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agrestia lichen

Scientific Name: Agrestia

Family: Hymeneliaceae

Category: Lichen

Growth:

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Agrestia Lichen

This section provides information about lichens classified under the genus Agrestia.

Scientific Classification and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Agrestia J.W. Thomson
  • Rank: Genus
  • Kingdom: Plantae (Note: While traditionally studied by botanists, lichens are now classified within the Fungi kingdom)
  • Division: Ascomycota
  • Family: Hymeneliaceae or Megasporaceae (depending on the species)
  • Synonyms: For Agrestia hispida, a synonym is Aspicilia hispida.
  • Related Genera: Aspicilia (crustose) and other "manna lichens."

Common Names

  • agrestia lichen
  • hispid agrestia lichen
  • Desert Vagabond Lichen
  • Vagabond Lichen
  • Desert Tumbleweed Lichen

Species

  • Agrestia hispida (Mereschk.) Hale &amp W.L. Culb.
  • Agrestia cyphellata J.W. Thomson

Distribution and Habitat

  • Agrestia hispida is widely distributed in North America and Eurasia.
  • Specific locations mentioned include Saskatchewan and Alberta in Canada, and Chiricahua National Monument (NM) in the United States.
  • It grows on calcareous soil in desert habitats.

Morphological Characteristics

  • Agrestia is described as a small to medium-sized fruticose (shrub-like) lichen.
  • It consists of loose tufts of decumbent to semi-erect branches.
  • Agrestia cyphellata has cyphellae (small, pit-like structures) over the branches.
  • It's sometimes referred to as a "vagrant" lichen, which implies it is not firmly attached to a substrate.

Ecological Role

  • Agrestia hispida is associated with terricolous lichen communities of desert habitats.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • Lichens, in general, are a symbiotic relationship between a fungus and algae.
  • Agrestia hispida is associated with Aspicilia fruticulosa and Parmelia in some environments.

Further Information

  • USDA NRCS PLANTS Database
  • ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System)
  • NMNH (National Museum of Natural History)
  • Lichen herbarium, Oslo (O)
  • NatureServe
  • Catalogue of Life
  • Australian New Crops Web Site
  • ResearchGate
  • Garden Guides
  • CDC (for conservation rankings)
  • uBio