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 bluish green or at least not distinctly yellowish green; lobe margins not at all lobulate; widespread in humid localities AND
Isidia and soredia absent; medulla K-

Comments:
Two varieties of dubious taxonomic status occur in B.C.: var. linita - Apothecia absent; over mossy rocks at higher elevations and var. tenuior (Hue) Asah. - Apothecia present; over bases of conifers at lower elevations

Reactions:
All spot tests negative.

Contents:
Methyl evernate, methyl gyrophorate, tenuiorin, and various unknown substances (Maass 1975).

Source:  Lichens of British Columbia

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

Illustration By:  Trevor Goward

Synonyms and Alternate Names:
Sticta linita Ach.