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Heterodermia langdoniana Lendemer & E.Tripp
Rusty-bottom Fringe

Photos © Malcolm Hodges, from a specimen collected in Rabun Co., Ga., 5 August 2006; top: upperside; bottom: underside
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Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: GNR

State Rank: SNR

Element Locations Tracked in Biotics: No

SWAP 2015 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): No

SWAP 2025 Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN): No

2025 SGCN Priority Tier: None

Element Occurrences (EOs) in Georgia: 0

Habitat Summary for element in Georgia: Rocky woodland, mesic hardwood forest


Description

Pale green lobes, edges sometimes crowded with proliferation of small lobes; some lobe tips curling back to expose white soralia beneath; lobe margins frequently sporting cilia-like rhizines; underside ecorticate, white at tips, grading to rusty-brown, then to purplish-black at center; CHEMISTRY: rusty areas on underside K-; FIELD ID: underside color is the key, as with so many fringe lichens; this one may need a field K test to confirm

Similar Species

Some Heterodermia have bright orange pigment on underside that reacts K+ purple

Related Rare Species

Heterodermia appalachensis, H. crocea, H. erecta

Habitat

Rocky woodland, mesic hardwood forest; 5 records on silicious rock, 3 on hardwood bark

Life History

Saxicolous/corticolous foliose lichenized fungus, photobiont a green chlorococcoid alga (Trebouxia?)

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Most records thinly scattered above the Fall Line; 1 record from the Coastal Plain

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Uncommon

Conservation Management Recommendations

None

References

Brodo, I. M. 2001. Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.

Esslinger, T. L. 2021. A cumulative checklist for the lichen-forming, lichenicolous and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada. Version 24. Opuscula Philolichenum 20: 100-394.

Tripp, E. A. & J. C. Lendemer. 2020. Field guide to the lichens of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

23 March 2022