General: Common Name: The Loop Lichens. Describes the conspicuously rounded axils of the lobes. Small to medium stratified foliose lichens, corticate above and below, sorediate (in BC), lobes loosely appressed to loosely attached, short to elongate, averaging to (0.7–) 1–5 mm wide, thin. Upper surface greenish or greyish, somewhat shiny. Lower surface black, shiny, bearing forked rhizines. Medulla white. Photobiont green. Apothecia unknown in B.C. material. Over bark and rock. Notes: Hypotrachyna is primarily a tropical genus consisting of about 80 species worldwide. Twenty-three of these occur in North America, though only two species are known in B.C.
Species description: Upper surface greyish, bluish or if somewhat greenish, then not yellowish green; lobes proportionately rather short and broad; cilia sometimes present at margins AND Soralia broad, diffuse, loosely packed with soredia; cilia absent or very sparse, less than 1 mm long; rhizines progressively better developed toward thallus centre; medulla C+ reddish
Habitat: Frequent over trees and acid rock in open to somewhat sheltered hypermaritime sites World Distribution: incompletely circumpolar, N to BC, S to WA.