Notes on Parmelia parahypotropa W. Culb. Collected in the Senkaku Retto, Ryukyu, and the identification of galbinic acid.

Abstract

1. Parmelia parahypotropa W. Culb. Is reported from the Uotsuri Isl., Senkaku Retto, Okinawa (Ryukyu), southern Japan. This is the first record of this species from Japan. 2. Galbinic acid was isolated from the thallus of Parmelia parahypotropa. Crystal forms of galbinic acid with oT, An, and KK were described. 3. Crystals of the complex potassium salts of galbinic acid are compared with those of salazinic acid and of norstictic acid, respectively. The reddish crystal formation of galbinic acid with KK is considerd as an additional example to support the following Asahina's assumption. The formation of reddish complex potassium crystals requires the presence of a free phenolic hydroxyl in an ortho position of the aldehyde group and a lactol grouping in the other nucleus such as salazinic acid and its derivatives (Asahina, 1935).