Flavoparmelia caperata

Flavoparmelia caperata (L.) Hale, 1986

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Synonym

Parmelia caperata (L.) Ach., 1803

Vernacular name

Common greenshield lichen (from Lichens of North America).

Description

Flavoparmelia caperata is a medium to large foliose lichen that has a very distinctive pale yellow green upper cortex when dry. The rounded lobes, measuring 3-8 mm wide, usually have patches of granular soredia arising from pustules. The lobes of the thallus may be smooth, but quite often have a wrinkled appearance especially in older specimens. The lower surface is black except for a brown margin; rhizines attached to the lower surface are black and unbranched.

Lichen chemistry

Cortex, PD-, K-, KC+ yellowish, C- (usnic acid).
Medulla, PD+ red-orange, K-, KC+ pink, C- (protocetraric acid, caperatic acid and atranorin).

Habitat

On bark of trees, but occasionally on rock.

Similar species

The very similar Flavoparmelia baltimorensis grows mainly on rock and has globuse, pustular outgrowths (somewhat similar to isidia) on the upper surface of the lobes, but does not produce granular soredia.

Lichen checklists containing Flavoparmelia caperata

• A cumulative checklist for the lichen-forming, lichenicolous and allied fungi of the continental United States and Canada. North Dakota State University. [1]
• British Lichens - List of Lichens & Lichenicolous Fungi. [2]
• Checklist to Norwegian lichens: Accepted names. [3]
• Checklist of Japanese Lichens. [4]
• Checklist of the Lichens of Australia and its Island Territories (see Flavoparmelia haysomii). [5]

Images of Flavoparmelia caperata on the internet

• Wayne Armstrong's Foliose Lichens. [6]
• Flechtenbilder, Ulrich Kirschbaum. [7]
• The Lichen Herbarium, University of Oslo, Norway. [8]
• Index-Lichens, Leif & Anita Stridvall. [9]

References

• Recent Literature on Lichens and Mattick's Literature Search. [10]
• USDA Plants Database (Flavoparmelia caperata). [11]
• Index Fungorum (Flavoparmelia caperata). [12]
• Brodo, I. M., S. D. Sharnoff, and S. Sharnoff. 2001. Lichens of North America. Yale University Press, New Haven, 795 pages. [13]
• Flenniken, D. G. 1999. The Macrolichens In West Virginia. Published by the author: Don Flenniken, 2273 Blachleyville Rd., Wooster, Ohio 44691. [14]
• Hale, M.E., Jr. 1986. Flavoparmelia, a new genus in the lichen family Parmeliaceae (Ascomycotina). - Mycotaxon 25: 603-605.
• Purvis, O. W., B. J. Coppins, D. L. Hawksworth, P. W. James & D. M. Moore. 1992. The lichen flora of Great Britain and Ireland. The British Lichen Society, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD.