The macrolichens of Val di Scalve (northern Italy) and the first record of Parmelia pinnatifida in Italy

ABSTRACT

The Val di Scalve valley, which is located in the province of Bergamo (Lombardy, northern Italy) at the boundary between the calcareous Orobic Prealps and the siliceous Orobic Alps, has never been studied before from a lichenological standpoint. This first contribution reports 327 records of 106 macrolichen taxa from 24 localities in which the main habitats occurring in the montane and subalpine belts of the valley are represented. Dermatocarpon intestiniforme, Parmelia submontana, Parmotrema arnoldii and Cetrelia cetrarioides are new to Lombardy; the latter two species, together with Hypotrachyna laevigata, Menegazzia terebrata and Parmotrema crinitum, are listed in the Italian Red List of epiphytic lichens. Other species with conservation or biogeographical value include Cladonia grayi, Cladonia pulvinata, Leptogium saturninum, Peltigera lepidophora and Sphaerophorus fragilis. Some considerations on the surveyed species are expressed and suggestions aimed at improving the lichenological knowledge of the Val di Scalve valley and the Orobic Prealps and Alps are discussed. Furthermore, the first record of Parmelia pinnatifida in Italy, which contributes to filling a gap in knowledge about its distribution in the Alps, is reported from the neighbouring upper Val Camonica valley (province of Brescia).

KEYWORDS:

• Alps
• Cladonia
• lichens
• nature conservation
• Parmeliaceae
• Prealps
• upper basin of the Oglio river

Acknowledgements

I thank Dr Silvia Assini (University of Pavia) for her support in my lichenological research; Prof. Helmut Mayrhofer (University of Graz), Prof. Walter Obermayer (University of Graz) and Prof. Juri Nascimbene (University of Bologna) for having helped in the identification of some specimens which needed TLC; Dr Chiara Vallese (University of Bologna) and Dr Renato Benesperi (University of Firenze) for having checked the identification of some specimens of Peltigera; Dr Matteo Barcella (University of Pavia) for having helped in the realisation of the map; Alida Piglia and Michael L. Sand for the linguistic revision of the manuscript; Dr Emilia Ossowska (University of Gdańsk) for having provided literature about Parmelia pinnatifida; and my family for having shared with me some of the explorations of the beautiful Val di Scalve.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.