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Ochrolechia mexicana Vainio
Mexican Saucer

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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: Montane hardwood forest


Description

Whitish thallus; large disks round or crowded, with smooth, puffy lecanorine rims; disks sunken below rims, mostly pruinose, appearing white, yellow or pink; CHEMISTRY: apothecial disk, rim cortex & medulla of rim KC+, C+ red (gyrophoric acid), thallus UV+ yellow (lichexanthone) or UV- (2 chemical races); FIELD ID: chemical tests on minute portions of thallus require dissecting scope & microtubules

Similar Species

Ochrolechia pseudopallescens reacts KC+, C+ red only on the disk surface & O. trochophora reacts KC+, C+ red on rim cortex but not rim medulla; O. africana reacts KC+, C+ red on disk surface & rim medulla, but not rim cortex

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Hardwood forests, on bark (Betula)

Life History

Corticolous crustose lichenized fungus, photobiont a green chlorococcoid alga (Trebouxia?)

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Southern Blue Ridge

Threats

Unknown

Georgia Conservation Status

Rare

Conservation Management Recommendations

None

References

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

Brodo, I. M. 2016. Keys to lichens of North America: revised and expanded. 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

13 August 2024