Rusavskia elegans & Rusavskia sorediata #

Taxa #

Rusavskia elegans, Rusavskia sorediata

Organization #

Teloschistaceae

Identification #

Rusavskia elegans is the most common orange foliose lichen on rocks in Alaska. R. elegans almost always has apothecia when mature but never soredia or isidia. R. sorediata produces soredia and only very rarely does it produce apothecia. Rusavskia is similar morphologically to other genera of their family such as Calogaya, Xanthomendoza, and Xanthoria species. Calogaya species typically appear to have lobes which are more inflated and with less spacing between them. Xanthomendoza borealis also typically grows on rocks (or bones and shed antlers) but does not form neat rosettes. Xanthomendoza fulva has finer lobes which are usually less appressed than Rusavskia. The other species of Xanthomendoza and Xanthoria are typically corticolous rather than saxicolous.

Substrate #

Rocks, concrete

Chemical Tests:

R. elegns #

upper surface K+ purple, C-, KC-, Pd- (CLH)

R. sorediata #

K+ purple, C-, KC-, Pd- (CLH)

Notes #

The primordia of apothecia of R. elegans can mimic the papillae of R. papillifera ((Vain.) S. Y. Kondr. & Kärnefelt), a species known of the extreme southwestern US that is not known of Alaska.

Photos #