Mushroom-Forming Lichens & Basidiolichens on Macrolichens of Alaska

Arrhenia peltigerina

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

Arrhenia peltigerina #

Taxon #

Arrhenia peltigerina

Organization #

Mushroom-Forming Species

Identification #

A mushroom-forming lichenicolous species. Growing from Peltigera spp. hosts. The mushrooms themselves rather unspectacular, small and tan to brown.

Substrate #

Peltigera species host lichen thalli

Notes #

The specimen pictured was collected from the Alaska Botanical Gardens.

Photos #

Lichenomphalia spp.

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

Lichenomphalia spp. #

Taxa #

Lichenomphalia alpina, Lichenomphalia hudsoniana, Lichenomphalia umbellifera

Organization #

Mushroom-Forming Lichens

Identification #

The Lichenomphalia genus are among the few species known loosely as “basidiolichens” due to their mycobiont being a basidiomycete rather than a typical ascomycete found in the vast majority of lichen symbioses. Because of this basidiomycete member of the symbiosis, the formation of mushrooms takes the place of apothecia. Two of the species currently known of Alaska, L. alpina and L. hudsoniana, are a bright yellow color which aids in spotting the small mushrooms. L. alpina lacks a primary thallus of squamules while L. hudsoniana has abudnant squamules in the basal portions. When lacking mushrooms, L. hudsoniana may be mistaken for the squamules of a Cladonia species. Other species like L. umbellifera usually fall morphologically into the vast, colloquial, little brown mushroom bin or “LBMs”.

Multiclavula spp.

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

Multiclavula spp. #

Taxa #

Multiclavula corynoides, Multiclavula mucida, Multiclavula vernalis

Organization #

Mushroom-Forming Lichens

Identification #

A genus of mushroom-forming, basidiolichens. The ephemeral, often bent or curved fruiting bodies can appear spathulate or clavarioid; white, yellow, to orangish in color. The primary thallus a thin green film of hyphae and algae (ITALIC and CLH).

Substrate #

terricolous, lignicolous, among bryophytes (Spribille et al. 2023)