Lobed Crusts, Select Crusts, Minutely Fruticose Species on Macrolichens of Alaska

Baeomyces carneus & Baeomyces rufus

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Baeomyces carneus & Baeomyces rufus #

Taxon #

Baeomyces rufus

Organization #

Select Crustose Species

Identification #

Baeomyces rufus is a crustose species of lichen with small, pink to brown, stipitate apothecia growing from light green, leprose thalli. B.rufus is very similar morphologically to B. carneus. B. rufus, however, does not have the small lobes along the thallus margin that are observed in B. carneus.

Baeomyces placophyllus

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Baeomyces placophyllus #

Taxon #

Baeomyces placophyllus

Organization #

Lobed-Crustose Lichens

Identification #

Light green thalli with lobes weakly formed at the margins. Fleshy to brown colored apothecia on short stipes. Some specimens of B. carneus can produce even weaker lobes and is more leprose rather than squamulose. The species might also be confused for Cladonia botryres or C. cariosa but the substrate and lobed thalli help separate it from those species.

Catolechia wahlenbergii

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Catolechia wahlenbergii #

Taxon #

Catolechia wahlenbergii

Organization #

Lobed Crusts, Rhizocarpaceae

Identification #

A bright yellow lobed crustose species with contrasting black apothecia. Found in the coastal rainforest from SE Alaska northwest to Katmai National Park (CLH). Well-developed thalli can become rosette-like and lobulate at the margins.

Substrate #

Terricolous, or over rock on thins soil (Spribille et al. 2023)

Chemical Tests #

thallus: K-, C-, KC-, Pd+ yellow to orange, UV+ orange (ITALIC)

Cyphobasidium hypogymniicola

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Cyphobasidium hypogymniicola #

Taxon #

Cyphobasidium hypogymniicola

Organization #

Class Cystobasidiomycetes, Lichenicolous Fungi

Identification #

It forms large fruticose galls on Hypogymnia species and could offer confusion in the identification of its hosts. These subspherical galls are irregularly knobby and warty, with constricted bases. They later become bullate (CLH). Some of the most well-developed specimens we have seen in Alaska approach the size of a billiard ball.

Dimelaena oreina

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Dimelaena oreina #

Taxon #

Dimelaema oreina

Organization #

Lobed Crustose Lichens

Identification #

This species is part of the Caliciaceae family, although it is not necessarily intuitive that that is the case. It is a highly appressed rock species which is very common in Alaska although probably not ubiquitous. Almost always abundantly fertile in mature thalli. It contains usnic acid from which, at least in part, it gets its yellowish moonglow color.

Frutidella caesioatra

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Frutidella caesioatra #

Taxon #

Frutidella caesioatra

Organization #

Select Crustose Lichens, Ramalinaceae

Identification #

A conspicuous lichen with blueish black convex apothecia contrasting a cream, yellow, or light gray colored thallus. It might be mistaken for species such a Stereocaulon condensatum.

Substrate #

Terricolous, humus or mosses over rocks

Chemical Tests #

thallus: K- or K+ yellow, C-, KC+ orange, Pd- or Pd+ yellow, UV+ “bluish white”; medulla: KC+ orange (ITALIC)

Icmadophila ericetorum

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Icmadophila ericetorum #

Taxon #

Icmadophila ericetorum

Organization #

Select Crusts

Identification #

Mint green granular thallus with light pinkish to orange apothecia. There are few things to confuse it with except perhaps fertile and well-hydrated (with lightened apothecia) specimens of Trapeliopsis granulosa. Species of Baeomyces much smaller in general.

Substrate #

On soil, over bryophytes, or on wood or bark. Especially on coniferous stumps and tundra soil.

Lepraria membranacea

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Lepraria membranacea #

Taxon #

Lepraria membranaceae

Organization #

Lobed-Crustose Lichens, Stereocaulaceae

Identification #

Most species of the Lepraria genus are entirely leprose and require microscopy and chemistry if not sequencing to determine them with certainty to species. L. membranaceae is included in our guide because it becomes lobed and might be mistaken for another family (such as the Pannariaceae) or order of lichen. Thallus whitish, yellowish, greenish, or bluish gray (Brodo et al. 2001).

Lobothallia alphoplaca & Lobothallia melanaspis

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Lobothallia alphoplaca & Lobothallia melanaspis #

Taxon #

Lobothallia alphoplaca & Lobothallia melanaspis

Organization #

Lobed Crustose Lichens

Identification #

These two species are members of the Megasporaceae and have lecanorine apothecia which may lead to misidentifications as a species of Lecanora in which it has been previously placed. Both species can be whitish, grayish, or greenish depending on sun exposure and hydration. Lobothalia species are rather appressed and with lobes which appear somewhat inflated. Saxicolous members of Parmeliaceae and Physciaceae may appear similar but are not so tightly appressed to their rock substrates.

Loxosporopsis corallifera

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Loxosporopsis corallifera #

Taxon #

Loxosporopsis corallifera

Organization #

Fruticose-Crustose Lichens

Identification #

A minutely fruticose-crustose lichen. An off white to light green thallus made of very small coral-like fruticose growths. Producing apothecia which are dark brown and with a rim which in concolorous with the thallus. Often growing with some of the Trentepohlia photobiont exposed and free growing on the surface of the lichen giving the appearance of a fine orange fuzz.

Ophioparma & Haematomma spp.

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Ophioparma & Haematomma spp. #

Taxa #

Haematomma ochroleucum, Ophioparma lapponica, Ophioparma rubricosa, Ophioparma ventosa

Organization #

Select Crustose Lichens

Identification #

All these lichens have red apothecia with rims which are concolorous with thalli which are light shades of white, yellow, or green. Despite the similar appearance, Haematomma and Ophioparma are in different orders, the Lecanorales and Umbilicariales respectively.

Haematomma ochroleucum #

Saxicolous

Phylliscum demangeonii

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Phylliscum demangeonii #

Taxon #

Phylliscum demangeonii

Organization #

Select Crustose Lichens

Identification #

Planar to subglobose, matte-black but epruinose, clusters of squamules with immersed perithecia rather than apothecia.

Substrate #

Saxicolous

Notes #

Further inland at lower latitudes but thus far known only from coastal Alaska from the SE of the state northwest to Hegemester Island (CLH, S.S. Talbot 1987)

Placopsis spp.

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Placopsis spp. #

Taxa #

Placopsis cribellans, Placopsis fusciduloides, Placopsis gelida, Placopsis lambii, Placopsis roseonigra

Organization #

Lobed Crustose Species

Identification #

Highly appressed, lobed-crustose lichens on rocks that produce large cephalodia which are often more conspicuous or at least larger than their apothecia. Various drab or pastel colors. Grays, tans, light yellows, greens, cyan, and peach colors. The apothecia, soralia, and/or cephalodia can sometimes form concentric rings on the thallus. The apothecia are often a pink or orangish color with rims that are concolorous with the thalli.

Pleopsidium chlorophanum & Pleopsidium flavum

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Pleopsidium chlorophanum & Pleopsidium flavum #

Taxa #

Pleopsidium chlorophanum, Pleopsidium flavum

Organization #

Lobed-Crustose Lichens

Identification #

These two species are best separated by the thalli margins and overall thalli shape. The margins are often more irregular in P. chlorophanum and more even in P. flavum. Young thalli can look nearly identical. P. flavum usually maintains a cloer to circular thallus, forming neater rosettes. P. chlorophanum has some specimens with more even margins, resembling P. flavum, but the overall shape or outline of the thalli will more often be irregular. There is also a form of P. chlorophanum that consists of very small scattered thalli with very large convex apothecia.

Pulvinora pringlei

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Pulvinora pringlei #

Taxon #

Pulvinora pringlei

Organization #

Fruticose-Crustose Lichens

Identification #

An olive greenish to licorice black crustose lichen which becomes somewhat fruticose similar to Phylliscum demangeonii. That species is a matt black and the globular growths it forms are smaller. Pulvinora is usually a very shiny lichen and usually grows upside down from overhangs of large rock formations and boulders, especially hoodoos.

Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca #

Taxon #

Rhizoplaca chrysoleuca

Organization #

Lobed-Crustose Lichens

Identification #

Similar to the other species of Rhizoplaca. The orange apothecia help to separate from the pale apothecia of R. melanopthalma which are concolorous with their thalli. R. peltata is much rarer and has apothecia which are tan to brown and less brightly orange or pinkish. The apothecia of R. subdiscrepans are similarly colored but the thalli are made up of smaller squamules rather than the larger lobes seen in most mature R. chrysoleuca, although some specimens may be a challenge.

Rhizoplaca melanophthalma

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Rhizoplaca melanophthalma #

Taxon #

Rhizoplaca melanopthalma

Organization #

Lobed-Crustose Lichens

Identification #

The apothecia of this species are helpful in determining it in the field. It is closer to concolorous with the rest of the thallus than with the other “rock posies” known of Alaska. The other species have apothecia which contrast their thalli at least a little by being more orange or brown. When hydrated the appthecia of R. melanopthalma can darken up although the rim will remain light-colored. Attractively lobed. Somewhat umbilicate as with other species of Rhizoplaca.

Rhizoplaca peltata

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Rhizoplaca peltata #

Taxon #

Rhizoplaca peltata

Organization #

Lobed-Crustose Lichens

Identification #

This species is similar morphologically to the other species of the genus. Rhizoplaca peltata has apothecia with disks that are tan to dull orange-brown, not as near-concolorous as the apothecia of R. melanopthalma with its respective thalli, and with apothecia which approach but are not so bright orange or pinkish as in R. chrysoleuca and R. subdiscrepans (CLH). R. peltata thalli are peltate, appearing at times almost like an Umbilicaria.

Rhizoplaca subdiscrepans

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Rhizoplaca subdiscrepans #

Taxon #

Rhizoplaca subdiscrepans

Organization #

Lobed-Crustose Lichens

Identification #

Without lobes or with very weak lobes at the extreme margin of the thallus. Similar in appearance to Protoparmeliopsis achariana but that species has longer lobes over the entire thallus not just the margin. Some specimens which lack lobes are essentially entirely squamulose and/or verrucose.

Substrate #

Saxicolous

cortex #

KC+ yellow; medulla: K-, C-, KC-, Pd- (Brodo et al. 2001),

Sporastatia polyspora & Sporastatia testudinea

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Sporastatia polyspora & Sporastatia testudinea #

Taxa #

Sporastatia polyspora, Sporastatia testudinea

Organization #

Lobed-Crustose Lichens, Select Crustose Lichens

Identification #

Highly-appressed, lobed-crustose lichens. Thalli very planar, made up of tile-like areolae. Lacking soredia and isidia, producing inconspicuous apothecia. Sporastatia testudinea in a tan to light brown color while S. polyspora is gray. While S. polyspora is also areolate, it is not similarly lobed as S. testudinea.

Squamarina lentigera

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Squamarina lentigera #

Taxon #

Squamarina lentigera

Organization #

Lobed-Crustose Lichens

Identification #

Not intuitively part of the Stereocaulaceae, unlike species of Stereocaulon in that it is the only rosette-forming species in the family and the only member of the genus known of Alaska. It might be mistaken for a member of the Physciaceae or Parmeliaceae, especially Physconia or Xanthoparmelia species due to the shared substrate and habitats. Gray-green or Gray-yellow thalli with yellow, oramge, or pinkish apotehcia which are more planar than the look-alike families. Rhizoplaca species can be vaguely similar but are saxicolous.

Tephromela atra

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

Tephromela atra #

Taxon #

Tephromela atra

Organization #

Select Crustose Species

Identification #

A crustose species with striking contrast between the epruinose, shiny black apothecia which are set in a usually bright white rim which is concolorous with a bright white thallus. The apothecia usually grow larger than many other crustose species on rocks when fully mature which makes the apothecia that much more striking. Lacking soredia and isidia.