Shield-Like Parmelioids on Macrolichens of Alaska

Allantoparmelia almquistii

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

Allantoparmelia almquistii #

Taxon #

Allantoparmelia almquistii

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Allantoparmelia almquistii is most likely to be confused with Brodoa oroarctica, Cetrariella commixta, or the other Allantoparmelia species. Both species were previously in the Hypogymnia genus. A. almquistii can be separated by the fine lobules, the flattened lobes, and being more tangled even than in A. alpicola (Brodo et al. 2001). The fine lobules are reliable for separating the species in the field, however, these can be mistaken for another lichen entangled with the thallus as Allantoparmelia and Brodoa species are also commonly found growing alongside and entangled with species such as Pseudephebe which can mimic the lobules.

Arctoparmelia centrifuga

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

Arctoparmelia centrifuga #

Taxon #

Arctoparmelia centrifuga

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

A lichen which forms concentric, ripple-like thalli on rocks. There are other species which can create concentric rings on rocks, but none are so ubiquitous in Alaska as this species. Concentric forms of Montanelia tominii are a much darker olive green. A. subcentrifuga does not always form concentric rings and when it does, they are usually much weaker and less prolific than in A. centrifuga. All Arctoparmelia species produce similarly light brown apothecia. A. centrifuga lacks soredia.

Arctoparmelia incurva

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

Arctoparmelia incurva #

Taxon #

Arctoparmelia incurva

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

This is the sorediate species of Arctoparmelia. The thalli are composed of narrow off white, light green, or yellowish lobes The discrete soralia are a distinct spherical shape. A. incurva only rarely produces apothecia. The other species of Arctoparmelia are not sorediate. Xanthoparmelia appears similar but there are no known sorediate species of that genus in Alaska.

Brodoa oroarctica

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

Brodoa oroarctica #

Taxon #

Brodoa oroarctica

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Known as the “Mountain Sausage Lichen”, Brodoa oroarctica has lobes which are inflated but also often planar on the upper surface of the lobes. It is very similar to Allantoparmelia. Allantoparmelia almquistii can be separated by having some lobes which are so fine they can resemble another species of lichen entangled with its thallus. Allantoparmelia almquistii and A. alpicola are more appressed to their rock substrates and have lobes which are generally less robust, ascending, and elongated. A alpicola is also frequently fertile in Alaska while the apothecia of Brodoa oroarctica are rare.

Hypogymnia apinnata

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

Hypogymnia apinnata #

Taxon #

Hypogymnia apinnata

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

A gray tube lichen with a knobby or beaded appearence from alternating constricted and inflated segments. The youngest lobes of this lichen are flattened and mature into its namesake “beaded tube” appearance. This species lacks soredia and isidia. Often with abundant apothecia. It is possible to confuse this species with H. enteromorpha but that species has numerous lobules to a degree not seen in H. apinnata. The youngest lobes of H. enteromorpha are also not flattened looking as in H. apinnata.

Hypogymnia duplicata

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

Hypogymnia duplicata #

Taxon #

Hypogymnia duplicata

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Not likely to be confused with other species. The least shield-like of the Hypogymnia genus; long pendulous cream colored to light green lobes which terminate in conspicuously brown, upturned tips (Brodo et al. 2001). Appearing like a mass of shoestrings. Apothecia are rare in this species and isidia and soredia are absent.

Hypogymnia enteromorpha

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

Hypogymnia enteromorpha #

Taxon #

Hypogymnia enteromorpha

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Hypogymnia enteromorpha is known colloquially as the “budding tube lichen”. This foliose lichen has a very inflated appearance. The namesake “buds” are the numerous lobules which develop along the lobe margins. H. enteromorpha lacks isidia and soredia. Some thalli of this species can become quite large (Brodo et al. 2001).

Hypogymnia hultenii

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

Hypogymnia hultenii #

Taxon #

Hypogymnia hultenii

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Hypogymnia hultenii has lobes which are smaller than in most other Hypogymnia species, with soredia at the tips of the lobes. Lobes more or less flat and subtly ascending. It was previously placed in the genus Cavernularia with H. lophyrea which instead of the abundant soredia of H. hultenii, is abundantly apotheciate when mature. H. hultenii will only very rarely produce apothecia. Rhizines are not found on the lower surface (CLH).

Hypogymnia inactiva

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

Hypogymnia inactiva #

Taxon #

Hypogymnia inactiva

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

This grayish tube lichen has very narrow, ascending lobes and abundant apothecia. It lacks isidia and soredia. The lobes branch in dichotomies and the species is very similar to H. imshaugii, although that species is not yet known of Alaska (Spribille et al. 2023).

Substrate #

corticolous and ramicolous on conifers (Brodo et al. 2001), lignicolous

Hypogymnia lophyrea

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

Hypogymnia lophyrea #

Taxon #

Hypogymnia lophyrea

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

This species has much smaller, flatter lobes than in most other species in the genus. H. hultenii has similarly small and flattened lobes; both species had previously been in their own genus, Cavernularia. H. lophyrea has abundant apothecia when mature but no soredia while H. hultenii has abundant soredia but only very rarely produces apothecia. H. lophyrea lacks rhizines on the lower surface of the lobes (Brodo et al. 2001).

Hypogymnia physodes

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

Hypogymnia physodes #

Taxon #

Hypogymnia physodes

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

A whitish to light green tube lichen which does not become so browned as in many other species, especially as in the H. austerodes group. Lacking isidia but proucing soredia from labriform soralia at the lobe tips and only very rarely producing apothecia. When growing on broader surfaces it can form nice shield or rosette-shaped thalli, more irregular when on twigs and branches.

Hypogymnia subobscura

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

Hypogymnia subobscura #

Taxon #

Hypogymnia subobscura

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Hypogymnia subobscura is colloquially known as the heath tube lichen, a fitting name for the species which, in Alaska, is often found on rocks or lignum in the alpine among heaths, dwarf shrubs, and other lichens. This species lacks soredia and will uncommonly produce isidia or apothecia. The lack of soredia and verrucae help to separate from morphologically similar members of the H. austerodes group. The lobes of this foliose lichen are weakly convex to weakly concave. The lobes usually have an attractive lacquered brown, reddish, bronze, orange, or blackened appearance (Brodo et al. 2001, CLH).

Hypogymnia tubulosa

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

Hypogymnia tubulosa #

Taxon #

Hypogymnia tubulosa

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Hypogymnia tubulosa is a tube lichen with soredia on the tips of its lobes. It does not develop isidia and only rarely will apothecia be seen. H. physcodes also has soredia at the lobe tips and is similarly colored but ha lobes which are flatter and not so long as in H. tubulosa.

Imshaugia aleurites

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

Imshaugia aleurites #

Taxon #

Imshaugia aleurites

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Imshaugia aleurites is a gray, isidiate, Parmelioid that looks similar to isidiate Parmelia species. This species lacks the hammer marks seen on the upper surface of the lobes of the Parmelia genus. In well-developed specimens the central portions of the thalli can become densely isidiate and abundantly apotheciate similar to P. saxatilis.

Parmelia pseudosulcata

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

Parmelia pseudosulcata #

Taxon #

Parmelia pseudosulcata

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Parmelia pseudosulcata, unlike the similarly named P. sulcata, bears isidia. The isidia are very small and inconspicuous relative to those of P. saxatilis, P. squarrosa, or P. hygrophila. P. pseudosulcata has relatively small, narrow lobes for the genus. This species has the “hammer marks” known of the genus and has a similar light green upper surface and black rhizines below as many Parmelia species.

Parmelia saxatilis

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

Parmelia saxatilis #

Taxon #

Parmelia saxatilis

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

A gray shield lichen that can brown in sunny sites. Isidia and apothecia common in Alaska specimens and with the apothecia themselves often with isidia, lacking soredia. Most similar morphologically to P. squarrosa which is expected to be corticolous and rarely saxicolous, thus roughly of opposite substrate preference of P. saxatilis, but P. saxatilis has simple to forked rhizines below while P. squarrosa has squarrose rhizines (Brodo et al. 2001).

Parmelia skultii

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

Parmelia skultii #

Taxon #

Parmelia skultii

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Parmelia skultii is a light to dark brown foliose lichen with some lobes which can be very planar and smooth. It lacks isidia and soredia but often has a conspicuous pruina. Apothecia not known of the species. It has rhizines on the lower surface which can be simple or branched.

Parmelia squarrosa

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

Parmelia squarrosa #

Taxon #

Parmelia squarrosa

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

This Parmelia species is isidiate and best separated from the other isidiate species of the genus by having squarrose rhizines. It is similarly grayish green as in other Parmelia species and also bears the hammer marks on the upper surface of the thalli.

Substrate #

most commonly corticolous, also ramicolous, lignicolous, saxicolous

Parmelia sulcata

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

Parmelia sulcata #

Taxon #

Parmelia sulcata

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Shield-like or rosette-shaped thalli. Grayish, light blue-green. With “hammer marks” on the upper surface. Apothecia are rare but when present are usually sorediate. Produces soredia to varying degrees; some specimens which are young may not have had time to develop obvious soralia/soredia where others may be covered in a dense layer of powder. Never isidiate such as with P. pseudosulcata which also usually has smaller lobes and is much less common in general. Some specimens with elongated lobes can appear similar to P. squarrosa but that species is also isidate.

Parmeliella triptophylla

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

Parmeliella triptophylla #

Taxon #

Parmeliella triptophylla

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

This species has a conspicuous black hypothallus and is minutely lobed. The small gray to brown thalli, which often group and coalesce, are isidiate but not sorediate. Small brownish apothecia common. The lobes, isidia, and apothecia are all very small, inconspicuous, and liable to be overlooked.

Substrate #

Corticolous and saxicolous (CLH)

Parmeliopsis ambigua

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

Parmeliopsis ambigua #

Taxon #

Parmeliopsis ambigua

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Parmeliopsis ambigua is a much more yellow color than any other shield or rosette-like Parmelioid lichen in Alaska. This species always produces yellowish soredia at maturity but only rarely produces apothecia with brown discs. The lobe tips are inconspicuously browned. The other species of the genus P. hyperopta is a gray lichen that is not at all yellowish.

Parmeliopsis hyperopta

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

Parmeliopsis hyperopta #

Taxon #

Parmeliopsis hyperopta

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Parmeliopsis hyperopta is a species of gray, foliose, narrow-lobed, lichen which forms small rosettes or shields. It is the smallest sorediate Parmelioid at maturity in Alaska and is more likely to be mistaken for a member of the Physciaceae than another of its own family. The soredia are gray, and the lobe tips are inconspicuously browned. It might also be mistaken for Imshaugia aleurites but that species grows larger thalli and has isidia rather than discrete soralia as in Parmeliopsis hyperopta. This species can rarely produce apothecia with brown discs (Brodo et al. 2001, CLH).

Xanthoparmelia spp.

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

Xanthoparmelia spp. #

Taxon #

Xanthoparmelia angustiphylla, Xanthoparmelia coloradoënsis, Xanthoparmelia stenophylla, Xanthoparmelia tasmanica, Xanthoparmelia wyomingica

Organization #

Shield-Like Parmelioids

Identification #

Most of these species are roughly the same color. Off-white to cream colored to light yellowish-green. None of the known Alaskan species produce soredia or isida. Chemical tests of the thalli and microscopy of the spores, upper and lower surfaces, etc. are recommended to try to identify Alaskan specimens to species.