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ABSTRACT
A chemotype of the natural lichen Lecanora dispersa contains 2,7-dichlorolichexanthone as the major secondary compound, but cultured spore isolates, growing without the alga, produced pannarin and related depsidones (HPLC, TLC and MS) instead. HPLC data suggested that traces of the xanthone characteristic of the source lichen might also be in some of the pannarin-producing sporelings, but concentrations were not sufficient for TLC or MS confirmation. Surprisingly, pannarin could not be confirmed in voucher material of the natural source lichen, but the biosynthetic potential for this depsidone was proven for the species by a herbarium survey. When museum samples larger than single apothecia were analyzed, trace to moderate proportions of pannarin were confirmed in some specimens. That the source lichen produced primarily xanthones and the mycobiont produced primarily depsidones is surprising because xanthones are a class of compounds also common in non-lichen fungi whereas depsidones like pannarin are nearly restricted to lichens. Pannarin, which has previously not been reported from an isolated lichen mycobiont, was produced copiously by some cultures.
