A taxonomic revision of the species of Licea subg. Licea (Myxomycetes) Author Basanta, Diana Wrigley De 0000-0002-7700-8399 Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Plaza de Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid (Spain). & dwbasanta @ gmail. com, https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 7700 - 8399 Author Mier, Carlos De 0009-0008-1431-4410 Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Plaza de Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid (Spain). & cmier @ rjb. csic. es, https: // orcid. org / 0009 - 0008 - 1431 - 4410 Author Lado, Carlos 0000-0002-6135-2873 Real Jardín Botánico, CSIC, Plaza de Murillo 2, 28014 Madrid (Spain). & lado @ rjb. csic. es, https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 6135 - 2873 text Phytotaxa 2023 2023-12-06 629 2 95 128 https://phytotaxa.mapress.com/pt/article/download/phytotaxa.629.2.1/51333 journal article 10.11646/phytotaxa.629.2.1 1179-3163 10276047 1. Licea alpina A. Sánchez, G. Moreno, & D. W. Mitch. , in Moreno, Sánchez & Mitchell, Bol. Soc. Micol. Madrid 34: 156 (2010) Figs. 1A–F Sporophores sporocarpic, dispersed or in groups. Sporocarps stalked, sometimes sub-sessile, 0.25–0.8 mm in total height. Hypothallus inconspicuous. Stalk thick and black ( 0.1–0.3 mm long, 0.05–0.1 mm wide). Sporotheca 0.15– 0.4(–0.5) mm diam., dark brown to black, shining, with distinct pale lines of dehiscence that form a cross at the apex. Peridium double, outer layer of refuse material and the inner layer membranous, closely adhering together; dehiscence by fragmenting into polygonal plates leaving a basal calyculus at the union with the stalk. Spores free, dark brown in mass, olivaceous to olive brown by TL, with a thinner area by TL, subglobose, (14–)15–17 µm diam., smooth. By SEM the inner peridium is densely warted, the platelet margins are warted and paler with fewer inclusions; the epispore is verrucate with small dense warts and larger warts. Material examined : Holotypus . SPAIN . Madrid , Puerto de Navacerrada, UTM 30T-04164516, 2075 m , on stems of Cytisus oromediterraneus, 26-V-2001 , AH 28531!. Habitat: nivicolous areas, on stems of shrubs. Distribution: Known only from type locality ( Spain ). Icon. : Moreno et al. (2010: 157 , Figs. 1–16 ). Notes. The reason to include this normally stipitate species is that it dehisces into platelets, and sub-sessile sporocarps may be confused with sessile species. In addition it was not included in our study of the stalked Licea species (Wrigley de Basanta & Lado 2005). The edges of the platelets in this species have many small warts and less refuse material on the outer surface. The pale dehiscence lines were not as obvious in some sporocarps. Because of its habitat, with its host plant covered in winter and spring by snow, this is a nivicolous species and in fact it looks like a really minute Lamproderma under the stereoscope. The nivicolous habitat, clear silvery dehiscence lines and large spores easily distinguish this species. All these are different from its nearest stipitate species L. pedicellata (H. C. Gilbert) H. C. Gilbert. It is clearly distinguished from L. eremophila D. Wrigley, Lado & Estrada by the larger globose vs. angular spores. The excellent SEM images in the original publication ( Moreno et al. 2010 ) obviated the need to repeat them.