group together with Alectoria, Gowardia and Pseudephebe. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of ITS, partial GAPDH and partial Mcm7 sequence data were used to examine the phylogenetic position of B. pseudocapillaris and B. spiralifera, and in light of these results evaluate the generic delimitation of Bryoria and Sulcaria. A total of 110 specimens of 53 species containing representatives from alectorioid and closely related genera were included in the analyses. The results clearly show first, that both B. pseudocapillaris and B. spiralifera belong in Sulcaria rather than in Bryoria, and second, that they should be considered conspecific. Bryoria pseudocapillaris is proposed as a synonym under B. spiralifera and the name Sulcaria spiralifera comb. nov. is introduced.