Physcia stellaris

Species of lichen

Physcia stellaris

Scientific classification
Kingdom:  | Fungi
Division:  | Ascomycota
Class:  | Lecanoromycetes
Order:  | Caliciales
Family:  | Physciaceae
Genus:  | Physcia
Species:  |

P. stellaris

Binomial name
Physcia stellaris

(L.) Nyl. (1853)

Synonyms

Species synonymy

* Anaptychia stellaris (Link) (L.) A. Massal.(1853)
* Borrera stellaris (Link) (L.) Mudd, in Körber. (1860) [1865]
* Dimelaena stellaris (Link) (L.) Norman, Conat. Praem.(1852)
* Geissodea stellaris (Link) (L.) A. St.-Hil.(1805)
* Hagenia stellaris (Link) (L.) De Not.(1846)
* Imbricaria stellaris (Link) (L.) DC. (1805)
* Lichen stellaris (Link) L.(1753)
* Lobaria stellari (Link) (L.) Hoffm. (1884)
* Parmelia stellaris (Link) (L.) Ach.(1803)
* Physcia retrogressa (Link) Stirt.(1876)

Physcia stellaris is a species of lichen. It is pale grey, but darker in the centre, and lacks isidia, lobules, soredia and pruina.It tests positive K+ yellow upper cortex with a 10% potassium hydroxide solution.[1] In North America, it is known colloquially as the fringed rosette lichen.[2]

It can grow as an epiphyte. In Greece, it has been reported from the trunk of Platanus trees.[3]

## Taxonomy

[edit]

It was initially described as Lichen stellaris by Carolus Linnaeus in 1753 before receiving its own genus of Physcia in 1856 by William Nylander.[4]

## Description

[edit]

The thallus of Physcia stellaris can be described as foliose as it has aspects of leaf-like lichen structures.[1] The size and shape of the thallus is irregular and can grow up to 4 cm in diameter.[5] Lobes are loosely appressed and are on average only 0.5 mm in size. The upper surface is whitish grey, appearing as almost a cream color. It lacks any form of soredia or isidia on the upper surface. [6] The lower surface is white to brown with simple rhizines. Apothecia are abundant varying in size from 0.5mm-1.5mm and have fruiting bodies shaped like a plate with a ring around them called lecanorine. [7] Ascocarp containing 8 brown, septate ascospores ranging in size from 15-18 μm.[8] Is found as a lichen in all forms.[9]

Physcia stellaris can be differentiated from all other Physcia species due to lack of soredia, with exception to P. aipolia. P. aipolia can be differentiated from P. stellaris due to aipolia’s broader lobes and apothecia that tend to be pruinose.[10][11]

## Distribution and habitat

[edit]

This species is commonly found lichenized on bark and rock all across the temperate zones of North America as well as parts of Europe.[1][10][12] Documented findings of this species range from Georgia to the Canadian Northwest Territories.[13] The species is quite common on deciduous trees but can also be found less commonly on conifers.[12]

## Reproduction

[edit]

Physcia stellaris shows no evident means of asexual reproduction due to its lack of isidia or soredia.[14] This species has abundance of apothecia that allow for sexual reproduction.[citation needed]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c Nimis, P.L (2023-04-25). "The Information System on Italian Lichens. Version 7.0. University of Trieste, Dept. of Biology". Italic 7.0.
2. ^ Brodo, Irwin M.; Sharnoff, Sylvia Duran; Sharnoff, Stephen (2001). Lichens of North America. Yale University Press. p. 558\. ISBN 978-0300082494.
3. ^ Christiansen, Steen N. (2022). "Epiphytic lichens from towns and villages in Greece" (PDF). Parnassiana Archives. 10: 31–37\. ISSN 2241-7842.
4. ^ "Species Fungorum - Species synonymy". www.speciesfungorum.org. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
5. ^ LaGreca, Scott (September 2008). "A regional lichen flora is completed!". The Bryologist. 111 (3): 519–521\. doi:10.1639/0007-2745(2008)111[517:arlfic]2.0.co;2. ISSN 0007-2745. S2CID 86191679.
6. ^ Allen, Jessica L.; Lendemer, James C. (2021-11-23). Urban Lichens. Yale University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctv1zqdvq6. ISBN 978-0-300-26303-9.
7. ^ Salih, Salah Abdulla (2022-07-06). "New reports of lichens from Mawat and Gapelon districts in northeastern Iraq". Lindbergia. 2022 (1). doi:10.25227/linbg.01160. ISSN 0105-0761.
8. ^ "Lichens marins". www.lichensmaritimes.org. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
9. ^ Lendemer, James C. (April 2016). "Key to Lichens of North America: Revised and Expanded Keys to Lichens of North America: Revised and Expanded by Irvin M. Brodo et al., eds. 2016. ISBN 978-0-300-19573-6 Yale University Press, New Haven, CT". Rhodora. 118 (974): 243–246\. doi:10.3119/0035-4902-118.974.243. ISSN 0035-4902. S2CID 89462208.
10. ^ a b Nearing, G. G. (1940). "Guide to the Lichens of the New York Area—Part 8". Torreya. 40 (6): 198–206\. ISSN 0096-3844. JSTOR 40597341.
11. ^ Bennett, James (2017). Common Lichens of Wisconsin. Madison, Wisconsin. p. 10.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
12. ^ a b Washburn, Stephen (2005). The Epiphytic Macrolichens of the Greater Cincinnati, Ohio, Metropolitan Area. Cincinnati. p. 29.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
13. ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 2023-05-04.
14. ^ "LICHENS TO KNOW – Ohio Plants". Retrieved 2023-05-04.

Taxon identifiers

Physcia stellaris|

* Wikidata: Q292035
* Wikispecies: Physcia stellaris
* BioLib: 125194
* CoL: 4HGP8
* EoL: 1007421
* GBIF: 2608941
* iNaturalist: 155090
* IndexFungorum: 400818
* IRMNG: 10480504
* ITIS: 191106
* MycoBank: 400818
* NatureServe: 2.124598
* NBN: NBNSYS0000018933
* NCBI: 116821
* NZOR: 13346e87-6721-4a3a-8232-343ba62c6ec8
* Observation.org: 18159
* Open Tree of Life: 328899
* PLANTS: PHST60
* SpeciesFungorum: 400818
* Tropicos: 100386897

Lichen stellaris|

* Wikidata: Q21976128
* CoL: 727Y6
* GBIF: 3427842
* IndexFungorum: 394515
* IRMNG: 11081197
* MycoBank: 394515
* SpeciesFungorum: 394515
* Tropicos: 100386896