Loading profile...

Loading profile. Please wait . . .

Phaeophyscia insignis (Mereschk.) Moberg
Mealy Shadow

Photo © Malcolm Hodges, from a specimen collected in Stephens Co., Ga., 10 July 2010
range map button NatureServe button Report Button About button

Federal Protection: No US federal protection

State Protection: No Georgia state protection

Global Rank: G2G4

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: Mixed pine - hardwood forest


Description

Deep green to gray-green thallus, lobes 0.1-0.3 mm wide, fringed with black, white-tipped cilia & rhizines; soralia of fine bright-green soredia, usually in globular soralia on surface of lobes, sometimes wider than lobes; thin medulla white, lower cortex usually pale throughout, sometimes dark away from lobe tips; CHEMISTRY: cortex & medulla K-; FIELD ID: careful study required to note narrow lobes, laminal soralia, pale undersides & K- cortex

Similar Species

Phaeophyscia pusilloides has fine green soredia in round marginal soralia & a black lower surface; Physciella chloantha is larger, has soralia at lobe tips & lacks marginal cilia

Related Rare Species

None

Habitat

Hardwood forests, agricultural areas; noted on Carya illinoinensis & Oxydendrum arboreum bark

Life History

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

Survey Recommendations

None

Range

Piedmont, upper Coastal Plain

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.

Harris, R. C. & D. Ladd. 2005. Preliminary draft: Ozark lichens. Unpublished manuscript, New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY.

Authors of Account

Malcolm Hodges

Date Compiled or Updated

26 August 2024