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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 dark blue-green cyanobacterium; upper surface usually greyish or brownish (except pale greenish in L. scrobiculata, which has textured/scabrid upper surface) AND
Isidia or soredia present; ecology and distribution various AND
Isidia absent; soredia present; upper surface usually pale, dull, often textured/scabrid AND
Upper surface pale milky greenish (rarely greyish), hairless or at least not strongly covered in minute erect hairs, K- (or occasionally K+ pale yellow); medulla KC+ reddish
Reactions:
Cortex K+ pale yellow or (more often) K-; medulla K+ pale yellow or orangish, KC+ red, PD+ orange (rarely PD-).
Contents:
Constictic, norstictic, stictic, and usnic acids, scrobiculin, and one unknown.
Source: Lichens of British Columbia |
