Tomnashia
genus of fungi
Tomnashia is a genus of lichen-forming fungi in the family Teloschistaceae. It has four species of saxicolous (rock-dwelling), crustose lichens that occur in southwestern North America.
Taxonomy
Tomnashia was circumscribed in 2017 by lichenologists Sergey Kondratyuk and Jae-Seoun Hur, who bestowed upon the taxon an eponym in honour of Thomas Hawkes Nash III, a significant contributor to lichenology, especially concerning North American lichen flora. The type species of this genus is Tomnashia rosei, which was originally described as Caloplaca rosei by Hermann Edward Hasse in 1911. Through combined phylogenetic analysis, it was determined that Tomnashia resides in the outermost position among monophyletic groups of the Polycauliona subclade of the subfamily Xanthorioideae. This genus differs notably from other members of Polycauliona with its distinct characteristics and morphology.
Description
Presenting a varied range of colours, the crustose thallus of Tomnashia ranges from white, grey, and greenish-yellow to yellowish orange, or apricot orange, with some species having a unique waxy translucent appearance. The small, biatorine apothecia are usually orange to reddish-brown. Another unique attribute of this genus is its ascospores, which are polarilocular and hyaline. Its distinctive chemical composition includes substances such as parietin, fallacinal, emodin, teloschistin, and parietinic acid.
The public source identifies “Tomnashia” as genus of fungi. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Tomnashia, genus and fungi.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Tomnashia”, the useful work is to connect “genus of fungi” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Nov 3, 2023. The linked authority identifier is Q63253315. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 2017 and 1911.
Current terminology should not be projected backward without checking the classification used when the underlying evidence was created. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Tomnashia”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Tomnashia primary sources, Tomnashia archive and Tomnashia research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Tomnashia”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Has classification or technical consensus changed since the cited source?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Tomnashia” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.