Stereocaulon ramulosum

Stereocaulon ramulosum, commonly known as snow lichen, is a terricolous fruticose lichen belonging to the family Stereocaulaceae.[1] It has cosmopolitan distribution. In the Australasian region, it is common in eastern Australia, New Zealand and has also been recorded at Lord Howe Island and Macquarie Island.[2]

Snow lichen
Barrington Tops National Park, Australia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Lecanorales
Family: Stereocaulaceae
Genus: Stereocaulon
Species:
S. ramulosum
Binomial name
Stereocaulon ramulosum
Synonyms
  • Lichen ramulosus Sw.

Its habitat is often cooler, moist areas with a high level of cloud cover. It may be found on rocky ground or as an epiphyte on tree branches. Stereocaulon ramulosum was the first lichen known to contain an amylose polysaccharide.[3][4]

This species is unusual, as the fungal component is associated with two different chlorophyll forming species; usually there is only one. The more significant one is a green alga which gives the lichen its characteristic colour. The second is a cyanobacteria which is found in the cephalodia, a wart-like structure. Three different kingdoms are represented in this single life form; Fungi, Protista and Eubacteria.[5]

The generic name Stereocaulon is derived from ancient Greek stereós and Latin caulis, referring to the hard stem of the central part of the lichen.[6] The specific epithet ramulosum is derived from the Latin ramulose, and means "having many small branches".[7]

Phytochemistry

The characteristic secondary metabolite of S. ramulosum, is atranorin, a depside. During the extraction phase, atranorin suffer an alcoholysis reaction, producing methyl/ethyl haemmatomate and methyl ß-orcinol carboxylate. Has been identified in New Zealand and in east central Africa, perlatolic acid, anziaic acid and methyl haemmatomate.[8] Methyl haemmatomate has in vitro antifungical activity.[9] Huneck in Chiloe, Chile, identify atranorin, perlatolic acid and lobaric acid[10] Also, in Pongo, Bolivia, Vila et al. aislate the polyol galactitol and 1,3,7-trimethylguanine, an unusual alkaloid [11]

Carbohydrates have been found. A linear (1→3) linked ß-D-glucan,[3] and β-GalCer-lich, a new inmune stimulant carbohydrate[12]

References
  1. "Stereocaulon ramulosum". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  2. "Stereocaulon ramulosum". Atlas of Living Australia. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  3. Madalena Baron, Philip A.J. Gorin, Marcello Iacomini (1988). "Isolation and identification of a linear (1→3)-linked β-d-glucan and other carbohydrate components of the lichen Stereocaulon ramulosum (SW.) Räusch". Science Direct. Carbohydrate Research. Elsevier. 177: 235–239. doi:10.1016/0008-6215(88)85057-2. Retrieved February 15, 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. "Stereocaulon ramulosum". Australian Lichens. Australian National Herbarium. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  5. John Walter. "Living on the Edge" (PDF). Wombat Forestcare Newsletter - September 2013. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  6. "Stereocaulon alpinum". Association Française de Lichénologie - Les champignons lichénisés de France - AFL. Association Française de Lichénologie. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  7. Michael L. Charters. "Calflora - Page R". Botanic Names. Retrieved February 17, 2021.
  8. Ramaut, J. L.; Serusiaux, E.; Brouers, M.; Corvisier, M. (1978). "Lichen Acids of the Stereocaulon ramulosum Group in Central East Africa". The Bryologist. 81 (3): 415. doi:10.2307/3242244. ISSN 0007-2745. JSTOR 3242244.
  9. Hickey, B. J., Lumsden, A. J., Cole, A. L. J., y Walker, J. R. L. (1990). Antibiotic compounds from new zealand plants: Methyl haematommate, an anti-fungal agent from Stereocaulon ramulosum. New Zealand Natural Sciences 17, 49-53
  10. Huneck, S. y Follmann, G. (1967). Notizen: Über die Inhaltsstoffe von Usnea pusilla (RAES.) RAES., Stereocaulon ramulosum (SWANS.) RAEUSCH. und Arthothelium pacificum FOLLM.: . Zeitschrift für Naturforschung B, 22(4)
  11. Vila J, Mollinedo P, Flores Y, Sterner O (2008) 1,3,7- trimethylguanine from the lichen Stereocaulon ramulosum. Rev Bol Quim 25:1–3
  12. Baena, A., L. Gomez-Giraldo, W. A. Gomez 8c C. A. Pelaez. (2015). Murine invariant natural killer t cells recognize glycolipids derived from extracts of the lichen Stereocaulon ramulosum. Vitae, Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas y Alimentarias, 22(1), 13-26
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