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Collema kauaiense

Scientific Name: Collema kauaiense

Family: Collemataceae

Category: Lichen

Growth: Lichenous

Duration:

Other Names:

       

Collema kauaiense

Collema kauaiense is a species of lichen belonging to the genus Collema, also known as Tree Jelly Lichens or Jelly Lichens.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

  • Scientific Name: Collema kauaiense H. Magn.
  • Family: Collemataceae
  • Kingdom: Plantae (Note: Lichens are now classified within the Fungi kingdom)
  • Synonyms:
    • Collema laeve var. limbatum (F. Wilson) Zahlbr.
    • Leptogium olivaceum var. limbatum F. Wilson

Distribution and Habitat

  • Collema kauaiense has been found in locations such as Kauai, China, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, indicating a potentially broad distribution across different regions.
  • It is known to grow corticolous (on bark) in kanuka forests.
  • It is found in dry evergreen and tropical rain forests.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

  • Collema species, including Collema kauaiense, are known as jelly lichens. This likely refers to their gelatinous or jelly-like consistency when wet due to the presence of the cyanobacterium Nostoc as a photobiont.

Interactions with Other Organisms

  • The photobiont (the photosynthetic partner in the lichen symbiosis) for Collema lichens is the cyanobacterium genus Nostoc.

Further Information

  • Information is available through the Encyclopedia of Life (EOL) and Discover Life.
  • Specimens are held in collections at Te Papa.
  • Taxonomic information can be found via the ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.125134 unique identifier.