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General: Minute to small stratified foliose or occasionally fruticose lichens, corticate above and below, sorediate or isidiate or not, lobes closely appressed to loosely attached or semi-erect, short to more often elongate or elongatelinear, averaging to 0.3–1 (–2) mm wide, thin or somewhat thick. Upper surface orange or orangish, K+ purple. Lower surface pale, often whitish, often bearing scattered, short, simple rhizines. Medulla white. Photobiont green Apothecia located over upper surface, disc orange; spores 2-celled, ellipsoid, colourless, 8 per ascus. Over base-rich rock and bark, occasionally over bone.
Notes: Xanthoria is primarily a temperate genus consisting of approximately 15 species worldwide. Ten are reported for North America and six for B.C. The western Xanthoriae are in need of taxonomic revision; therefore the following account is tentative, pending further study. Chemistry is of little taxonomic value in this genus and is omitted.
Species description: Soredia and/or isidia present AND Isidia and/or soredia located mostly along lobe margins and/or lobe tips, sometimes also developing on lower surface AND Lobes proportionately rather short and broad, sorediate, soredia clustered along lobe margins and especially the lower surface; rhizines present; over bark
Comments: See notes under X. candelaria and X. sp. 1.
Source: Lichens of British Columbia |