Applying two coalescent-based species delimitation methods based on fungal mitochondrial and nuclear markers (mtSSU rDNA, ?-tubulin, MCM7, RPB2) and a cyanobacterial marker (16S rDNA), we studied the recently resurrected cyanolichen genus Rostania (Collemataceae), and found an earlier overlooked species diversity. Rostania s. str. included three European species (R. ceranisca, R. multipunctata and R. occultata), but now we recognise four species in the R. occultata complex in Europe, resulting in six Rostania species in the region. We show that all three Nostoc morphotypes (one forming single cells to short chains in clusters, one forming short chains and one forming long chains of cells) earlier known from cyanobionts in Collemataceae occur in Rostania with a substantial correlation between thallus morphology and Nostoc morphotypes. We tested if Nostoc morphology is modified by the structure of the mycobiont-medulla (phenotypic plasticity), or if the morphotypes represent several genetically distinct species. Here, we present the taxonomy of the R. occultata complex and discuss the correlation between mycobiont and cyanobiont species in Rostania.
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