General:
Common Name: The Lung Lichens. Traditional, based on the resemblance of certain species to lung tissue.
Medium to large stratified foliose lichens, corticate above and below, sorediate or isidiate or not, sometimes bearing internal cephalodia, lobes loosely attached, short to subrotund or occasionally elongate, averaging to (0.6–) 1–20 (–30) mm wide, thin. Upper surface greyish, greenish or brownish, shiny to dull, often net-ridged/reticulate. Lower surface tomentose, tomentum often interrupted by white naked patches. Medulla white. Photobiont green and/or blue-green.
Apothecia located near lobe margins, disc usually reddish brown; spores (2–) multi-celled, spindle-shaped to needlelike, usually colourless when mature, 8 per ascus.
Over trees, rarely over rock.
Notes: Lobaria is a cosmopolitan genus consisting of approximately 80 species. Eleven of these occur in North America and six in B.C.
Species description:
Photobiont a grass-green alga; upper surface usually greenish, never textured/scabrid AND
Upper surface distinctly yellowish green; lobe margins more or less fringed with lobules; essentially coastal
Reactions:
Medulla K+ yellow, PD+ orange.
Contents:
Constictic, cryptostictic, norstictic, stictic and usnic acids and one unknown
Source: Lichens of British Columbia |
